Demand Growing for Bridge of Peace in Southern California

by Paula Fujiwara-Pasadena, CA

The Bridge of Peace Ceremony was introduced to Southern California by the Women’s Federation for World Peace in Sept. 1995 as part of its International Women’s Friendship Conference series between Japanese and American women. It is a ceremony of forgiveness, reconciliation and healing of the wounds caused by past wrongdoings. Nine Japanese-American bridge ceremonies took place in Los Angeles. Out of the urging of Southern Californian participants in this conference series, a new project was born in January 1996. The Interracial Sisterhood Project (I.S.P.) was established to address the problem of racial division in the Los Angeles area. The first interracial bridge of peace ceremony was held at the L.A. Convention Center with 350 participants on Oct. 5, 1996. It was an entirely volunteer effort with many goods and services donated.

"After months of hard work and fund raising for the first I.S.P. event, we found that participants were inviting us to bring the ceremony to their ‘realm of influence’," said I.S.P. chairwoman Sheri Rueter.

Consequently, in 1997 there were bridge of peace ceremonies held in four different communities. The first event was held at the beginning of spring as an interracial ceremony for 185 girls of the ABC High School District. It was coordinated by Diane Stonbraker, a teacher and founder of the Artesia High Rainbow League, which promotes interracial harmony on their culturally diverse campus. Now the campus has an Interracial Sisterhood Club which just put on the second annual bridge ceremony including girls from the other four high schools in the district. The second event was held for residents of a large senior citizens’ complex in Pasadena. I.S.P. supporters from the Pasadena Interracial Women’s Club organized the ceremony, pairing residents from the two towers in order to encourage a closer-knit community. The third event involved a national Native American conference held in Anaheim. The bridge ceremony was part of the conference’s cultural night coordinated by Paula Star of the Southern California Indian Center. There were 250 participants; mostly Native American women were paired with I.S.P. supporters but also some men, children and family "partners for peace" were formed. The fourth event was the first City-sponsored ceremony in Carson, California. Several city officials who were invited to earlier ceremonies were instrumental in making it happen. It was held in October (Cultural Diversity Month) as the second anniversary of the original Interracial Sisterhood Ceremony. There was a total of 300 participants, including all the city officials.

I.S.P. Builds Momentum in 1998

The spring season was ushered in once again in 1998 by 150 excited girls from the ABC Unified High School District at the Cerritos Park East Community Center. The new Interracial Sisterhood Club of Artesia High took responsibility for many aspects of planning and preparation of the event, which were done by faculty advisors and the I.S.P. in 1997. This year’s event was "very challenging but equally successful," commented club advisor Diane Stonbraker; "the girls got to know each other better this time." A segment was added to the program allowing time for new interracial pairs to interview each other.

This year’s event was covered by the Long Beach Press-Telegram and the New California Times. The keynote speaker was school principal Dr. Genevieve Shepherd, who spoke at the first-ever interracial bridge ceremony in Los Angeles. She reminded participants that something as simple as a smile and a kind word go a long way to bridge the gap between individuals.

Held on Friday, March 20, some girls were eagerly awaiting the experience. "People said it was really fun last year and the girls were nice and friendly," said Whitney High sophomore Lejone Morris, 15 years old.

Honesty Brown commented that "in high school people have a tendency to hang around people of the same race.... But here you don’t have a choice and you get paired with someone of a different race and you can talk with them and find out you have a lot in common. It’s amazing to find that out!"

Honesty’s "Sister of Peace" Christine Maldonado is co-president with her of the Gahr High Interracial Sisterhood Club. "We just made meetings (to organize the event) but never really sat down together and just talked," says Christine; at the ceremony "we got to talking and I learned so much!"

"I think it’s probably one of the best events that has ever come to our school district," says Kristy Crumbo, Artesia High student body president and ceremony coordinator. "It built unity among the whole community."

Interracial Sisterhood Club members are considering sponsoring a retreat to address women’s issues and things which affect them every day, since meetings during the school day have been too brief, and after school and weekends are crowded with other activities.

First College-Sponsored Bridge Ceremony

Saturday, March 28 marked the historic first college-sponsored Interracial Bridge of Peace Ceremony. It was held at Chaffey College in the community of Rancho Cucamonga in California’s Inland Empire region northeast of Los Angeles. The coordinator of the event was Chaffey College Professor Arlene McCall. Arlene came in contact with Women’s Federation for World Peace when she responded to an invitation to the International Women’s Friendship Conference in Los Angeles. She attended the first Interracial Ceremony at the L.A. Convention Center as well as the third International W.F.W.P. Convention last November in Washington, D.C. By the beginning of this year she was determined to put on a bridge ceremony on campus this spring and intends to have a bridge crossing at her church in May.

This semester she was able to rally the support of the faculty, staff and students as well as the local mayor and city council. There were approximately seventy attendees and about twenty pairs of sisters crossed the bridge. Arlene and I.S.P. chairwoman Sheri Rueter were co-emcees. Arlene’s talented students created the atmosphere for harmony in poetry, song and modern dance. Director for Student Activities Susan Stewart made acknowledgments and presented the proclamation from the city of Rancho Cucamonga. Keynote speakers were Cheryl Landon and Dorinda Henderson. Cheryl shared something of the lessons of love her father, actor Michael Landon, wanted to convey through his TV series Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven. Dorinda Henderson is an active WFWP/ISP member who was an exchange student at Chaffey College and was named Alumni of the Year in 1996. A native of Belize, she has served in the management of Bank of America and as deputy director of the state’s Fair Employment and Housing Department. Dorinda told of many positive experiences with her advisors at Chaffey who understood about cultural diversity and the challenges she faced adjusting to the American education system and culture. She concluded: "I’m back and I’m proud!"

Students were heard saying that a teacher told them to come and they could get extra credit, but they had no idea it was going to be so magnificent. They were surprised that they were so moved. Chaffey student Rhonda Sanchez remarked, "It was more than I expected. I felt so touched today." Arlene added, "This is really a groundbreaking event for this community and I’m sure it’s just the beginning; it’s paving the way for much larger events to follow."

Prof. McCall is currently working on a Ph.D. in International Education. She plans to develop and implement a certificate program and an Associate of Arts degree in multicultural studies. Ongoing bridge of peace ceremonies will be part of her program.

The Interracial Sisterhood Project of Southern California is planning more bridge ceremonies this year; as part of a youth conference in the City of Carson and with the International Friendship Festival in Long Beach, among others. ISP wants to multiply these ceremonies in schools, churches and cities. Partners for Peace who have had a chance to recognize and heal the wounds of the past can make great strides toward a future of harmony. The ISP can be reached at (626)395-7491, fax -7494; 761 E. Green St., Suite 9, Pasadena CA 91101.

