Children's' Day Cards sent to True Parents
Prayers relating to the life course
Sun Myung Moon
October 17, 1971
Cheon Seong Gyeong, Book 5: Earthly Life and the Spirit World, Chapter 1: Section 1.1
Photo date and location unknown
"Beloved Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your grace, and for having shielded me in my struggles from my childhood until now; during those years I have been apprehensive of any humiliation or shame that Heaven might suffer. Among all the good things on this earth, there is nothing more precious than connecting to Your original heart. Knowing this, we must infinitely long for that relationship. We must keep in mind that those who experience Your love will have no regrets even if they forget about all the things of this world. Now we must seek the ideal world, the original homeland where we live by Your love. We must prepare today on earth for the day of our birth through a liberation that gives us the right to be free in our third life.
We must know that just as we needed to be healthy in the womb to be born to lead a healthy life on earth, we need a wholesome earthly life to have a wholesome life in heaven. As the world today is one of conflict under the dominion of evil, we must be resolved to fight to the death in order to be blessed with the cooperation of heaven and earth and to keep in step with the dynamic fortunes of the universe. We must resolve that our descendants will never be placed in the same position as we have been." (49-308, 1971.10.17)
"Beloved Father, You are a Father who has toiled unremittingly to usher in a new spring. When we think about this, at the same time as feeling infinitely grateful and happy, we must become Your sons and daughters who know how to lament the fact that we have yet to offer our entire life and love to You. We should know that in order to greet the new spring, we must have the character to adapt our lives and be completely absorbed by it.
We must realize that only when we greet spring for the first time will the flowers bloom. We must not become such pitiful souls who have never done so. Just as a flower goes through summer and autumn before blooming and bearing fruit, we too are to undergo a similar process to bear fruit.
We know that for a tree to bear fruit, it first absorbs life elements through its roots, trunk and branches in summer, concentrating a perfect life force to bring forth a second life. Similarly, we must become the sons and daughters who are introspectively determining whether we have a life force welling up in our hearts – one that is capable of rebirth in a new world even if our bodies should die.
No matter how much time flies by, no matter how fiercely the storms rage, our inner life force must withstand the intrusions of the environment and persevere persistently on the path of growth. Only in this way, can we welcome the new spring and become a seed, the original source of a second life, which can be planted again.
Likewise, no matter how pathetic we may look externally, if we maintain our value as the original essence that can enhance the spiritual life force and as a seed that can be planted in the infinite world, we are not miserable people even though we may think we are. Please allow us to realize that the more miserable we may appear externally, the more our internal value is complete and guaranteed." (32-36, 1970.6.14)
"Father, we have realized that without the desire to serve and bow down humbly to You, we can have no relationship with You in the eternal world. Open the doors of our hearts to feel Your heart and hear Your voice welling up from the depths of our hearts, and guide us to regain our lost bodies today. Help us to appreciate Your historical course of toil and trouble to find each one of us, that we may humbly bow our heads before You." (4-280, 1958.9.14)
Suffering is needed
Sun Myung Moon
October 17, 1971
Cheon Seong Gyeong, Book 5: Earthly Life and the Spirit World, Chapter 4: Section 3.1.1
Photo date and location unknown
What remains forever is the suffering you underwent in leading a public life. If you undergo such suffering and subsequently face ruin in the spirit world, it will be all right to confront me with the matter. Those who are beaten up while working for the sake of the race, the world, and the cosmos, are wise people. (19-29, 1967.12.10)
If the person responsible for a nation were captured by the enemy and then given preferential treatment, his people would scatter. If instead, he suffered a miserable death his people would be inspired to remain together. We can, therefore, create unity with the spirit world by going through difficulties. The more we suffer, the more the spirit world will relate to us and stand together with us.
