Sun Myung Moon
January 1, 1973
New Year's Sermon
Photo date and location unknown
As you all know, this is the first hour of the first day of 1973, the New Year. From today on, you will enjoy 365 days, and I hope all those days will be glorious ones with you dedicated to Father.
Last year I gave you the motto for the year: "Let us safeguard the Unified Front." This is going to be our motto until we will have finished the whole restoration of the world, but for the three most important years, beginning with 1972, through 1973 and to 1974, those most important critical years, this will remain our motto. You will see that all these three years will be most important ones in the history of restoration. Knowing of the importance of those years, as the children of God, we must dedicate ourselves to carry out our missions in those critical and most important years. We can see the Unified Front all around. In our Family, in our nation, in the whole world, we are heavenly soldiers on the Unified Front. We must know what is required to carry out our mission to safeguard the Unified Front.
According to the Principle, how the harmonious action of give and take occurs between the subject and the object is always the question. On the vertical level, our conscience must be put in the place of subject to our body, centering on God. God is the subject, our conscience is the object. There must be harmonious oneness between those two. To bring the oneness on the vertical level and the oneness on the horizontal level together is to become the wholesome fruit of creation. The point where things on the vertical level and things on the horizontal level meet, that is the place where God operates. With those at one point, we can proceed on the line of progress.
On the level of the individual, our mind must be one with God. That mind of ours which is one with God must become one with our body, and then there is created the factor of unification. Let us gain the point where God operates and where we can abide without reservation in the life with God. That point is never invaded by Satan, nor can evil invade there. With that foundation laid, we can act towards our goal, repelling evil, creating good, and pushing on the good side.
But due to the human fall, we are in the position where we are not quite one with God; that is, our bodies are not one with our minds, which tend to be with God, so we are apt to be invaded by Satan. Our mind, also, is vacillating, always going astray from God, not to speak of our bodies. Since we are placed in that position, we cannot say we are quite one with the Principle or God. The motto "Let us safeguard the Unified Front"; this means a lot for us, and is greatly significant also in our making ourselves one with God. The way of safeguarding the Unified Front is to lift everything on the unified level, from the individual level, to the family, nation, and worldwide levels, broadening in scope.
To think of things centered on ourselves is wrong; we must first of all become one with God. As an individual, suppose there is a male, and the male must become one with God. That male person who is already one with God must become one with his wife as his object. In that case, the male person has become one with God on the vertical level; and on the horizontal level, he tends to become one with his spouse. Then there is already the unified front created there.
With the male and female put together, they must become one with God. And centered on the couple, their children must become one with them. In that case the unified front is created on the family level. On the triumphant base of the unified front on the family level, the next level must become one with the family level, and still next must do the same thing with the previous one. To speak of things centered on the national level, the same thing must take place; that is, if there be any nation on that level, all other nations around it should become one with that nation. In order for that nation to do that, the nation must become one with God on the vertical level, and then it will be possible for it to become one with other nations on the horizontal level.
Individuals in the subject position, families in the subject position, and clans and nations in the subject position, must become one with the others on the same level as their object, and only by their having become one with God is the other thing possible. By any individual doing that -- broadening his scope to the national level -- then alone the nation can become one with other nations, centered on God. If, in God's sight, one nation is already decided to become that, then other nations are destined to become one with that nation. In that case, that nation must become entirely one with God, without reservation. Then centered on that nation, any other nation must play the role of the nation in the objective position. If other nations, suppose one, two, three, four other nations become one with the central nation, with that great power, God can operate the action of give and take, and the whole world can be unified under God.
With all this in mind, we must strive on, but we can say this is no simple job. You know too well how hard it is for us as an individual to become one with God. For you to unite with your spouse, the other sex is also difficult, as you'll find. But even if you have become one with your spouse, to become one with your children is another difficult thing. On the family level, if you, as the parents to your children, will try hard, things are not too difficult, maybe, but when you go beyond that level, it will become more difficult. Suppose there is a central family. To unify other families with that family would be very, very difficult. When you try to make other clans into one with the central clan, it will be even more difficult.
On any and every level there are two elements: one in the position of Abel, and the other in the position of Cain. Harmony between those two is always difficult. Even if we have found one nation, to have other nations become one with that nation is more difficult than on the previous level. Unless we can absorb other nations centered on the nation of the central mission, we cannot quite well say that we can restore the whole world on the next level. Anything taking place in the world without being united with God through the central figure of God's choice is apt to be evil. Roughly, the whole world is divided into two sides -- that of good and that of evil. In dividing the world into two, history has divided one nation of historical importance into two. In dividing that nation into two, the division is made to separate a homogeneous people into two clans under different ideologies. In dividing up one individual also, there is a division between the body and the mind in one person. Then we can safely say that there must be one individual in whom God will have put his mind and His body together into one centered on Him, and there must be a family around which other families must be united into one.