Celebrating Easter in New York

by Christine Libon-Clifton, NJ

"Arise! Your light has come, the Savior promised long. Let every heart prepare a throne and every voice a song. He comes the prisoners to release in Satan’s bondage held. The gates of brass before Him burst, the iron fetters yield. I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations...and the days of sorrow will end." So go the lyrics of the beautiful choral selection by Doddridge (1775) from Isaiah 60-61.

Whom will God make the joy of all generations? You, and me, and all the faithful Christians regardless of the color of their skin, all of us currently benefiting from the Providential Age. Your days of slavery, of slander, of being downtrodden will be over-you will be the pride! My heart sang out to the virtually all-black audience and their unseen ancestors. Yes, I’m proud of you, my precious brothers and sisters in Christ, for I know that the fervor of your praises outshines many a white congregation.

This event, held at the beautifully restored Pilgrim Renaissance Convention Center in Brooklyn, NY, was videotaped Apr. 5 and aired on Cable Channel 31 on Apr. 12 at 9pm. It was a support to the community in many ways, advertising health care, youth and family services offered by both churches and businesses. I was proud to be there to support the noble motives of the organizer, who said the main reason for holding this revival was to make it known how the "blacks" worship, to publicize their worship more than the white Catholics at Easter, the Jews at Passover, and the black "criminal activity" on the streets. A lone Amen rang out as this man urged the black Christians to raise their children properly and not to be sent off to jail-so that Jesus’ Resurrection would not be in vain!

Ministers and viewers melted out the exits as the hours passed and apology after apology echoed for the lengthy delays. We, of course, had been well-primed, conditioned to sitting and listening for countless hours before Father; we had been well-primed, conditioned to sitting and listening for countless hours before Father; we had been well-taught the value of enduring to the end-about 10pm.

Song truly expresses the emotional aspect of our faith in worship, facilitating swells in our hearts, tearbursts of awe and reverence, inspiration, moments of ecstasy, shakes and quakes founded upon solid conviction. We focused on the expressed arms of our director, Francesco Santelli, who felt extremely honored to lead the choir in support of Bishop Pak. Many well-respected brothers and sisters traveled far distances to practice and participate in this special opportunity. Thirty-five white choir robes had been purchased by Rev. John Hong of New Jersey, thanks to contributing businesses. Three sisters had sewn the necktie-like royal blue satin stoles. Our pianist was Rikako Asanuma, with whom we had performed on other occasions such as the Fourth of July. The edited version began with a close-up of Mrs. Yasuko Kono, the mother of the choir. It sounded quite good, well-studied, high-quality, professional.

During the program, four commercials were shown encouraging couples to rededicate their love because family is important. Although it is not always easy, marriage is life’s greatest blessing. The commercials were from the Family Federation, founded by Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon. The Rev. Bishop Pak received the rousing support of the audience as he uttered powerful yet simple Biblical truths: "By living as Jesus taught, we become engrafted into God’s lineage. This is the adoption as sons (and daughters). Jesus came to teach us true love...true love begins in the family.... Let us be true parents to our children, true husbands, true wives."

We bring the sacrifice of praise to the House of the Lord. Energetic youth choirs, solo performers, the "Second Chance," and devotional dancers offered their expressions of praise. One Jamaican selection was particularly uplifting.

Was it worth it? In True Parents’ own words, "We should invest ourselves 24 hours a day so that even one more person can be brought closer to God."

Ballet Reportage

by Richard L. Lewis-NYC

The Universal Ballet toured America from March 13 through April 28. We will have a full report next month. In New York City, the press coverage was quite remarkable. Anna Kisselgoff of the New York Times covered both Shim Chung, the Blind Man’s Daughter and Swan Lake. In her first report (NYT, 4/16) she wrote:

"Given their American influences, occasional Russian coaches and the fact that most of the dancers are Koreans trained in university dance departments in Seoul, it is no surprise that there is a hybrid style of classical dancing.

"The model appears to be Ms. Moon. Along the way she has picked up the supple torso of the Russian school, the soft toe work of the Royal Ballet and a streamlined American line.

"In the title role of ‘Shim Chung,’ she has a genuine star presence, using her natural lyricism and perfect arabesque to evoke the delicate purity of the heroine. The female corps, often seen in the Korean-style costumes designed by Sylvia Taalsohn, is similarly well placed in its upper body and generally avoids strong attack.

"By contrast, the men (village folk or drunken sailors) are encouraged to erupt into passages of standard bravura.

"Ms. Dellas’s choreography, propelled by Kevin Barber Pickard’s score, is never difficult. Mime is used to tell the story, which is straightforward: a blind man (Hyun-Woo Kim) is rescued from the river by a Buddhist monk who promises him sight in exchange for 300 sacks of rice. Shim Chung, the blind man’s daughter, obtains the money from an impressively virtuosic sea captain (Jun-Kyu Lee) who sacrifices her to a sea dragon.

"An underwater scene in Act 2, reminiscent of Diaghilev productions, is the best, with various sea creatures allowed to express their individuality in solos, contrasting with the reticence of the ensemble. Here, Ji-Hoon Yum, like Vito Iacobellis in Act 3, did well with his turns, and there was a welcome vibrancy from Sun-Hyung Yoon and Yena Kang.

"The heroine rejects the sea king (Jae-Won Hwang) in favor of a real Korean king (Chung-Lin Tseng) when she returns to earth. Ms. Dellas incorporates a stylized Korean mask dance in the wedding divertissement, which includes a vivid pas de quatre for two couples (Hyuk-Ku Kwon, Dragos Mihalcea, Yoo-Mi Lee and Mi-Ja Lee). All the blind men of the kingdom regain their sight in a truly happy ending."

The dance critic of the New York Post, Clive Barnes, was not so impressed. As a sophisticate and esthete, he found its simplicity too much for him. But even he, at the end of his snippy review, said (NY Post, 4/16):

"The dancing is quite good. The men seem rather better than the women-I noticed particularly the dash of Jun-Kyu Lee and the enthusiasm of Ji-Hoon Yum-and the ballerina role was neatly taken by Julia H. Moon, the Rev. Moon’s daughter-in-law and the company’s prima ballerina and general director, although of sufficient quality to suggest that nepotism had not all that much to do with it."

Swan Lake

Both dance critics, however, praised the performance of Swan Lake. Anna Kisselgoff (NY Times, 4/20) wrote:

"It isn’t every ballet company that can afford to restage a lavish full-length production of ‘Swan Lake’ which was originally produced for the Kirov Ballet. Nor can every company drill into its corps de ballet the astounding precision and attention to stylistic detail which the Universal Ballet from South Korea demonstrated in ‘Swan Lake’ over the weekend.

