O Thou forgiving God!

These servants are turning to Thy kingdom and seeking Thy grace and
bounty. O God! Make their hearts good and pure in order that they may become worthy of Thy love.
Purify and sanctify the spirits that the light of the Sun of Reality may shine upon them. Purify and
sanctify the eyes that they may perceive Thy light. Purify and sanctify the ears in order that they may
hear the call of Thy kingdom.
O Lord! Verily, we are weak, but Thou art mighty. Verily, we are poor, but Thou art rich. We are
the seekers, and Thou art the One sought. O Lord! Have compassion upon us and forgive us; bestow
upon us such capacity and receptiveness that we may be 150 worthy of Thy favors and become
attracted to Thy kingdom, that we may drink deep of the water of life, may be enkindled by the fire of
Thy love, and be resuscitated through the breaths of the Holy Spirit in this radiant century.
O God, my God! Cast upon this gathering the glances of Thy loving-kindness. Keep safe each and
all in Thy custody and under Thy protection. Send down upon these souls Thy heavenly blessings.
Immerse them in the ocean of Thy mercy and quicken them through the breaths of the Holy Spirit.
O Lord! Bestow Thy gracious aid and confirmation upon this just government. This country lieth
beneath the sheltering shadow of Thy protection and this people is in Thy service. O Lord! Confer
upon them Thy heavenly bounty and render the outpourings of Thy grace and favor copious and
abundant. Suffer this esteemed nation to be held in honor and enable it to be admitted into Thy
kingdom.
Thou art the Powerful, the Omnipotent, the Merciful, and Thou art the Generous, the Beneficent,
the Lord of grace abounding.

TALKS ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ DELIVERED IN NEW YORK AND FANWOOD

26 May 1912
Talk at Mount Morris Baptist Church
Fifth Avenue and 126th Street, New York

PUP, p. 149-150

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O Thou compassionate, almighty One! This assemblage of souls have turned their faces unto Thee
in supplication. With the utmost humility and submission they look toward Thy Kingdom and beg
Thee for pardon and forgiveness. O God! Endear this assembly to Thyself. Sanctify these souls, and
cast upon them the rays of Thy guidance. Illumine their hearts, and gladden their spirits with Thy
glad tidings. Receive all of them in Thy holy Kingdom; confer upon them Thine inexhaustible bounty;
make them happy in this world and in the world to come. O God! We are weak; give us strength. We
are poor; bestow upon us Thine illimitable treasures. We are sick; grant unto us Thy divine healing.
We are impotent; give us Thy heavenly power. O Lord! Make us useful in this world; free us from the
condition of self and desire. O Lord! Make us brethren in Thy love, and cause us to be loving toward
all Thy children. Confirm us in service to the world of humanity so that we may become the servants
of Thy servants, that we may love all Thy creatures and become compassionate to all Thy people. O
Lord, Thou art the Almighty. Thou art the Merciful. Thou art the Forgiver. Thou art the Omnipotent.
*The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 301-302
- `Abdu'l-Bahá

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936 8477 2702 and the passcode is: 1921 Seasonal Schools Zoom

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O Thou forgiving God!  These servants are turning to Thy kingdom and seeking Thy
grace and bounty.  O God!  Make their hearts good and pure in order that they may become
worthy of Thy love.  Purify and sanctify the spirits that the light of the Sun of Reality may
shine upon them.  Purify and sanctify the eyes that they may perceive Thy light.  Purify and
sanctify the ears in order that they may hear the call of Thy kingdom. 
O Lord!  Verily, we are weak, but Thou art mighty.  Verily, we are poor, but Thou art
rich.  We are seekers, and Thou art the One sought.  O Lord!  Have compassion upon us
and forgive us; bestow upon us such capacity and receptiveness that we may be
worthy of Thy favors and become attracted to Thy kingdom, that we may drink deep of the
water of life, may be enkindled by the fire of Thy love, and be resuscitated through the
breaths of the Holy Spirit in this radiant century.

O God, my God!  Cast upon this gathering the glances of Thy loving-kindness.  Keep
safe each and all in Thy custody and under Thy protection.  Send down upon these souls
Thy heavenly blessings.  Immerse them in the ocean of Thy mercy, and quicken them
through the breaths of the Holy Spirit.