If we just carry on in a casual way, the spirit world will do the same. In this sense, God unfolds His strategy through Satan and He lets us suffer unrelentingly. Sometimes He lets us get killed. Death itself is pitiful, but the reaction creates unity. (49-108, 1971.10.9)
Those who wish to enter heaven must live, die and depart miserably. Are these good words or bad words? They are good words. The words, "Go out and die witnessing to people!" are also good words. Die for the sake of others. If you die, not for yourselves, but for others, for the world and the universe, you will he raised up as masters of the great universe.
The creation, human beings and God are very precious. Those who sacrificed and risked their lives to embrace the world from the position of goodness are essentially sacrificing for the sake of those three precious things. God has to compensate them with something more precious than that which they sacrificed. From such a standpoint, Jesus proclaimed, "Your family members are your enemies," and "Those who seek to die shall live, while those who seek to live shall die." Otherwise, people cannot go to heaven. This lesson from Jesus was the most blessed lesson. It was the most dear and most precious lesson. It was the most indispensable and absolute gospel.
Thus, the Unification Church does not teach us to live rich and comfortable lives on earth. We may live exceedingly poor lives and undergo unbearable hardships, and die on the streets so that even dogs avert their eyes from our corpses, but the day will come when flowers will blossom at the place of our death. At that place every holy person will gather to create a capital city. My thought is to have Unification Church members undergo tremendous hardships for the nation and world in order to make them devoted children and loyal subjects of God. I shall chastise those who are unwilling to go. Pushing you to overcome your current tragic situations and difficulties, even if it requires kicking you, is a sign of my love for you.
Jesus' first commandment, not his second, therefore is: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind!" Jesus' second commandment is, "Love your neighbor as yourself!" Who is your neighbor? The people of the world are your siblings and neighbors. You have to invest your heart and soul, and offer your life for the people of the world. If you do so at the risk of your life, you will have done your work. Die once for God's will.
Where shall we die? We must find the place of our death. If you were born as a bomb, you should be dropped on rocks and explode cleanly. Do not waste your energy in a sewer. Consider yourself as a bomb already released; your goal is to land on a rock. As formidable beings, pit your strength against that of formidable enemies. Because I made such a resolution, though past fifty, I have not yet complained about the long distance to cover and I do not hesitate to keep going.
In order to realize the hope of tomorrow you should devote yourselves while shedding tears. You should exert your entire effort and mind, passion and devotion. My mainstream thought, as the founder of the Unification Church, is to go forward without regard for my life in order to create that one point of unification that can correspond to this goal. Adventure can be experienced both on and off this path.
We are now unfolding a ruthless and bloody fight. If a foundation for which you risked your life survives, it will be a model for history, and a foundation for the happiness of the world's people. The entire universe will regard that inundation as the starting point of harmony. It will be a point for an axis and the unfolding of a great movement, a place which could move God and bind together the hope of humanity. Those who live in such a place will feel the cosmic responsibility; they will make everything stand still during their times of inaction and activate everything during their times of action. They will never be small-minded people. (49-303, 1971.10.17)
Those who are on the way of truth should walk the path of death until the day they die. We need to go that way during our lifetime in order to indemnity the suffering, which would normally have to be paid after death. Through suffering on earth we can reduce the period of atonement necessary after death, and that period can be measured in eons. We are walking the way of truth on earth to indemnify the suffering course that otherwise would be walked for eternity. (11-320, 1970.6.7)
Prayer: Please Let Us Realize That On the Path of Faith Our Own Selves Are Our Enemies
Sun Myung Moon
October 17, 1971
Photo date and location unknown
When we think about how very much you have sacrificed in the course of history and how very much you have toiled, in the ages of history in order to find our individual selves, today we cannot help but report honestly that we are inadequate people who have nothing at all which can repay that great blessing, and we are disloyal and unfilial.