"Here again it was obvious that this company, which dates its founding to 1984 in Seoul, is an anomaly on the international dance scene. Even the weekend series of debuts in ‘Swan Lake,’ which led off at City Center with Sun-Hee Park’s admirable performance as Odette-Odile on Friday night, defined the paradox apparent on the troupe’s first United States tour. Earlier in the week, the company had opened with a simple contemporary work drawn from Korean legend which made no demands on technique. Suddenly, it was asked to perform in a production of ‘Swan Lake’ that, except for a few changes, is the same which Oleg Vinogradov presented with the Kirov Ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1992 and 1995.

"One might have certain reservations about this version: they were apparently shared by the Universal Ballet, which made the changes for this tour. Nonetheless, what is on view is an elaborate 19th-century classic which requires a level of technique and coherence that only major companies can deliver.

"What looked like a still-young troupe centered on its leading ballerina, Julia H. Moon (Odette-Odile on Saturday night), was suddenly transformed. How could the Universal Ballet stage such a big-league production this well? One reason is generous financial support from the Korean Cultural [and Freedom] Foundation. This group is affiliated with the company’s founder, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, leader of the Unification Church.

"Another explanation is the rigorous coaching given to the visibly committed dancers. The discipline of the corps, especially in the ‘white,’ or lakeside, scenes of ‘Swan Lake,’ can put even internationally ranked companies to shame.

"Snaking around the stage in their entrance, regrouping into lines for the waltz, cringing in fear, wrists flexed upward, the corps moved in riveting unison. Where other companies would have Lev Ivanov’s traditional choreography breathe a collective sigh, all was now abstract, petrified beauty.

"But there’s the rub. Passion is sacrificed to precision. Here is a company which reaches toward perfection but with no juice.

"There are exceptions: notably, the long-limbed Yena Kang, who performed in the pas de trois in Act I on Friday, has contemporary daring, and Mrs. Park draws a clean distinction between Odette, the Swan Queen, and Odile, her evil double....

"Ms. Park gave the choreography full value and shape, especially in the Act II solo, and her Odile, teasing rather than seductive, included the usual fouetté turns. Jae-Hong Park’s Siegfried, an attentive cavalier of noble line, was adequate in his solos while Dragos Mihalcea on Saturday night seemed to suffer from nerves as partner to Ms. Moon’s under-danced Odette-Odile. The evening’s bravura belonged to the jester: Ji-Hoon Yum was an exuberant turner on Friday and Jong-Pil Lee a jumper with exceptional spring and split leaps. A word also for Seung-Han Choi’s excellent conducting of the company’s Prime Philharmonic Orchestra."

And even Clive Barnes loosened up (NY Post, 4/20):

"Although based on [an] earlier staging, Vinogradov’s present reading is an improvement. While his version of the first act seems characterless, and the last act positively banal, the ballet as a whole, with ornately pretty scenery by Shimon Pastukh and handsome costumes by Galina Solovyeva, all originally devised for the Kirov, looked at least adequate.

"More significantly, the young company was able to leave an unequivocally excellent impression, even if, with its 26 swans, it appeared somewhat cramped on the City Center stage.

"Admittedly, the national dances in the third act emerged with more spirit than style, but the general manner of the company, under the artistic direction of American Bruce Steival, proved absolutely exemplary, with swans so well drilled that they could give our Radio City Rockettes a lesson or two in conformity. The troupe also has considerable strength in depth-it produced four completely different sets of principals in ‘Swan Lake,’ of which I caught two, led by Sun-Hee Park and Julia Moon as the Odette-Odiles, partnered by Jae-Hong Park and Dragos Mihalcea as their Prince Siegfrieds.

"Moon, with her appropriately lambent style, was more the tragic Odette, while Sun-Hee Park did better as the coruscatingly wicked Odile, while Mihalcea was far the more impressive Siegfried, although Jae-Hong Park did well enough.

"Among the rest both Jong-Pil Lee and, particularly, Ji-Hoon Yum were brilliant as that perkily intrusive Jester, and I was most impressed by the Friday cast of the cleanly danced first act pas de trois, with the elegant Hyuk-Ku Kwon partnering the lively pair of Enrica Guana and Yena Kang, who both appeared as Odette/Odile at matinee performances."

A Little Peace

by Chris Garcia

Won Pil Kim sat at the long steel table in the army mess hall finishing off a plate of potatoes and ham. It was a feast; but American food was so different than anything he had eaten before. It was hard to get used to. Still, he knew that ham and potatoes were a lot better than what most of his fellow Koreans were having for dinner right now.

Suddenly, he thought of his mother’s twen jon chi gae soup-and the summer style kimchee with a steaming bowl of barley and clean white rice. He hardly ever thought of his family anymore, but today his thoughts wandered back to northern Korea, and he wondered if they were even alive. He didn’t know, couldn’t know. War had changed so many things. And his life with Father had changed so many things.

Anyway, he knew he had a lot to be thankful for. Every day, he came to the American army base and worked with Ju Won, another Korean refugee, painting buildings.

He wiped his hands on his gray coveralls. They were spotted with gobs of gray paint and gray fingerprints. He knew God had been good to him. And yet, he felt it wasn’t so much because of him, but because of Teacher Moon that he had received so much blessing. With Won Pil Kim’s job, they could buy the basics of survival, and Teacher Moon could go on with his mission for God. That was most important.

For one month Teacher Moon had also worked at the army base-as a carpenter. It seemed that he could do just about any job he decided to do, even building things.

During that month, Teacher Moon sometimes finished work first. Then he would come to where Won Pil Kim was working and wait for him so they could walk home together.

Won Pil Kim finished his meal with a cup of coffee. He was learning to like coffee a little. It had that bitter twang that the Korean soul naturally likes. All the Americans drank coffee. They made a big deal out of it. They wanted him to drink it black. "Like a man," was how they said it.

The army guys liked him because he was sweet natured and sympathetic. He was friendly, never complained and didn’t have to have someone standing over him all the time to make sure he did things right.

"You’re alright," they would say. He tried to learn the word. They also liked him because he never stole anything.

He got up and took his tin plate and cup over to the kitchen. He handed them to the Korean man washing the dishes. Behind this man, Won Pil Kim noticed a stack of pictures on a crate of onions.

"What are those?" he asked.

"Those are Ju Won’s pictures," said the dishwasher man. "He left them here. And if you see him, can you tell him he better not leave them here anymore? They’re going to get messed up."

Won Pil Kim went over to have a look. He picked up the stack of photos and thumbed through them. They were black and white photographs of soldiers and their families.

"Why does Ju Won have these?" he asked.

"I think he paints them or something," said the dishwasher man. "I’m not sure."

"Does he get paid for it?" asked Won Pil Kim.

"Yeah. The soldiers like stuff like that."

