It is difficult to attain perfection

Sun Myung Moon
January 7, 2007
Hoon Dok Hae
Cheon Jeong Gung Museum
Translation by Kunduk Koh of unofficial notes taken by the Unification Church History Compilation Committee

Sun Myung Moon and Hyung Jin Moon (circa 2007)

Sun Myung Moon and Hyung Jin Moon (circa 2007)

The January 7 Hoon Dok Hae took place on the 3rd floor of the Cheon Jeong Gung Museum with Father and Mother Moon and about 70 participants. Many people were late this day because of the snow which overnight had turned to ice, covering the road up to the Cheon Jeong Gung Museum.

Seeing that there were not that many participants in the room Father asked if it was because of the snow. Father asked why they weren't using the machine for removing the snow. Smiling True Mother answered that the snow was removed but had become a thin layer of ice on the road. All the while, late-comers quietly entered the room and found their seats.

True Father asked Rev. Kwak about the blessing seminar for the children of ambassadors for peace. Rev. Kwak replied that forty candidates and 160 ambassadors for peace had participated. Father then asked whether the parents (ambassadors for peace) were all blessed. Rev. Kwak said yes and Rev. Jung-no Yoon added that another seminar was being prepared in Daegu that very day.

Father asked if any candidates were coming from Japan and the United States, emphasizing that this blessing should be done on a global level.

Father explained that these seminars or education should not be done only in Korea but also throughout the world. Then he instructed Mrs. Won-ju McDevitt to read chapter seven and eight from the Peace Messages.

Mrs. McDevitt began reading and finished reading the two chapters at around 6:00 am. Father then asked her to read the recent messages from the spirit world.

Mrs. McDevitt read the messages from fifteen central figures from the Old Testament age beginning with the message from Abraham.

The following is a summary of what Father said during the Hoon Dok Hae reading:

The problem is not about getting a job or making your bread.

You have to understand how difficult it is to attain individual perfection.

You must take charge of your own life; nobody can do it for you.

You have to understand how the spirit world exists.

If this (the messages from spirit world) is true, it is serious. It talks about meeting Moses and other historical figures but it is a serious matter to meet even one such person.

(True Father then instructs Rev. Yoon to give a report on the recent blessing seminar for the children of ambassadors for peace. Rev. Yoon explained that the seminar was held on January 5 and 6 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Seoul, and that he conveyed to the candidates and their parents about True Fathers strong desire for children of ambassadors for peace from the Youngnam and Honam regions to be blessed through the exchange marriage. Rev. Yoon then read some of the reflection papers submitted by the participants at the end of the seminar.)

During this report Father interjects:

The time has come for the Unification Church to improve its disposition. We need to have youth ambassadors for peace and even ambassadors for peace among children going to kindergarten. They will surely draw in their friends and educate them. We know how the world exists.

Don't you all have computers? We have to select and meet prominent and successful people in the world and have them talk about their views.

I do not listen to other people. That is why I am exhausted. Today I woke up at 1:27 am. I did some exercise and read the Peace Messages before coming to Hoon Dok Hae.

Since you, the young people, have come today you must know the reality of the spirit world. You told me that many people could not come because of the snow; so what? They must be able to come even if it means going over a mountain.

You have to know how to hunt; you have to be able to catch rabbit and fox.

(When I was young) I would go out ten ris (about 2.5 miles) during the vacation to catch eels. I would share my catch with the village people and use the remains as fertilizer.

The people in my village caught shrimp all year round. You wouldn't know how many eggs shrimps lay! Shrimp live with crab and eels.

There was no need to buy fishing rods. The best way to "feel" the fish biting is by holding the fishing line with your bare hands.

You don't know how delightful it is to catch a pheasant and call all your friends for a feast.

Wherever you go you should find pleasure in what you do.

(Father calls for Shin-june nim with the intent to have him distribute candy to the participants. A while later, Shin-june nim enters, greets Father and handed out snacks to each participant with Rev. Peter Kim.)

At the end of his report, Rev. Yoon gave a good analogy saying:

In a marathon it's better to run at the head of the group because you easily get exhausted if you are behind the other runners. In the same way, as we willingly go along the path of God's will, it is better to be at the head instead of just taking it easy.

To this Father commented that it was a very good statement, and that he feel invigorated when he hears such things.

Hoon Dok Hae ended at 8:02 am.