THE DESIRES AND PRAYERS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, (1912), Bahá'í Publishing Trust · Read original
Studio narration for this story is coming — it’ll be generated by the cloud-TTS pipeline (voice: auto-selected from the source author).
When in Bahá'í history
Paris (today: Paris, France)
November 15th
‘Abdu’l-Bahá said:
You are all very welcome, and I love you all most dearly.
Day and night I pray to Heaven for you that strength may be yours, and that, one and all, you may participate in the blessings of Bahá’u’lláh, and enter into the Kingdom.
I supplicate that you may become as new beings, illumined with the Divine Light, like unto shining lamps, and that from one end of Europe to the other the knowledge of the Love of God may spread.
May this boundless love so fill your hearts and minds that sadness may find no room to enter and may you with joyful hearts soar like birds into the Divine Radiance.
May your hearts become clear and pure like unto polished mirrors in which may be reflected the full glory of the Sun of Truth.
May your eyes be opened to see the signs of the Kingdom of God, and may your ears be unstopped so that you may hear with a perfect understanding the Heavenly Proclamation sounding in your midst.
May your souls receive help and comfort, and, being so strengthened, may they be enabled to live in accordance with the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.
I pray for each and all that you may be as flames of love in the world, and that the brightness of your light and the warmth of your affection may reach the heart of every sad and sorrowing child of God.
May you be as shining stars, bright and luminous for ever in the Kingdom.
I counsel you that you study earnestly the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, so that, God helping you, you may in deed and truth become Bahá’ís.
Source: 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks (Bahá'í Publishing Trust). Public domain text from Project Gutenberg eBook #19284.
Discuss this story
For adults
- Where do you see joy appearing — visibly or quietly — in this passage?
- How does this story complicate or deepen your understanding of paris-talks?
- Where do joy and love meet in this story?
For teens
- If you were in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's place, what might you have done?
- What does this story teach about joy?
Reflection
- How does joy show up in your life right now — and where is it being asked of you?
- Is there someone in your life who would be helped by hearing this story?
- Where in your own life are you being asked to practice joy?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "THE DESIRES AND PRAYERS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ" drawn from?
Where does this story take place?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which historical figure is featured most prominently in this story?
Which virtue does this story most clearly illustrate?
Cite this story
'Abdu'l-Bahá. (1912). *Paris Talks*. Bahá'í Publishing Trust. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/19284/pg19284-images.html
Record yourself reading this story
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