"Interesting," said Won Pil Kim. Faces from other countries he had never seen. Most of them were probably Americans, he figured, although there were soldiers here from all over the world.

Now that the worst fighting was over and a truce had been called, most of the soldiers were going home-most of them, except for the Americans. Thank God for General MacArthur. He wore sunglasses and smoked a pipe. The General and his men were like a wall holding back that madman Kim Il Sung and the North Korean Army.

"I’ll take the pictures to Ju Won," offered Won Pil Kim. He headed for the tool shed. He found Ju Won washing some brushes with turpentine.

"You’re working so hard," said Won Pil Kim.

"Not that hard," answered Ju Won politely. "Finished for the day?"

"Yes. I just brought you these." He held out the pictures.

Ju Won stopped washing brushes and looked up with a surprised look on his face. He pushed his thick glasses up on his nose and peered at Won Pil Kim.

In North Korea this painter had been a rich and well respected lawyer. People had come to him with complex problems which he solved with his sharp mind. Now he was painting walls all day and cleaning paint brushes. "That’s what war does to you sometimes," thought Won Pil Kim.

"Ah yes! Thank you very much," answered Ju Won. Then he sighed, as he said, "I don’t know how I’m ever going to finish all these tonight."

"What do you do with them? Do you think I could help?" asked Won Pil Kim.

"I’d be glad for you to help. I draw a picture from the photo, and then I paint it so it looks like a portrait," he explained. "You could help by painting some of it in after I draw it."

Won Pil Kim was pleased. Just a few days ago Father had seen a sketch of his and had told him he should practice a little each day and develop his skills. What a coincidence!

The two young men found a spot and got to work on the pictures. Ju Won saw that Won Pil Kim did very well. He felt bad, though, that Won Pil Kim was doing such a nice thing for him without pay. Then he had an idea.

"Won Pil-A," he said. "I’ve got more pictures than I can handle right now. Let me give you one photo to do. Just sketch it and paint it in like I’ve been doing. Here’s some paint and paper. I’ll give you 10 won. What do you say?"

"Alright," said Won Pil Kim, using the only English word he knew.

Ju Won laughed. "Alright."

It was getting dark outside as Won Pil Kim headed home. He stopped at the front gate of the army base where a soldier stepped out and stamped his passbook. Korean people looked at him enviously as he passed. He felt sorry for them, for all of them.

His thoughts went back to Pyongyang city where he had lived with his family and friends. (This seemed to be a day for remembering.) He had lived in a fairly nice house-nothing great, but always clean and comfortable. His family had lived there for generations-his parents, his grandparents, his great grandparents.

He smiled as he remembered his dear aunt, who had invited him to hear a man speak. And everything had changed for him. He had become part of "The Weeping Church." It was called that because when Teacher Moon preached a sermon, he wept. And when he prayed, he wept. And when he began to weep, everybody in the group began to weep, too. So, it was "The Weeping Church."

He trudged up the muddy hill, slipping here and there. Maybe someday people would want to hear about his experiences with Sangsaeng-nim (Honorable Teacher). But get up in front of people? Give a speech? Impossible!

Finally, the little hut came into view-home-and there at the door was Father.

"Good evening, Won Pil-a," he called out with a smile.

"Good evening, Sangsaeng-nim," answered Won Pil Kim, his face brightening.

As he lifted the cardboard flap aside, which was the door, part of it came off in his hand. Soon, they would need to replace it.

The kerosene railroad lantern lit up the room with a warm yellow light. There was a little charcoal grill off to the side, which they used to boil water and cook meals whenever they couldn’t cook outside. Sometimes in the winter, they would wake up in the morning with a thin line of snow on their clothes where it had simply snowed through the breaks in the roof.

"Look what I have," said Won Pil Kim, and he took out the photograph and the paints, brushes and good paper. He found a dry spot on the floor and sat down. Father took the photo and held it up to the lantern light for a better look.

"Where did you get this?" he asked.

"Ju Won gave it to me. If I can draw a picture from this photograph and paint it, he will pay me 10 won. Isn’t that a good idea?" Father looked impressed. He examined the picture slowly, fascinated.

Won Pil Kim watched and waited. In the lantern light he looked at Teacher Moon’s face. It was thin and serious. It was the face of a man who had not had enough to eat, and had not had much rest for many years. It was not the look of a starving man, but a man who didn’t eat or sleep because he did not want to, a man with much to do and much on his mind.

"Have you eaten today, Sangsaeng-nim?"

"No, I guess I haven’t," said Father, setting the photo down. "I fixed some food, but then I gave it to the people who came today. I taught them, and then I fed them. They had no money. The rest I used to buy matches. I’m so sorry the money is gone already. You worked so hard for it."

"It’s alright," said Won Pil Kim, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"I want you to know just how the money is spent," answered Father. Later he understood that it was Father’s way of letting him know that he was very careful with the money Won Pil Kim earned, even though it seemed that they never had any.

Picking up the photo again, Won Pil Kim said, "I’ve never seen anyone like this, have you?" It was a black and white photo of a beautiful girl with a rather flat nose and large lips. She had dark wooly hair and dark skin. "What color do you think I should paint her?"

Teacher Moon wasn’t sure. He’d never seen such a person either. "Maybe brown," he said. "Yes, brown is nice."

Won Pil Kim set to work on the picture. All the while Father sat by his side watching. For four hours he worked. Finally, he finished and put the paints away.

As he lay down on the mat, Won Pil Kim gazed sleepily at the walls around him. He looked at the names on the boxes, which were all in English, and he wondered what they said. He had brought some of them from the army base. Some boxes said "Sun Maid Raisins: California, USA" and had a picture of a pretty lady with a basket of grapes. Others said "Budweiser, the King of Beers" and had a picture of an eagle with its wings spread out.

He read some of the amazing things that were written in Chinese and Korean characters all over these boxes-the things Teacher Moon had written, sometimes while praying, sometimes jumping up out of his sleep with some new revelation which he would quickly scribble on the wall in the dark. Surely, not many people slept surrounded by eagles, ladies with grapes, and the most deep and heartfelt ideas about God imaginable.

Father turned out the lamp, and the room was instantly dark. A soft breeze blew through a chink in the wall. Won Pil Kim put his hands under his head, feeling very tired and a bit lonely. A little peace. As much as he loved his Teacher, living with him wasn’t always easy. Sometimes he felt so little. Like a tree, like a rice field or a bamboo forest when the wind blows across the water, he sometimes thought about the meaning of peace.

But sometimes God chooses you for something great whether you look for it or not. And that’s an honor.

Outside, he could hear sounds of the night. The bark of a dog far down the hill. Little night animals scurrying through the hills. He heard the squash, squash, squashing of footsteps coming up the hill, past the side of the shack to the little well Father had dug. The sound of a bucket. The sound of water. The sound of some weary soul squash, squash, squashing away again.

