Sun Myung Moon
June 12, 1983
Excerpts
Grand Ballroom, World Mission Center
When you are asked about your mission, what is your answer? Is your mission to restore one person? One family? One nation? Hundreds of thousands of people? Or the entire world?
It's easy for you to say "the world," but can the world be restored overnight? You must have a foundation to reach the world. Do you have that foundation? Do you really know True Parents? Do you really know who they are and what Father has been doing? Each and every one of you must know clearly what "my" mission is, what "I" am doing now, and what "my" goal is in the future. You must have a clear idea about yourself and your mission.
People have great ambitions and wishes -- even greed -- but that should never get the better of you. For example, if you go out to the mountain to pick some wild berries or vegetables, some ambitious person will look for only the best wild vegetables of the mountain. So he spends all morning, and all afternoon searching, but he just can't find the really top-notch wild vegetables, and comes home empty-handed.
But another person will go and start searching that same day with the attitude of picking the ordinary as well as the excellent, maybe even the bad ones sometimes, so by the time he finishes the day, he has a roil basket, and chances are that he gets the best ones as well.
The best strategy here is to go ahead and pick all kinds -- A quality, B quality, and even the low-quality C variety, which is not exactly what you want, but you take it anyway. While you're going for the B quality, you may hit upon an A. A person who searches in this way is a wise person. Do you think this is appropriate?
Ask yourself: What mission do I have? What mission did Father give me when I joined the church? Think about it. It's a serious point to consider. I am speaking in a general way, but every individual must think about his own mission.
The Example of Tongil
When I started the Tongil Industry, I started it from the very bottom. I had the idea, a goal for the future, that this industry eventually would produce machine products among the very best in the world. With one broken, rusty machine, I began. In 35 long years, I never forgot that goal which served as my foundation.
That first machine was so simple it could hardly even be called "technology." But my idea was very large. "With this machine, I will make the best product at this level. There may be many qualities of products made with this level of machine, but I will make the best product at the level of this simple machine."
Other people working at Tongil just didn't have the same idea I had. They went to work when the time came, went to eat when the time came, went home when the time came, but their attitude toward the goal was far different from my attitude.
I wished each person could have developed his attitude so that long before it was time for work to begin, when it was still dark, he or she would rise in anticipation, and be thinking, "Yes, I will perform my work better than yesterday." And before the rest of the workers came, he or she would go and caress these tools, and prepare himself to work. I desired everyone to have that kind of an attitude. That spiritual attitude made all the difference. In order for anything, like Tongil, to grow better and better, larger and larger, you have to invest power and energy into it.
And while the physical process is being worked out, you must educate the people as well; not only the product, but you must raise up the people, too.
You might say that it takes money to do that. But where does the money come from? You make the money with one hand, and use it wisely with the other hand as you educate the people and improve the product. That is what I have been doing and today everyone can see what kind of machines Tongil has built. There is much admiration for Father today. But while I was building up Tongil, many people did not trust me, saying it couldn't be done even in decades, maybe even over centuries it couldn't be done.
"Nationally, in Korea, we have no foundation for building machines, -- they told me, but I kept right on building. Everyone took it for granted that Germany was at the top of machine technology, and that no one would be able to beat that. I went Germany and other countries, visited many famous companies, and observed their machines, because the machine industry will serve such a critical function in the future unity of the world. My goal was for the sake of the whole world.
Knowing Yourself
Do you really have the foundation to reach the world? You answered "yes" and said that True Parents were your foundation, but do you really know what I am doing? Whether you answer "yes" or "no" you should be very exact, even honest in your answer. What you really know about yourself is questionable. Sometimes you are going in the right direction, sometimes the reverse. Sometimes you make up your mind to really dedicate yourself, and other times you say, "Other people don't do so well so I might as well take it easy, too." What happens if you continue like that? Then you are confused, and you don't even know about yourself. Isn't it true? This is why we must be clear about our missions, because individual missions must be different, but our overall goal is the same.
When I ask, "Those of you who are willing to sacrifice your lives for the sake of the dispensation, for God's will, raise your hands," every one of you will shoot up your hands. But can you sacrifice yourself from morning until evening, all day long? Can you completely sacrifice yourself for even one day?
When you are ready to sacrifice your life to do this mission, is it because others must tell you to do it? Or do you volunteer to gain this goal, thinking, "I must determine to sacrifice my private life. Even though no one else tells me to do it, I will do it by myself."
To Liberate God
Our mission here is to liberate God and mankind as well. That's not easy; it may take ten times our life, so we must die ten times before that Will can be realized. Therefore, in order to realize my mission, I must die not only once but many times. That's why I sacrifice. If you can explain it like this, then you have a clear idea.
What happens if you physically die before you realize your mission of liberating God and mankind? We have to think seriously about this because we might die. Then you must think, "Yes, if I die, I must have someone educated so that he will do my mission in my place. When I go, this place won't be abandoned; my successor will continue on working. Since this is such a difficult job, there will be an even better person there to do the job, so I won't worry about dying."
