WORLD INVOCATION DAY

World Invocation Day is a world day of prayer when men and women of every spiritual path join in a universal appeal to divinity and use the Great Invocation. Together they focus the invocative demand of humanity for the light, the love and the spiritual direction needed to build a world of justice, unity and peace.

As we begin the new millennium, we face the fact that materialistic values have led humanity to a state of profound crisis. Our very survival is threatened, not only by militarism, but by our lack of wisdom and will to feed the hungry, to share our plentiful resources, and to solve the many other critical problems which confront the human family.

Yet the solution exists. One of the greatest insights of our time is that of the interdependence and interrelatedness of all life. Today millions of people share the conviction of an inner spiritual unity within humanity which transcends any outer differences of race, nation and creed. As men and women of goodwill the world over give expression to this conviction in their lives, a process of planetary transformation is taking place. A new civilisation is emerging which embraces all peoples and is founded upon the recognition of our common humanity and right human relations.

The world's problems are of humanity's making and they are for humanity to solve. But the essence of the spiritual life lies in knowing that we are not alone. The energies of divinity are abundantly available and, on World Invocation Day, an appeal is made for the release of the energies which will enable humanity to create the new civilisation.

Today the reappearance of the World Teacher is expected by millions, by those of every faith who expect the Avatar under such names as the Christ, the Lord Maitreya, the Kalki Avatar, Messiah, Imam Mahdi and the Bodhisattva. The use of the Great Invocation is one of humanity's most potent tools in preparing human consciousness for the reappearance of this World Teacher.

Each year since 1952, people everywhere have celebrated World Invocation Day, joining in the affirmation of the oneness of humanity, the living-ness of our relationship to God and the responsibility of humanity for the working out of the divine Plan on earth.

Will you join in observing World Invocation Day through the united use of the Great Invocation, and will you help to make this day widely known? <_P> THE GREAT INVOCATION

The Great Invocation belongs to all humanity and not to any one religion or group. It is a world prayer, translated into over 70 languages and dialects.

Use of the Great Invocation is world service for it speaks directly to world need today. We need light to illumine the way ahead and reveal the vision of a new civilisation; we need love to govern the relationships between people and bring to an end the reign of hatred and separatism; we need the power of the will-to-good to direct human choice and decision making. The universal use of the Great Invocation on World Invocation Day charges this day with deep spiritual significance, for it builds a channel through which light, love and power can reach and irradiate the hearts and minds of people everywhere.

Most of the festivals of the major world religions are held in accordance with the lunar calendar. The date of World Invocation Day is also determined in this way. It follows on two months from the Christian Festival of Easter and one month from the Buddhist Festival of Wesak.

World Invocation Day is supported by many different groups and organisations throughout the world. World Goodwill promotes the celebration of World Invocation Day through a range of literature including guidelines as to how you can help ensure that the day is more widely observed in your community. Copies of the Great Invocation in card, bookmark, leaflet and poster form are available on request.

World Goodwill is an international movement founded in 1932 to help in the establishment of right human relations through the use of the power of goodwill. The work of World Goodwill is essentially educational. World Goodwill is an accredited non-governmental organisation with the Office of Public Information of the United Nations.

The Great Invocation is a world prayer; it has no personal appeal or temporal invocative urge; it expresses humanity's need and pierces through all the difficulties, doubts and questionings-straight to the Mind and the Heart of the One in Whom we live and move and have our being-the One Who will stay with us until the end of time itself and "until the last weary pilgrim has found his way home."
Alice A. Bailey

WORLD GOODWILL