Many people further down the hill had heard about the little spring of clean water up by the shack where the two young men lived. They would come all the way up the steep hill just to fetch some of it, for clean water was hard to find in Pusan.

He listened for the sound he knew would soon come. There it was. Yes. Father was praying. Sometimes, the praying became singing. The singing was praying. And soon another sound would come. Yes, there it was, too. Sobbing. Desperate weeping.

Won Pil Kim began to drift off to sleep. He dreamed he was back in The Weeping Church again.

The next day, Won Pil Kim took his painted picture to Ju Won a bit timidly. Would he like the painting? "If he likes it, I will be happy enough," he decided, "even if he does not think it is good enough to pay for." He held it out uncertainly.

Ju Won looked at it, and immediately his face broke into his biggest smile. "It’s great!" he said. "You are really very good. Here I want to pay you 15 won instead of 10."

Won Pil Kim was surprised and very happy, indeed.

"Thank you, thank you," he said gratefully.

"Would you like to do more?" asked Ju Won.

"Sure." He would be able to offer more money to Teacher Moon.

That night Won Pil Kim took home several photos. As he drew and painted, Father again sat with him, watching, encouraging, even giving suggestions. It was about midnight when he finished.

The next day Father had the paints already laid out when Won Pil Kim arrived home. When the work was finished, Won Pil Kim immediately fell into an exhausted asleep. The next morning everything was cleaned up and put away, and the pictures were rolled up neatly, ready to go. Father had done this for him during the night.

A couple nights later, Won Pil Kim was delayed and got home later than usual. When he came in sight of the hut, he saw Father, standing by the path peering into the darkness.

"Oh, good," said Father with relief. "I was getting worried. Are you alright?"

"Yes, Sangsaeng-nim," he answered, "Everything is fine. It just took a little longer to find pictures to do, that’s all." Then Won Pil Kim thought to himself, "My teacher is like a Father to me."

He sat down to work on the pictures. This time Father surprised him by picking up a brush himself. He started brushing color onto the background of each picture, and Won Pil Kim painted the people. They finished a little earlier that night.

As the days went by, Father also helped paint the clothing. Won Pil Kim drew the pictures and painted the faces, and Father added little details, such as lines in the hair. In this way, they could finish a picture in 20 minutes, and they were able to do 15 to 20 pictures in one night. Even so, they sometimes didn’t finish the work until well after midnight.

This was their life. After a hard day’s work at the army base, Won Pil Kim would come home and paint. Father, after his own long day of prayer, witnessing, teaching, and even cooking, shopping and cleaning, was always by his side while he worked. They were doing it together. This made Won Pil Kim feel strong.

When the last picture was done, he drifted off to sleep to the sounds of night, his heart surging with love-and a little peace.

The Resurrection of True Love

This is the sermon that Rev. Joong Hyun Pak gave at the Easter in New York celebration, Sunday, April 5, at Brooklyn’s Pilgrim Renaissance Convention Center.

Brothers and sisters, as we approach the close of the second millennium, we gather to reflect upon the meaning of Easter. What is the impact of Easter, upon our lives, our marriages and families, our churches and communities, and our nation and world?

At Easter we commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave. By his Resurrection and Ascension, Jesus made true love into a living reality on earth. I would like to share some thoughts on how we can inherit his true love and share it with others. So my topic today is "The Resurrection of True Love."

First and foremost, the Resurrection was based upon true love. Jesus departed this earth by way of the cross. The cross was an act of true love. Jesus’ love given through the cross led to the Resurrection. The sacrifice upon the cross was the condition for the Resurrection. On the cross Jesus manifested love facing in two directions.

First, Jesus expressed true love for all humankind by his forgiveness. We all stood as Jesus’ enemies, indeed, as enemies of God. Jesus, facing us from the position of God’s son, forgave his enemies. "Father forgive them," he cried out, "For they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) We see that Jesus was true to his own teachings, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." (Matt 5:44)

Second, from the position of man, Jesus faced God in complete obedience through the cross. As Paul wrote to the Philippians, "He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him." (Phil 2:8-9). This was the second form of Jesus’ true love. As the true son of God, he "learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, became the source of salvation for all who obey him." (Heb 5:8-9)

So we can say, with the apostle John, that in Jesus we see the love of the Father who is love itself: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us." (1 John 3:16) Therefore, the Resurrection was not just the victory of life over death; it was the victory of true love over death.

Surely Jesus wants to make this love real in our lives. He wants his love to be perfected in us. (John 4:17) This is the meaning of Easter. This is the reason for the Resurrection; this is why he came back. He would not have come back unless he had something to do. And everything that Jesus does is for our sake. So he spent time with the disciples. Let us examine exactly what Jesus did after his Resurrection.

Jesus was active during the 40 days following the Resurrection. He conducted a 40-day workshop for his disciples. He did this so that his love could be perfected in them. He spent his time teaching and practicing true love.

How did Jesus manifest this? We know that the Gospels mention only a little (John 20:30, 21:25), but still we can perceive that Jesus was the model of true love and the parent of true life.

First, he did not just tell the disciples to come to him; rather, he visited them (John 20:19). He had already forgiven them; now he set about organizing them for what was to come. Second, he "opened" to them the truth of God’s word; he "opened their minds to understand the scriptures" (Luke 24:32, 45). Third, he fed them many times. So he cared for his friends, body and soul. Finally, and most important, he gave them the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20). They became disciples of true love and they went about teaching and witnessing, practicing true love as Jesus had taught them.

Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" At that moment, Peter represented all humankind. Three times, Peter responded yes, and the Lord told him, "feed my sheep." (John 21:15-19) This means that Jesus wants us all to inherit his life and practice his love. In this way, we become his children, engrafted into his lineage (Rom 11:17). This is our "adoption as sons" (Rom 8:23), by which we are "born of God" (1 John 3:19). We become part of Jesus’ family. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are truly our new parents, for anyone who is in Christ is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17).

This 40 days with the disciples led to Christ’s Ascension. So, by the practice of true love, Jesus walked the path to heaven.

Then, where do we go from here? Paul expressed it this way: "I want to know Christ and the power of his Resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow to attain to the Resurrection from the dead." (Phil 3:10-11). That is, we should live as Jesus lived. Through unselfish true love, we can share in his Resurrection; then we can share also in his Ascension.

To practice his love means that we become people who live for the sake of others as Jesus did. We forgive our enemies. We are completely obedient to God. Jesus empowers us to do this through the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). We should manifest this in our daily walk. Where does our daily walk begin? It begins at home, in our families.