We must clearly realize the fact that the source of evil is not something else, it is ourselves, the fact that using ourselves as a base, it is doing worldwide activities, and the fact that it is appearing through our minds and our bodies. Because of that you have told us, Father, that on the path of the life of faith, winning the world is not the problem, winning over yourself is the problem. The enemy is not in another place, the people right in my own home have been enemies, and not only those family members, going one step more inward, we have realized that we cannot help but say that our bodies are our enemies. And not only our bodies, but at this time we must realize once again the fact that our minds themselves have stood in the position of enemies before you.
But due to the merit of your hard work for the sake of our inadequate selves, and not only that due to the great favor of your establishing and sacrificing your many servants and many descendants, we are able to bow here today. Therefore before your grace overflows, please allow the merit of our many ancestors who shed blood in the course of history to remain with us, and please let the foundation of their good accomplishments remain with us and please let that form a bridge, and we earnestly hope and desire that you will allow this time to become one where you can come to us.
Please allow us to be able to bow down to you with hearts of adoration and hearts of yearning, and minds which long only for you, Father. Since we have minds which hope to shine again as sons and daughters who can be embraced in your presence, we must not become those who reveal ourselves as one complete entirety. We earnestly ask that you will allow us to become a leaven which you can kneed after you have completely broken us up. We have humbly prayed all these things in the name of our True Parents.
Suffering is needed
Sun Myung Moon
October 17, 1971
Those who wish to enter heaven must live, die and depart miserably. Are these good words or bad words? They are good words. The words, "Go out and die witnessing to people!" are also good words. Die for the sake of others. If you die, not for yourselves, but for others, for the world and the universe, you will be raised up as masters of the great universe.
The creation, human beings and God are very precious. Those who sacrificed and risked their lives to embrace the world from the position of goodness are essentially sacrificing for the sake of those three precious things. God has to compensate them with something more precious than that which they sacrificed. From such a standpoint, Jesus proclaimed, "Your family members are your enemies," and "Those who seek to die shall live, while those who seek to live shall die." Otherwise, people cannot go to heaven. This lesson from Jesus was the most blessed lesson. It was the most dear and most precious lesson. It was the most indispensable and absolute gospel.
Thus, the Unification Church does not teach us to live rich and comfortable lives on earth. We may live exceedingly poor lives and undergo unbearable hardships, and die on the streets so that even dogs avert their eyes from our corpses, but the day will come when flowers will blossom at the place of our death. At that place every holy person will gather to create a capital city. My thought is to have Unification Church members undergo tremendous hardships for the nation and world in order to make them devoted children and loyal subjects of God. I shall chastise those who are unwilling to go. Pushing you to overcome your current tragic situations and difficulties, even if it requires kicking you, is a sign of my love for you.
Jesus' first commandment, not his second, therefore is: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind!" Jesus' second commandment is, "Love your neighbor as yourself!" Who is your neighbor? The people of the world are your siblings and neighbors. You have to invest your heart and soul, and offer your life for the people of the world. If you do so at the risk of your life, you will have done your work. Die once for God's will.
Where shall we die? We must find the place of our death. If you were born as a bomb, you should be dropped on rocks and explode cleanly. Do not waste your energy in a sewer. Consider yourself as a bomb already released; your goal is to land on a rock. As formidable beings, pit your strength against that of formidable enemies. Because I made such a resolution, though past fifty, I have not yet complained about the long distance to cover and I do not hesitate to keep going.
In order to realize the hope of tomorrow you should devote yourselves while shedding tears. You should exert your entire effort and mind, passion and devotion. My mainstream thought, as the founder of the Unification Church, is to go forward without regard for my life in order to create that one point of unification that can correspond to this goal. Adventure can be experienced both on and off this path.
We are now unfolding a ruthless and bloody fight. If a foundation for which you risked your life survives, it will be a model for history, and a foundation for the happiness of the world's people. The entire universe will regard that foundation as the starting point of harmony. It will be a point for an axis and the unfolding of a great movement, a place which could move God and bind together the hope of humanity. Those who live in such a place will feel the cosmic responsibility; they will make everything stand still during their times of inaction and activate everything during their times of action. They will never be small-minded people.