When you are sixty, can you be thinking that your body isn't the same as it used to be, so you had better be taking it easy now? No, instead you'll say that you have to work even harder because the job isn't finished and you haven't died yet, and there's so much more work to do.
This is exactly what I am feeling now. It isn't enough to liberate just this nation of America; even after we manage to liberate God and the Americans we have to march forward to Moscow, which will be even more difficult than America. So can we take it easy? Ahead of us there is always an even harder task; a harder mission is waiting for us to continue.
When we live sacrificially day after day, sometimes we have to face actual dying. Death comes and the person meets dying with honor and glory. But for the person who has not lived his life in this sacrificial way, when death visits him he will be surprised and he won't know what do with it.
We conclude that we have one life to live and one day to spend at a time. One kind of person knows his mission clearly and spends every day living this way; another one doesn't know his mission so he'll just go along aimlessly day by day.
Which of these two categories are you in? Do you really believe in yourself, and that you are called by God? Is this your vocation, your lifetime work?
You might say, "Father, I have a better idea of how to liberate God and mankind. I would like to pursue my mission in this other way; however, when I see you it looks like you are smarter than I. Your way of doing it is better than my old way, so I'll follow your way in reaching the same goal! You have done so much already, and you continue to do so much, but until the time that God and all mankind are liberated, I will take over and try even harder than you have done. When you go to spirit world, Father, then I will take your place and continue this for you. And when I go to spirit world I know there will be people following me."
Most Difficult Task
Maybe you wonder why I continue to stay in this country, fighting this ridiculous court battle. I am determined even to go to prison for the cause. Why would I do that? In order to liberate the world, America must play a crucial role.
I have determined that whatever is the most difficult task at the time, I will do it. This is why I choose to stay in America and to educate the Americans, which is the most difficult task now.
Americans don't have any idea what communism is or what fighting communism is all about. They have no idea about VOC; therefore I decided that this is the most important thing.
You must judge with your own intelligent mind whether it is really possible to liberate God and mankind if you exactly follow my teaching and my way. When you do decide to follow, there will he so many temptations. For example if you want to smoke, ask yourself, "What is the meaning of my smoking."
Already you have quit many habits because they don't help your mission. Every time you are tempted, even with sexual problems, think, "Sure I am tempted, but will it help me do my mission? No!" When you can say no, you can simply eliminate whatever that temptation is. Also you are very very busy when you're living according to my way, so those temptations simply take up too much time.
I know that God helped me, accompanying me close by my side. Why? Because I had a clear mission. So if anyone follows me with that determination it is very sure that God will help that person as well. This is why I have told you this morning, "Have difficulty. Be miserable. Sacrifice yourself."
There is no exception in my teaching because I know this is the best guarantee that God will be by your side.
When you bring one person to God, that is not just one person; he is the world itself on that level. You must have the attitude that you have hundreds of people to bring in, so bringing in one person is no trouble. Saving the world is saving him.
Imagine that you have spectacles, even though you don't need eyeglasses, and through them you see nothing but the liberation of God and mankind. And you'll have some hearing device, too, so that even though some sounds may reach your brain they don't register. Rather, the only things you would be able to hear are those that have something to do with the liberation of God and mankind.
And to your mouth you give the restriction that it must eat for the sake of mankind. Whatever you do, you do for the sake of God's will. If you wear more expensive clothes, then you must also do more. Your nose will smell only those smells that help the liberation of God and mankind, and if that happens to be a stench, then no matter, you will go ahead, and you would even prefer that to perfume.
Even our nose should make that turnabout. And your hands, which are accustomed to enjoying the soft touch, now should prefer the touch of hardness -- the rock touch -- something substantial. We have to literally reverse our tastes.
Controlling Your Senses
Because our life is so difficult, mission and prayer are needed. In your prayer, admit to invisible Heavenly Father that your eyes are always desiring to see this movie, always seeking something pleasant, as in your past. Tell Him, "I know that's wrong and I want to change it. God, please help me change this."
That's why we need prayer. Our eyes are literally enemies, and we should be able to protect ourselves from our own enemy within.
"Sometimes, yes, but maybe not all the time," you'll say. But then you compare your husband with some handsome man passing by -- one like you dreamed of all your life -- and you think that he could be your husband in the future. And if he winks then it suits you, and then if you go along with it, Satan will snatch you right at that moment.
So you should be horrified at the enemy of your own eyes.
Some people may say something, and you know it's not principled, but somehow it sounds very sweet. Through this you know your ears are really your enemy as well. You must realize that when our mission is the liberation of God and mankind, our original rightful ears would say, "Yes, go this way because there is no other way," but as time goes on, some other voice will say, "Well, you have gone along so far and nothing has happened. Forget about this liberation of God. If you listen to me, you can have everything you want -- good food, nice clothes. Your life is too short to waste away."
Unless you become absolutely confident of controlling yourself, it's nonsense to even think about the liberation of God and mankind.