As children, we should be obedient to our parents. The Ten Commandments consider this a cardinal virtue, comparable to honoring God. As brothers and sisters, we should set our minds upon God, and bring our body to submit to the commands of the mind given in the conscience. (James 1:7-8, 3:2) As husbands and wives, we practice Christ’s love of the church, and the church’s submission to Christ (Eph 5:22-33). We keep the marriage bed pure (Heb 13:4) in holy conjugal love, giving totally to one another (1 Cor 7:4, 11:11).

As parents, we take responsibility for our households (1 Tim 3:4-5). In this way, we build up the church and community, the nation and the world, for God’s love is ever expanding; it encompasses the earth and heavens (Gen 1:28).

The early church practiced this life of true love. Thereby, they brought the Roman Empire to its knees before the crucified Christ. God’s love is the same today. If we practice true love today, we can bring America to realize its calling from God, to be a city on a hill, a light to the world. This means that we love each other beyond barriers of race, nationality and religious doctrine.

Before his Resurrection, Jesus practiced true love. Before his Ascension, Jesus practiced true love. Let us follow his way of true love, which is the way of Resurrection and the way of Ascension.

Let us practice this true love beginning in our own families. Let us be true fathers and mothers, giving our children the true love of God which is their birthright. When husband and wife devote themselves to their children, they will automatically deepen their love for each other. By having true love for our children, we are empowered to be faithful and love each other absolutely as true husband and wife. To commit ourselves to this is the Blessing. This is the healing balm through which people will create God’s dwelling place in the home, in the love we share as true parents and true families.

This is Jesus’ lesson of the Easter season. It is the key to the kingdom of God and world peace. I can see a great day of true love dawning in the churches and on the streets of America.

Jesus resurrected not for himself, but for us. Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father not for himself, but for us. Now let us praise the greatness of his love through our inheritance of his Blessing of marriage. Let us bring our marriages into the realm of his love, separating forever from Satan, selfishness and sin. The day of this great blessing is at hand.

I sincerely thank you for this opportunity to share with you today. On behalf of Reverend and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon, I wish for this year to be a year of Resurrection and Ascension for America.

Thank you and God bless you. 

Blessed Marriage And Eternal Life

This is the text of the speech given by Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon on her American Hoon Dok Hwe Speaking Tour, April 1 - 16, 1998.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, colleagues and friends: Thank you for coming tonight. My husband, the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, and I are speaking throughout the world. We are sharing our desire to work with each one of you, beyond race, nation and religion, to create a world of peace. Therefore I know that you will consider my message seriously.

Humanity is now facing the challenge of the Last Days. In this era, families the world over are breaking down. Husbands and wives, parents and children are becoming enemies to one another. What is the cause of this tragedy? The cause is a lack of true love. Equally significant is the fact that we are ignorant of our most important responsibility. That responsibility is to prepare for eternal life. If we are clear about the concept of eternal life, and if we accept its reality in our hearts, then we can lead our children and our families properly. But in truth, most people are unsure if the spirit world even exists.

If we truly understand the reality of the spirit world, we cannot sin, even when temptation presents itself. We cannot live selfishly, even if told to do so. On the other hand, if we do not understand the spirit world, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God, no matter what our religion.

On the larger scale, without knowing the meaning of eternal life, we cannot create a true social revolution. If it is not connected to eternal life, social revolution may make things worse. No one desires that.

To this day, religions have neither embraced nor encompassed the secular world. As a result, secularism now controls culture. Secularism overpowers the influence of religion. This happened because religions were unable to establish a clear concept of eternal life.

Christianity also faces this challenge. Although people have practiced Christianity faithfully for many centuries, many churches today are confused. In the Last Days, they are objective to the changes taking place in the world. Even Christianity does not have a clear and logical understanding of eternal life.

In short, no one has complete confidence concerning eternal life. In fact, people do not even know with certainty whether or not God exists. When faced with the obstacles and temptations of this world, most people waver. They fall away from their faith, and follow the secular way.

The reason we should understand eternal life

As we reach our forties and fifties, we come closer to the end of our life. We naturally become serious about the concept of eternal life. The older we become, the more serious we are. Ordinarily, the intensity of love declines as people age. But if our perception of eternal life has strong roots, then our love will grow and deepen as we get older. How often have you been confused by the changes taking place in our world today? If our focus on eternal life is clear and unchanging, we will overcome the insecurities of our changing environment. We will be able to digest all the circumstances of our lives, the joys and sorrows that come our way. God created Adam and Eve as His partners of true love. Accordingly, we should live as God’s true love partners. This should not be a theory. We should allow this dynamic to work in our lives and put it into practice each day.

Once we realize the power of true love, we will strive against adversity to walk the road of true love. In daily life, we will always feel the security which comes from belief in eternal life. When this conviction overflows within us, our lives will be secure.

This has important implications for education of our children. If it is clearly explained to them, young people readily embrace the concept of eternal life. They are uniquely blessed to feel eternal life resonate in their mind and body.

Until reaching age sixteen, boys and girls possess an unfallen purity of character. They reflect the original character of Adam and Eve, who did not fall until they were sixteen. Because of this, it is vital that young people know God deeply. Through knowledge of God, we can understand our inseparable relationship with Him. But in order to know this, young people must first understand the concept of eternal life.

Earthly life and eternal life

How long do you think you will live? All of us think we will live until we are seventy or eighty years old. It is hard to imagine that we will die before then. In this regard, we can all be considered greedy.

But in truth, even those who seem confident that they will live a long time have no idea when they are going to die. It could be as soon as today or tomorrow. We may even die during a meal or while we are sleeping. Does God guarantee anyone a long lifespan?

Imagine that you knew you would die within a year. You would have to prepare for your passing in a very short period of time. With this new found urgency, you might actually be happier. After all, you would be able to prepare for death in less time. The less time you use to prepare for death, the less time you will waste in your life. And if you prepare well, you can build a home for your eternal life.

How long do you wish to live? What if God told you that you had to die tonight? What legacy would you leave behind? Would you leave behind something of which God would be proud? While we are living in this world, we should always give our best. We should invest 24 hours-a-day to bring even one more person to God’s love.

The highest standard of dedication to God is to not even want to stop to eat or sleep. We should not be consumed by worry over worldly needs. If you live with such sincerity, you will have eternal life in the next world.

The shorter we expect our physical life to be, the more value we will find in it. In this context, we should ask ourselves, "How much do I love others?" "How much do I love my family?" "How much do I love my clan?" "What does it mean to love others, to love my family, to love my clan?" This serves as the foundation to love all humanity. It is a wise approach to life. You will not lose if you live this way.

The reason to live an eternal life

The purpose of a life of faith is to seek the world of eternal life and God’s eternal love. The way of a life of faith is to discover and rejoice in God’s joy as our own. By living this way, we become one with God’s eternal love and eternal life.