The Nation and Our Mission
Sun Myung Moon
October 9, 1971
Excerpt
Selected Speeches of Sun Myung Moon 49-152 ~ 155 1971.10.9
Translator Choon-Boon Shin Morton
Central Training Center, South Korea
Photo date and location unknown
Sun-Gil Choi
It was not my choice that I married Sung-Jin's Mother. [Sung Jin Moon is Sun Myung Moon's first child and oldest son.] I did so only after I understood God's will. It was an order from God. She also met [me] according to the direction of God. Her name is Sun-Gil Choi (Often written as Sun-Kil Choi 최선길). The meaning of her name is: 최(崔) Choi (higher and grand), 선(先) Sun (first, front), 길(吉) Gil (good, lucky, auspicious).
The meaning of such a name indicates a woman who will have a rough destiny. Such name does not exist in the world. Is that so? However, if [she] goes beyond all reason, [she] will be cut off. As a woman she was great. Sung-Jin's mother was a great woman. She is a woman with special characteristics that nobody has. When she thinks she is right, no one in the world could stop her.
There is a story like this. While she was living alone with Sung-Jin, a man thought she was a widow and spoke to her in a teasing way. But she sued him as a violation of human rights and received compensation. That is the kind of person she was. Do you understand?
When she thought she was right, she was fearless whoever it might have been even it was Dr. Rhee [This may refer to Syngman Rhee, the first president of Korea]. With such characteristics, she was convinced she was right and became the ancestor of opposition to the Unification Church.
In order to ruin Teacher [True Father rarely referred to himself in first person ("I") but always his position, Teacher or Master in those days] she sold her house that she had bought with hard-earned money and hired detectives. I learned a lot because of her. To oppose the Unification Church she sacrificed her entire possessions. Such a tough and tenacious person she was. What did Teacher think then? "Ah, the story of a woman and a man. How long has been the tragic history woven by that love? And how many han [resentment] filled nations, peoples and tribes were born following that tangled relationship? It is from that tragic beginning that the Arab world, Communist bloc, and The Democratic world emerged," I thought. In the course of history, the day when woman opposes, […] become miserable. The man will be miserable.
You need to know that. Will be miserable. The man has to experience being strangled by the woman with a necktie. Do you understand? And be scratched on the face, too. The woman feels like beating the man to death in the night, and to beat to death also in the morning, in the day, and in the evening. And has the urge in her mind to stab the chest with a knife. That's Satan! Going through that kind of struggling course, the worldwide level indemnity is paid. That's why you are pushed so hard for more than 3 years course.
Women's shoes are considered bad luck [in Korea there is an expression that a woman betraying and leaving her man is "wearing the rubber shoes upside down."]... Anyway, Sung-Jin's mother actually slapped Teacher's cheek with her shoes held upside down, left cheek and then right cheek. Even as I received the beating...
To go on this path, you pass through such experiences. In that way, I have laid the foundation for today's unification ideology. I have built this kind of tradition.
Not only that, what happened to the men, women, and the grandmothers who were following the Teacher? They were persecuted and were forced to endure unspeakable acts and humiliation... They had to go through this kind of wretched course.
You hear this story for the first time, right?
"This enemy," they would say... Grabbing fistful of hair they would shake violently. The virgins were also beaten, and the grandmothers were also beaten, the aunts were also struck, and the girls had to be attacked. As for the men, grandpas had to suffer humiliation, middle aged men had to suffer, young men had to suffer and boys had to suffer, too.
It was not a joke. It really happened. Because restoration through Indemnity must be done through me, such energy was infused in the Unification Church. It was almost better to go to prison. Prison provided better shelter.
After passing through all sorts of hardships and privations, in 1960 the Holy Wedding ceremony could happen. You must know this.
