From the time that I was a child attending cheder, and even before, there began to take form in my mind a picture of the future redemption -- the redemption of Israel from its last exile, a redemption such as would explicate the suffering, the decrees and the massacres of the galut...

(from a written by the letter by the Rebbe on his 54th birthday in 1956; free translation)

One objective pervades it all. One goal is at the forefront of a century of life and achievement: a world devoid of hate and greed, a world free of suffering and strife, a world suffused with the wisdom and goodness of its Creator. No less.

In virtually every talk the Rebbe gave, every letter he wrote and every action he initiated, the theme, the sign-off and the objective was: the coming of Moshiach, the attainment of the Redemption.

The idea of a universal redemption, heralded by a global leader called Moshiach (“the anointed”) is a basic tenet of the Jewish faith. The Jew believes that world which G-d created possesses the potential to fully reflect the infinite goodness and perfection of its Creator. And the Jew believes that the realization of this goal is the very purpose to which his or her soul has been invested within a physical body and life.

But perhaps no leader in history emphasized the urgency and immediacy of Moshiach as did the Rebbe. In this, the Rebbe was echoing the great Jewish sage Maimonides, who more than 800 years ago had said: a single deed, a single word, even a single thought, has the power to tip the scales and bring redemption to the world.

The Rebbe explained: because the basic nature of our world is perfect and good, our every good action is real and enduring, while every negative thing is just that -- a negative phenomenon, a void waiting to be dispelled. In this sense evil and good are like darkness and light. Darkness, no matter how ominous and intimidating, is merely the absence of light. Light need not combat and overpower darkness in order to displace it -- where light is, darkness is not. A thimbleful of light will therefore banish a roomful of darkness.

No matter how dark the world may seem or feel, light is just a single action away.

The Rebbe saw this and imparted to us this vision. If we open our eyes to this reality, we can bring redemption to the world. Today.