Accordingly, it is most important for people of faith to invest unceasing energy for God’s life and love. The world’s religions have expanded through history, against the backdrop of every culture. This is because our human destiny is to live an eternal life.

We are to live not just in our own era, but also in harmony with the entire universe. Once we reach the limit of life on Earth, we continue life in an eternal, unlimited world. Such a world exists in reality. Even those who do not believe it exists, or who do not fully comprehend it, have postulated eternal life. They did this in order to help and comfort humanity through their suffering and pain. But God’s existence is a reality beyond time and space. When we internalize the depth of this eternal truth, it becomes our starting point. Then we can find the answers to our questions concerning eternal life and God.

For what purpose and in what position did God create humankind? God created man and woman as His partners of true love. We were to have God’s absolute and unique value. This is a startling revelation! In this light, the value of each person’s life is infinite. Even the entire universe cannot replace the value of one person in the eyes of God.

All people are meant to be born in true love, to live and grow in true love, and even to die in true love. God is eternal, unchanging and unique. We stand as the eternal object of God’s true love. Therefore, we are created to live eternally. Our eternal life has its roots in our relationship with God, as His partner of true love.

The eternal love partner of the Creator

God’s love is absolute. Since God’s love was lost through the human fall, God has experienced indescribable misery and almost hopeless sorrow throughout history. No one has ever understood this; no one has been able to fully comfort God.

God, in the depth of His heart, wants to recreate His long-awaited love partner. God wants to embrace His children. He will travel any distance to meet them. Only by meeting His sons and daughters can He express His joy to the fullest. In actuality, God created the entire universe for His children.

Consider the earth’s atmosphere. When a low pressure system forms, a high pressure system appears automatically. Through this phenomenon, air circulation is self-sustaining.

God has taught us to forget the good that we do for others. This creates a spontaneous and natural circular motion of give and take in our daily lives. It is similar to the natural phenomenon we observe in the atmosphere. This constant cycle of give and take leads to eternal life.

Eternal life can begin with nothing other than eternal commitment. To be specific, as long as one lives for the sake of others, one will never perish. A life of giving will surely grow and progress steadily. The person who lives thus will eventually take a central position as the nucleus of society.

If God were to seek an absolute love partner, who would merit such a position? It is natural to conclude that God’s love partner would have to be humankind. That is why human beings are held to be the most precious being among all of God’s creation.

When we are able to accept that we are the eternal true love partner of the Creator, we can easily understand that we live for eternity. The concept of eternity naturally follows from this. It takes place right here! The religious world must bear in mind that the foundation of eternal life is the relationship of true love. In its simplest terms, eternal life stems neither from man nor from woman but from God’s true love.

Only true love provides salvation

Today, Christians proclaim that any individual can possess eternal life just by believing in Jesus. If I ask them how one can secure eternal life, they answer, "Just believe." Of course it is essential that we have absolute faith, but I would like you to consider a further perspective based on the meaning of eternal life.

Consider the aspect of continuity. The functioning of the physical body has continuity. For instance, our blood circulation, nervous system and brain should function continuously and smoothly.

From this perspective, what would you answer if someone asked you how you plan to secure eternal life? The life of the spirit also should have continuity. Then are you truly able to claim, "My eternal life is guaranteed through belief alone?" Does salvation come from belief and nothing else? Absolutely not. True salvation requires a continuity of the practice of true love from this physical world to the spirit world.

According to the principles by which God created this world, only a true person can become God’s true love partner. Only with true love can one become such a person and obtain eternal life.

The key is to rid ourselves of the ignorance and burdens of the Fall. The fundamental question is how to free ourselves from evil love, an evil life and an evil lineage. Only in this context does liberation have any meaning. Only complete liberation from evil brings true freedom. True freedom is self-sustaining.

The idea necessary for eternal life

We are created to live an eternal life. We are similarly created to practice true love. Furthermore, we are to practice true love here on the Earth. We engage ourselves with many things in this world. These things become the material which insures our eternal life. In other words, everything we do in this world is training for eternal life.

We are fully capable of living forever! We desire an eternal life! In our search for eternal life, what does not change? Only true love does not change! Everything in this universe changes, but true love does not change.

This is because true love is the center. The center will remain intact even if everything that surrounds it disappears. True love is the center of the universe. It is one with God’s love. Consequently, as long as God is unchanging, true love is unchanging.

What does true love mean? A husband desires that his wife be better than he is. A wife also wants her husband to surpass her. Are there any parents who do not want their children to surpass them? Why do we share this feeling? It is because we all are created in the very image of God. In other words, even God wants His love partner to be better than Himself, in the same sense that parents want their children to surpass them.

God is absolute, but at the same time He is our Parent. Can God impose an absolute standard upon us, and not upon Himself as well? No, He cannot. In light of this, our value is the highest in the universe. In fact, in the realm of true love, we can have a value even higher than that of God Himself. This is why our minds have the highest of aspirations. Thus, we truly should feel that nothing is impossible.

God originally intended that His children rule this universe from the position of highest value. We were not to have been sidetracked or manipulated in any way. We were never to have been under the dominance of any force or being.

To confirm this, simply look into your mind. The mind desires complete freedom. No one wants their mind to be controlled. Once we secure the position of true love, we are totally free. We can travel anywhere. We can travel to God’s throne and become God’s friend.

God is eternal and absolute. Therefore, since God created us as His partners of true love, it is natural to conclude that we can enjoy eternal life. Clearly then, in order for a man to live an eternal life, he must dwell in the realm of true love. Only through true love is abundant eternal life possible.

The origin, motive and process of God’s creation center on true love. No result can come without a process taking place, and the process of perfection is based upon the practice of true love. The perfection of mind and body is possible only when they both belong to the realm of true love.

Only true love can bring about the ideal. This is because God Himself exists for eternity upon the foundation of true love. Upon what, do you think, does God center His own eternal existence? Without question, God’s eternal life is centered on true love. Therefore, we also live with true love as our center. In this way we create the realm of eternal life. In order to find this realm, we practice true love in daily life. I would like you to know that Reverend Moon has poured his life, his heart, and the resources of his church into America. Through this practice, true love was actualized. Without actualizing true love, there is no eternal life.

To know God, eternal life and true love

Even though we are not sure where in the spirit world God dwells, we should at least clearly understand that God is the center of true love. The power of true love is the fastest and the most direct. True love travels in a straight line. Why do you think I emphasize true love so fervently? It is because of my direct experience of this truth. Once you experience God and the eternal world, you too will never be able to have an indifferent attitude toward life.

First, we must know God. Second, we must know our eternal life. Third, we must know true love. True love means giving more than 100 percent of oneself. In this way, we can find eternal life. Without true love, there is no eternal life. Without eternal life, we can never meet God.