We know our mission is worthwhile, but it's difficult to overcome our weak points. That's why we need prayer.
There are no other enemies compared to this worst enemy which is ourselves; but what about me? Maybe you think I am completely different from other men since my birth. I don't think so. Even the degree of stimulation from temptation would be even more extreme in this respect. You must realize that I am more sensitive to all sensations. This is why I had to try a hundred times more for the sake of God and mankind.
I had to test myself completely even from a very early age. What did I do in the process? Naturally I did a lot of praying to make sure that God would protect me and give me confidence that I could succeed.
I was so harsh to my own eyes! Looking in the mirror I say, "I really gave you a hard time; you really had a lot of trouble from me, didn't you?" My eyes answer, "Yes, indeed we had, but now we are happy because you prevented us from making mistakes." With the nose and the ears it's the same, but now all the parts of my limbs and senses say to me, "You are our true master."
Have you already become the true master of your eyes, nose, ears, and every other part? Has every one become a true part of your body now? This is why you have to pray, in order to keep the consciousness that your mission is everything.
What can really bother you is your own emotions, not what some other person says or does. Lack of confidence can bother you.
Be harsh in keeping yourself to this standard. When you are absolutely confident then even when the concussion comes from the outside you won't blink; you will be just like a rock and the persecution will just fade away. I apply this discipline externally the same way as I apply internal discipline. Just as I defend myself internally, I defend myself from the invasion of persecution and slander. To do this prayer is necessary within ourselves.
If this is a difficult time for you, a time of weeping, don't just ask another person, but go into a dark room, or the corner of the room and pray to God, "What shall I do?" He probably will give you a much better answer than your colleague. Then you'll invest more time to overcome that temptation. You'll try harder day after day. I would spend more than 12 hours a day in deep prayer about one subject. Americans pray maybe five minutes at the most. Trying to solve a deep problem we have to practice prayer.
Think that you are on the ocean and you have to get to the deep deep water -- to the bottom -- before you find a solution. It takes more than five minutes even to get down there. Considering how deep it is the effort of travelling there, alone is partially solving the problem. So those who make the habit of praying never make so many mistakes. But those of you who don't pray so much always make mistakes and spend a lot of time trying to mend them.
Take my word for it, once you develop this habit or taste for prayer, then it is more rewarding than eating, than hearing good music, or seeing a nice movie. When you've been through this deep prayer, there's nothing you don't know.
Everything can be solved automatically and you don't even have to do anything after you come out of that deep prayer.
Prayer really has a mystic meaning. Today you Moonies are spoiled because you have a great Father and you try to get away with the minimum five minutes prayer, but that's not the normal way. To overcome temptations of good food and lots of sleep, we must pray. Since our mission of liberating God and mankind is so great and vast, we must have an equally deep prayer lite to go along with it.
Maybe you think of yourself as a not-so-serious American, but this one time, think that you must be more serious than anyone else in history. We must resolve that no matter how difficult it is for me, still, with the power of prayer, I will reach that goal. And I would not regret dying while doing so. Our 24 hours a day is almost like a prayer. For example, while you walk it's a kind of prayer. Every 24 hours should be normal prayer for Unification Church members.
And if we adapt that habit for ourselves, God is always with us.
When you are in despair, when you need help, you always think about someone who would surely help you, the person who would never let you down, somebody who cares about you and prays for you. You go to him, don't you?
God is the same way. He always goes to that person. So this is the truth, that those to whom God would go first ate those people, those Americans, who think about the future of America and about liberating all Americans and the world. God will visit that kind of person often.
Father's Philosophy
So always think of your lifetime vocation as your mission and prayer. And if you are good at prayer and make a habit of it, then you don't have to wonder whether you should do this or that. Your mind easily directs you. You never waste any time, and sometimes, without even thinking, you feel that "this is the right place" and you start working there. Then you'll feel, "This is strange. God must be right beside me."
Everyone must first experience this before we can take up the responsibility of our mission. If we cannot become like that, we become instead like a drunkard to mankind and a burden to God. Unification Church members must not be a burden to mankind or to God. It's not logical that such a person could have a mission of liberating God and mankind. We must be the contributors, not the receivers of help from other people.
So, there are two steps. The first is that we must become the contributors everywhere we go. In every small situation we should help others, not need to be helped.
The second step is, keep on doing this for the rest of your life, even though in the meantime you may not have enough to eat, or the right clothes to wear, or a place to sleep. That is my philosophy. It's never complicated or complex.
And what is our next goal? After liberating God and mankind we have to march forward to hell and liberate hell, because God cares about the people there. Unless we liberate hell, we cannot ultimately free God. This stands to reason, and I have had this clear goal all along, ever since I was very young.
You have seen my blueprint, and it's your blueprint, too. To carry out this plan meticulously will take all of your energy and time. What you must really be good at, then, is to persevere. So this morning we will decide on this new plan and practice it. Is it Amen? (Amen!)