O Lord!  Bestow Thy gracious aid and confirmation upon this just government.  This
country lieth beneath the sheltering shadow of Thy protection, and this people is in Thy
service.  O Lord!  Confer upon them Thy heavenly bounty and render the outpourings of
Thy grace and favor copious and abundant.  Suffer this esteemed nation to be held in
honor, and enable it to be admitted into Thy kingdom.

Thou art the Powerful, the Omnipotent, the Merciful, and Thou art the Generous, the
Beneficent, the Lord of grace abounding.

===
Capacity
And now, concerning thy question regarding the creation of man. Know thou that all
men have been created in the nature made by God, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting.
Unto each one hath been prescribed a pre-ordained measure, as decreed in God's
mighty and guarded Tablets.
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 149
Let none, therefore, consider the largeness or smallness of the receptacle. The portion
of some might lie in the palm of a man's hand, the portion of others might fill a cup, and
of others even a gallon-measure.
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 8
But the lack of capacity and merit in the Day of Judgment does not prevent one from
bounty and generosity, for it is the day of grace and not justice, and to give every one
his due is justice.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 360
Capacity is of two kinds, natural capacity and acquired capacity. The first, which is the
creation of God, is purely good -- in the creation of God there is no evil; but the acquired
capacity has become the cause of the appearance of evil. For example, God has
created all men in such a manner, and has given them such a constitution and such
capacities, that they are benefited by sugar and honey, and harmed and destroyed by
poison. This nature and constitution is innate, and God has given it equally to all
mankind. But man begins little by little to accustom himself to poison, by taking a small
quantity each day, and gradually increasing it, until he reaches such a point that he
cannot live without a gram of opium every day. The natural capacities are thus
completely perverted. Observe how much the natural capacity and constitution can be
changed, until by different habits and training they become entirely perverted. One does
not criticize vicious people because of their innate capacities and nature, but rather for
their acquired capacities and nature.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 320
Consequently, do not look upon thy capacity, nay, rather, look upon the infinite grace of
the Bounty of Abhá whose grace is comprehending and whose bounty is perfect.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 360
Consider not thy capacity and merit, nay rather consider the grace of thy Lord, the
Clement, the Merciful. Verily, thy Lord confirmeth whomsoever He willeth of His
servants, through the glad-tidings of the Kingdom, the signals of clemency and the
spiritual fragrances.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá v3, p. 607-609
Difference of capacity in human individuals is fundamental. It is impossible for all to be
alike, all to be equal, all to be wise. Bahá’u’lláh has revealed principles and laws which
will accomplish the adjustment of varying human capacities.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 217
In brief, do thou not look upon. .. thy limited capacity; look thou upon the Bounties and
Providence of the Lord of the Kingdom, for His Confirmation is great, and His Power
unparalleled and incomparable.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, To Move the World, p. 7
In the same way, the words I speak to you here tonight may produce no effect
whatever. Some hearts may be affected, then soon forget; others owing to superstitious
ideas and imaginations may even fail to hear and understand; but the blessed souls
who are attentive to my exhortation and admonition, listening with the ear of
acceptance, allowing my words to penetrate effectively, will advance day by day toward
full fruition, yea even to the Supreme Concourse. Consider how the parable makes
attainment dependent upon capacity.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 149
It is evident, therefore, that mankind differs in natal capacity and intrinsic intellectual
endowment. Nevertheless, although capacities are not the same, every member of the
human race is capable of education.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 85
Perhaps some one will say, that since the capacity and worthiness of men differ,
therefore the difference of capacity certainly causes the difference of characters. But
this is not so; for capacity is of two kinds, natural capacity and acquired capacity. The
first, which is the creation of God, is purely good -- in the creation of God there is no
evil; but the acquired capacity has become the cause of the appearance of evil. For
example, God has created all men in such a manner, and has given them such a
constitution and such capacities, that they are benefited by sugar and honey, and
harmed and destroyed by poison. This nature and constitution is innate, and God has
given it equally to all mankind. But man begins little by little to accustom himself to
poison, by taking a small quantity each day, and gradually increasing it, until he reaches
such a point that he cannot live without a gram of opium every day. The natural