How should you prepare for the world of the future? First, be altruistic. Second, practice true love. Third, seek eternal life. With the sincere practice of these virtues, we can manage the world in the coming age. The opposite way is the self-centered way of life. That is the ideology of Satan. In contrast to satanic love, what is true love? True love is to invest yourself beyond the point of life and death. It is only through this intensity of life that we can find true love.

The fundamental root of evil life is the satanic lineage. Our lineage belongs to Satan. Our love belongs to Satan. But God’s love transcends satanic love. And so the Bible teaches, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment." (Mt 22:37-38)

What does this really mean? Loving God with all your soul and with all your mind means to give your life completely to God. This is the first great commandment. The second commandment is, "Love your neighbor as yourself." What does this mean? It tells us to love others even at the cost of our lives. We have to invest ourselves in this way of life.

Then why should we commit ourselves with total intensity? Unless we commit ourselves to this degree, first, we cannot make Satan surrender. Second, we cannot free ourselves from the satanic environment in which we live. Third, we cannot eradicate our satanic lineage. Even if we were able to separate from the satanic environment, we cannot eradicate the satanic lineage by ourselves. We need the power of true love, which is greater than our life.

The world after death related to love

There is no concept of time for God. This means that the beginning and the end are the same in eternity. Likewise, the past, the present and the future are the same. Then what within God harmonizes everything and enables God to dwell in peace? This is a serious question. It is not God’s almighty power. It is not His omniscience. It is nothing other than the power of love. Even God Himself responds unconditionally to true love. This is because God does not need anything other than true love.

Most people agree that we will enter the spirit world upon our death. But the spirit world is not just the dwelling place of the departed. The spirit world is connected to true love. The starting point of God’s creation is true love. Therefore, once we secure true love in the physical world, this too will become the spirit world. This alone tells us how powerful true love is.

Through the perfect relationship of vertical and horizontal, harmonious movement in all directions–up and down, right and left, forward and back–can take place. But when vertical and horizontal are disconnected, there is no harmony. In that case, there can be no unification. True love alone can connect vertical and horizontal. This brings about unification and harmony. The central thought of the Unification Church, based on the perspective of the Divine Principle, is that the ideal world is centered on true love.

Ladies and Gentlemen, God wants to guide humankind. God breathes through true love. Since the rhythm of the universe is in harmony with God, the universe exists for eternity. In God’s true love, we can find eternal life. That is why when husband and wife connect with true love, they find complete joy. When the rhythm of true love is in balance, we can love one another. In this atmosphere there is only one direction in our life. That direction is centered on God.

The Kingdom of God and the gate of the Blessing

Both the spirit world and the physical world move in conjunction with true love. The universe maintains a natural balance, centering on the vertical axis of true love. What is the common denominator of the universe? What is the universal norm, by which people of the past and the present can live together for eternity? What is the origin of human desire? The answer to all these questions is the same. The answer is true love. The norm is not selfish love; it is true love. Only the practice of true love can embrace people of all races, all nations and all religions.

There are over five billion people living in this world at present. Yet there are not many among the world’s population who understand the meaning of the Blessing. My husband and I have been the first to adopt the word "blessing" in the context of marriage. Many such marriage Blessings have now been conducted.

Where will humanity head in the future? Humanity can enter the Kingdom of God by passing through the gate of this Blessing. There are millions of Christians in our world today, and Christianity itself can enter the Kingdom of God through the gate of the Blessing.

Some Christians complain that Reverend Moon’s teaching is self-righteous. Of course, nothing can be done about this point of view since it is their own. Nonetheless, I am here to convey the message that the Unification marriage Blessing is the true road for all fallen people to take.

No matter how much persecution it may cause, we are to connect the spirit world and the physical world through this Blessing, and enter the Kingdom of God.

Other religious people think of salvation in terms of the individual. They believe that as long as their faith is strong, they can enter the Kingdom of Heaven as individuals. But from the viewpoint of God’s original ideal, we were never intended to enter the Kingdom of Heaven as single people. We enter only with our loving spouse and family.

Spiritual life as couples

The real purpose of life is to walk forward on the road of true love. We are to grow through harmonious relationships of true love. We should carefully maintain the ideal of true love in our hearts. We are actually the representatives of the spirit world. Let us constantly strive to spread true love. Let us sow the seeds of true love throughout our lives.

When we bear the fruit of true love and enter the eternal spirit world as a loving couple, we will be embraced by God’s eternal love. We then truly become one with God. Even though the physical body grows old, as long as we live as husband and wife centering on true love, our spiritual body will actually become younger! This means that the longer we live, the more handsome or beautiful our spiritual body becomes.

Our spirit is our internal self. At the proper time we simply will shed the physical body. Our physical body may feel that it does not want to retire. But with the coming of old age, it eventually must surrender its life. On the other hand, our spiritual body, like a chestnut in autumn, becomes more solid and more handsome as it becomes our physical body’s successor.

Why is marriage necessary?

We must love the things of the material world, which includes our physical body and the food which nourishes it. We love what is close to us before loving God directly. By loving all things, we absorb the essence of the creation. By doing this, we love and nourish the physical body.

Your first parents, of course, are your physical parents. Your second parent is the Earth. From the Earth we receive essential elements which the body needs in order to grow. In this way the Earth is the second parent.

After being nurtured and cared for by our second parent, we prepare to meet our third parent. There is a process through which we pass in order to realize this. That process is our physical death. We do not meet our third parent free of charge. To be able to return to our third parent, we must resemble our original parent, God.

Why then do we get married? Very simply, we marry in order to resemble God. God exists as a being of dual characteristics. In God, the dual characteristics are completely harmonized as One. When God’s dual characteristics manifest in our world, they do so as man and woman. Accordingly, at the proper time, a man and a woman are like a seed. They unite to become one. Thus, husband and wife return to God. Together, we are a reflection of His original nature.

We need marriage because it is the true way to develop our love. In marriage, we ripen as a seed of God. Our entire life should be centered on true love. We should be born in true love; we should grow in true love; we should live centered on true love, and we should return to true love when we die. The way of true love is life for the sake of others. This is the purpose of a holy marriage. If we take any other path, we are taking the wrong direction for eternal life.

The marriage Blessing and eternal life stem from God working through true parents’ love. Through our union with the True Parents, we can fulfill God’s original hope for the individual, the family, the nation, the world and the entire cosmos. Ultimately, we can complete God’s ideal of creation. Through True Parents we can find our original homeland, the starting place for the Kingdom of God on Earth and in Heaven. With this foundation in place, we can welcome an era in which God is our sovereign. The society which does so will never perish. It will continuously prosper and reach its fullest strength.

I sincerely ask that you contemplate deeply about the meaning of this sermon. If you practice it, you will find the way to receive God’s abundant Blessing and eternal life. May God truly bless you. Thank you very much. 

April 1998

 
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