Myung-Hee Kim
Who inherited the foundation in the mid-point after Sung-Jin's mother opposed Father? That is Hee-Jin's mother. (Myung-Hee Kim is Hee-Jin Nim's Mother - Hee Jin Moon is Sun Myung Moon's second child and second son.) She had to frequently cross the border. With a mission like Mary, Jesus in her womb, even though Hee-Jin's mother's belly was protruding like this, she took a smuggling boat and traveled to Japan ….There was no other way. I had to do that.
Since God's Will started centered on the relationship that was broken, the Will could not survive without focusing on a new relationship… one woman as the middle bridge.
It was the time when there was great turmoil in the Republic of Korea. At that time, police often summoned me because of incidents. Since I had to go to jail, I sent Hee-Jin's mother on a smuggling vessel to Japan. And I went to prison. Because Sung-Jin's mother lost all the foundation as object partner, she lost the foundation for the family, the nation, the church, the children, all was destroyed. She was not in position to raise children.
She destroyed everything including the foundation of the nation, and Teacher had to go to the way of prison. Do you think I did it because I liked it? Think about it. As a man who knows the way of principle…
Even so… because of I was driven into a corner by the Nation, by the Church, and even by own wife can I curse this nation, this church, this woman? Can I do this? I cannot do this. This is a country I have to love, a church to love, a person to love. And I have to love them more than I can love the enemy. That way you will be certified by your enemies. Because I understood it was the way to restore love and connect to the destiny, I went that path with gratitude.
Until now I have not been able to love the country from the depths of my heart where I shed tears. In this place I determined with a sincere heart (shim jeong) that I can love and die for that country with filial heart. Do you understand? Like Jesus died with a loving heart, I live and die for the Nation and for the People and for the Family and for the Children… alone.
The Factor and Means of Unification
Sun Myung Moon
September 12, 1971
Excerpt
Photo location unknown
All the Korean people have been longing for the territorial unification of North and South Korea. Though seemingly the division might have been brought about by the June 25th conflict, it surely stems from a deeper cause.
Looking at the providential history, there has neither been a person, society, or world that has been free from disruption in history, because there have been quite substantial differences in desire, direction, and beliefs between them. Because of these differences the world has developed discordant or relative phenomena. Therefore reunification can never come about based upon one particular faction. This is why no attempt at conquest of the world centering around a particular race or nation ever succeeded.
Then from where can we find unification? We must start from the cause rather than the consequence. The world is the consequence and man is its cause, and nobody can deny the fact that there is a severe conflict between the flesh and spirit of man. Though the motive for unification can start from something outside of oneself, there can be no expectation of accomplishing its aim without a subject which enables the discordant mind to unite around that factor.
Seeing the severe contradiction between discordant purposes and the concept of an Absolute Being with only one unique purpose, people come to ask whether there really is a God. Then what could be the relationship between God and man? Nothing can exist alone; even for God, unless He has His object, He cannot experience any feelings. Then what can be the one object to please God? It cannot be matter, or plants, or animals, nor anything other than Mankind. Needless to say, man should be God's absolute object to share joy and sorrows with for ever and ever.
What is God's ultimate desire? It is neither wealth nor power nor profound knowledge, but only the stimulating joy and fullness of life. Therefore, if one v. as to be n sage, prominent world leader, or great statesman, could it be possible to please God by means of wealth, power, or knowledge? No, all of these can't be anything more than extensions of the people who own them. Is there an: way to assure joint ownership under God of what comes from Him? It can be none other than love. The way to love is what man is seeking.
What comes after love? Happiness does. And what is happiness for? For the ideal family; and what follows happiness? Living well; and what does that mean? Living well can be accomplished only in the family, race, nation, world, and universe -- not alone. Likewise, so long as God remains alone, He can hardly enjoy happiness, and this is the very reason God also has been seeking for His Absolute Object to join with. Thus neither wealth nor power nor any knowledge, but life and love only can be the unique standard and starting point of happiness. What you are longing to have is not changeable and relative, but absolute, unique and everlasting life and love. Since love only determines life, even though God is the subject of life and love, He, the absolute standard of life, can only have power as He is stimulated by love.