capacities are thus completely perverted. Observe how much the natural capacity and
constitution can be changed, until by different habits and training they become entirely
perverted. One does not criticize vicious people because of their innate capacities and
nature, but rather for their acquired capacities and nature.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 319
Regarding one's lack of capacity and one's undeserving on the Day of Resurrection, this
does not cause one to be shut out from gifts and bounties; for this is not the Day of
Justice but the Day of Grace, while justice is allotting to each whatever is his due. Then
look thou not at the degree of thy capacity, look thou at the boundless favour of
Bahá’u’lláh; all-encompassing is His bounty, and consummate His grace.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 179
That which is in the lowest state of existence, like the mineral, has no right to complain,
saying, "O God, why have You not given me the vegetable perfections?" In the same
way, the plant has no right to complain that it has been deprived of the perfections of
the animal world. Also it is not befitting for the animal to complain of the want of the
human perfections. No, all these things are perfect in their own degree, and they must
strive after the perfections of their own degree. The inferior beings, as we have said,
have neither the right to, nor the fitness for, the states of the superior perfections. No,
their progress must be in their own state.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 248
Those souls who have the capacity and ability to receive the outpourings of the
Kingdom and the confirmation of the Holy Spirit, they become attracted through one
word. But people who have not the capacity, no matter how much one explain the divine
behests and advices or breathe the breath of the Holy Spirit, it will not make an effect;
nay, rather they add to their hardness and heedlessness.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 364
Unless capacity is developed, the summons of the Kingdom cannot reach the ear, the
light of the Sun of Truth will not be observed, and the fragrances of the rose garden of
inner significance will be lost. Let us endeavor to attain capacity, susceptibility and
worthiness that we may hear the call of the glad tidings of the Kingdom, become
revivified by the breaths of the Holy Spirit, hoist the standard of the oneness of
humanity, establish human brotherhood, and under the protection of divine grace attain
the everlasting and eternal life.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 149
With regard to the innate character, although the divine creation is purely good, yet the
varieties of natural qualities in man come from the difference of degree; all are
excellent, but they are more or less so, according to the degree. So all mankind
possess intelligence and capacities, but the intelligence, the capacity, and the
worthiness of men differ. This is evident. For example, take a number of children of one
family, of one place, of one school, instructed by one teacher, reared on the same food,
in the same climate, with the same clothing, and studying the same lessons -- it is
certain that among these children some will be clever in the sciences, some will be of
average ability, and some dull. Hence it is clear that in the original nature there exists a
difference of degree, and varieties of worthiness and capacity. This difference does not
imply good or evil, but is simply a difference of degree. One has the highest degree,
another the medium degree, and another the lowest degree.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 318
But we are aware of the assurance which Bahá’u’lláh Himself has given the believers
that they will never be called upon to meet a test greater than their capacity to endure.
Universal House of Justice, Lights of Guidance, p. 341
It should be clear to everyone that the capacity created in the Bahá’í community over
successive global Plans renders it increasingly able to lend assistance in the manifold
and diverse dimensions of civilization building, opening to it new frontiers of learning.
Universal House of Justice, Ridván Message 2010, paragraphs 25-26
Justice demands universal participation. Thus, while social action may involve the
provision of goods and services in some form, its primary concern must be to build
capacity within a given population to participate in creating a better world.
Universal House of Justice, Ridván 2010
The vision that unfolds before our eyes is of a grassroots stirring, an organic flowering,
a resistless movement that has grown imperceptibly at times and at others
in great surges to eventually embrace the entire world: God-intoxicated lovers
exceeding their personal capacities, embryonic institutions learning to exercise their
powers for the well-being of humanity, communities emerging as shelters and schools in
which human potential is nourished.
Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world acting under the Mandate
of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 26 March 2016.
Of these truths some can be disclosed only to the extent of the capacity of the
repositories of the light of Our knowledge, and the recipients of Our hidden grace.
Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh v 1, p. 29-33

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