Going back to the origin of the human fall, we must point out the fact that there was division in Adam's family. What caused Adam and Eve to fall, and what brought about the division in the family, is the question. The fall came about, or division came about, when they did not think of unification of becoming one with God -- but thought of self-centered things. Whereas they had to think of the central figure, they thought of things self-centered in such a way that they did not even think of each other. The spouse of Adam, that is to say Eve, did not think of God either. Eve did not think of Adam. She was inclined to utilize him to justify herself. Then what at all can bring those two into one? Due to the human fall, the first human ancestors could not quite play the role of True Parentship, so in the course of history, there must be sent True Parents in the place of Adam and Eve to play the role.
For that central figure to be able to carry out this mission, he, contrary to the fact that the other couples went against God's will, must do things centered on God. He must go the reverse way. He must not be thinking of thin s centered on himself, but on God. Due to the self-centeredness of Adam, his position on the individual level, family level, and all the rest of those levels was nullified. So this person, when he comes, must do things centered on God, so that he will have perfected himself on the individual level, perfected his family, his nation and all the rest, thus laying the foundation for the divine plan of salvation -- to restore the whole world under God. On the individual level too, he must make his mind become one with God, make his body one with his mind, and make himself one with his spouse, too. He will become one with God first, and then become one with his spouse. And with family, too, he will make his family become one with God, being able to absorb other families or have them become one with his. With this personage as a True Parent, any individual, in order to become one with him, must be like him, and without self-centerdness, must become one with him. And any family, any clan, any nation must become one in that way. You must either become a part of him, or even play the role of a piece of his clothing to protect him. In that case, what he has won will be yours and will be inherited by you.
Suppose there is a central family with him as the nucleus. Then, if you try to become one with that family, you are already one with him on both the individual level and on the family level. You must also be able to put yourself in the position of the True Parents. In other words, you must always be thinking of the central figure, and put yourselves there, into perfect oneness with him. What is there in that nuclear point? That's always the True Parents. Only having become one with that nuclear or central figure, you can and will become one with your spouse. And then you must go OIL trying to make other levels of people become one with him and with you also. In that case, with those people together in harmonious oneness, if you work hand in hand for the great cause of God and for the sake of the whole of mankind, this world will at last be restored in the bosom of God.
I would like you to be that kind of members. We are the secret ambassadors, spying out what's happening in the Satanic world. When you are playing that role, you are always directly connected with the one who sent you with the highest merit. So you must be qualified enough to carry out your mission spying out the Satanic world. God is watching over you, and He will lend attentive ears to what you have to say in report to Him. If you are the spy, if you are the secret ambassador by using whatever possible secret channel, you at times would want to have something very precious would He not try to have it sent to you? You are in a similar position, with the serious mission of yours, given by God. So God is ready to help you if you cry out for His help in prayer. In that case, you will realize that Heaven is on your side, favoring you all the time.
With the power given by God, you can even lay hands on the sick peoples' heads and they will be healed. And when you cry out for help, God is already there, working hand in hand with you -- you will find that. And without your recognizing the fact, or without your realizing the spiritual power working through you, you cannot say that you are quite qualified enough for the job. If you are at all putting yourself in that position, the position of the secret ambassador, having to spy out what is happening in the Satanic world, you would always like to comfort the heart of the Heavenly Father with good news; and, if you go on doing that, you will find that He will be with you, abiding in you, and with that power alone can you carry out your mission as secret ambassadors.
If you are in that position, you will be anxious, won't you, to meet your comrades. In place of God, he will come to visit you in actuality, nourish you, and help you whenever you are in need; and you will be ready to rescue him too, it time of peril, won't you? As I have said before, you have to sacrifice yourselves for the sake of your nation, for the sake of your people. You must be able to place yourselves in that position -- always. If you really feel that you are one of such, at the close of every year, when you look back at what you have done, you will become really serious. And when you enter the New Year, you must be crying out anew for help from the one by whom you were sent. As a Unification member, if you place yourself in that position, in all seriousness and in utter faith in God and pray to Him, you will be answered, you will be helped, and all the blessedness will be yours. If you are really resolved and determined to do that for the New Year, can you raise your hands in pledge before Father?