Then where can we find the unchangeable, unified means for unification in this variable and changeable world? That is the question. What can make the entire world One? Power? Knowledge? No, love only. What kind of love -- conjugal love or parents' love? Of course the latter, because the former is horizontal and changeable whereas the latter is vertical and unchangeable. But then that means that the Parents' love must be absolute. How can parent's love, coming from conjugal and changeable love between man and wife, become unchangeable?
It must come from something other than conjugal love. Then who is the subject of vertical love? He is God. As God, the subject is unchangeable and absolute, therefore the love derived from Him is absolute, unchangeable and everlasting.
To return to our subject, what is the factor of unification? It is love. And from where does love start? Beyond loving your race or nation, so as to be a patriot or good citizen, you must become a devoted son of God. If one is loved by God, the entire world of humanity will naturally be unified.
So world unification should be preceded by unification of the individual, that is, oneself, between the flesh and the spirit. It is the eternal desire of man to be united between the body and the spirit.
Then what is the standard with which the self can unite: humanity or divinity? Let us take an example. What is a sage? A sage is a man based on divinity in showing the way to humanity.
It has been said that there are four great sages: Jesus, Confucius, Buddha, and Socrates. But Socrates is not a sage, because he was just a philosopher and not entitled to take dominion over life. In brief, sages are basically founders of religions. They have been our moral standard throughout history.
What are their ideas? Their thoughts are based on a world-wide view rather than on racism or nationalism. Divinity directs man to save the world. There are about 1.7 billion religious believers in the world; therefore, for one to be a world statesman, he must be able to solve the problems of religions.
Prayer: Please Let Us Become Children Who Are Concerned About Our Parent's Heart First
Sun Myung Moon
September 5, 1971
Photo date and location unknown
Our Father, who has worked hard with this group which is always inadequate and weak, Our Father, who has counseled us while always enduring in a lonely position, Our Father, who takes responsibility alone in circumstances of sorrow and who goes forward standing in the vanguard in order to pioneer the day of comfort and rest for us, when we consider that you are such a father, we must ask you to please pardon us for having severely lacked filial piety, and for not having been able to attend you as the Lord of our hearts. Please pardon, Father, that we have been inadequate and have not known until now that you are our father who is resurrecting us to eternal life that continues forever and forever, and even today you are continuing the work of creation.
We are longing for a time when we can straighten up our clothes and our hearts can be moved with yearning and adoration while gazing at your holy majesty. Therefore, if there is anything you would like to instruct us about, please come, and instruct us so that our minds and bodies may be moved, and if we cannot go to the place that you desire through the destined relationship of the new command, we earnestly hope and desire, Father, that even if you have to take a rod to us, you will allow us to be able to go to that place.
Since in spite of the fact that we should give ourselves as offerings to you, we are not able to do that, Father, we earnestly hope that even if you have to drive us there, and even if you have to drag us there, you will lead us to your altar.
On the way to the mountain in Moriah, Abraham brought his innocent son, Isaac with him. When Isaac asked his father, "Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" his father answered that he did not have to worry about that. Each time I consider Abraham's heart, each time I consider that parent's heart, I come to feel how sorrowful your heart must be as you lead us.
When we think that before being concerned about your heart, there are many times that we are concerned about ourselves or the things around us, now we must go beyond ourselves and be concerned about your heart first, Father, and this must become a time that we awaken to the fact that we must become the people of the nation and the sons and daughters whom you cannot do without, who give filial piety upon filial piety and give loyalty upon loyalty, and who can maintain the mainstream of your dispensation. And we earnestly hope and desire that you will allow this to be a time of not just our awakening, but rather of pledging with conviction. We have humbly prayed all these things in the name of the True Parents. Amen.