Ignite the Fire and Burn Brightly for God and True Parents!
On the 55th True Parents Day, True Mother spoke to Unificationists about the history of Christianity in the world and in America. She spoke about how we can do things differently, overcome past historical mistakes and see in the viewpoint of God’s mission for this world; her guidance going forward includes sharing our knowledge with others, creating fruitful environments and taking responsibility for our families.
Do you all know about the True Parents? The term “blessing” came about thanks to the True Parents, right? The blessing is a surprising historic revolution. The fall of Adam and Eve, the first ancestors of humanity, caused all people to have false parents. We became the offspring of Satan.
Even in families with parents that lived a sinful life, parents who committed sins are in a position where the world that criticizes them cannot live with a clear conscience either. They cannot see light. Hence, imagine how much indescribable sorrow and despair the Fall caused God who had created Adam and Eve, the first ancestors, with high dreams and hopes.
Our world today has become one in which the original mind with which we were created does not work properly. Yet, we know that because Heaven could not just abandon us, God worked to educate us through the different ages.
Didn’t the four major religions appear for this reason? Among them, God raised the people of Israel for thousands of years and promised to send them to the Messiah. However, what happened when they failed to receive the Messiah?
There was a reason that he had to come in the flesh; however, the people of Israel took a position of rejecting the Messiah and ended up crucifying him. What happened to the people of Israel as a result? They ended up having to make immense amends.
Heaven does not work again through a figure or nation that already failed once. What did Jesus say as he died on the cross? He said he was going to come again. Then, after his advent, what did he say he would do? He said he would hold the feast of the lamb. Jesus came as the Messiah, but because he did not fulfill his responsibility, where is he now? He is in Paradise. Until now, the highest place humanity could attain by believing in Jesus and living a good life was paradise. Paradise is a waiting room to enter the kingdom of Heaven.
Until now, for two thousand years, Heaven has been painstakingly cultivating the Christian cultural sphere. Christians underwent many things and paid a lot of indemnity in the beginning. They preserved the hope of their faith—the one time when they can meet the returning Messiah coming on the clouds—which took two thousand years.
Throughout the process, didn’t Christianity form many denominations? The United States was born as a Christian nation after the sixteenth century. It was here, to the United States, that Puritans emigrated in search of freedom of religion. Didn’t they first revere Heaven’s will and show respect to God by establishing a church in the beginning? Then, didn’t they establish a school for their children? It was after building these first that they built their own homes.
They made preparations to create a good environment. But what happened? The United States stood on Heaven’s side as it went through a history of about two hundred years. It was blessed and enjoyed great wealth. Heaven blessed the United States in order to nurture a Christian civilization that could become central to the world. However, they thought lightly of it and—in the same way that fallen people continually speak of quitting—they could not continue the path to the end.
Even though the United States rose as a central nation in the world in the 1970s, it still suffered from many internal problems—the breakdown of families and morality, confrontation between community, ideology and democracy, and the self-centeredness of capitalism and of the free world. The nation that was begun by brothers and sisters ready to meet the Lord in love ended up drifting into individualism. Heaven could no longer wait upon seeing the United States drifting into self-centeredness. It was then that True Father came to the United States, right? As a result of the breakdown of families in the United States, he said, “I have come as a doctor and as a firefighter.” He then went on a lecture tour of America’s fifty states, awakening a sense of calling among those listening to him, in regard to America’s original mission, in an effort to revive the United States.
In the beginning, many people with a meaningful sense of purpose followed him. They respected him. But what happened to the United States in the end? Did the United States, the Christian sphere that God established after working so hard to restore humanity for two thousand years, recognize the Messiah directly? Did they accept the Messiah? The United States ended up sending him to Danbury prison.
Two thousand years ago, the people of Israel crucified Jesus and caused his death. Finally, in our time, Heaven sent the Messiah to Christians who had longed for him. Heaven had enlightened and raised Christians for two thousand years. The United States however, did not recognize him and ended up sending the Messiah, who had come to help America, into prison.
In the midst of his imprisonment, True Father, who wanted to prevent South America from becoming Communist, helped resolve the Nicaraguan problem through the Washington Times. South America and North America owe a huge debt to True Parents.
Today is the 55th True Parent’s Day. Fifty years marks a golden anniversary; interestingly enough, 2020 would mark True Parents’ diamond anniversary. That will be a day to commemorate our diamond anniversary. I heard that leaders of this nation are here today. With only a little more than five years until this diamond anniversary, will you buy a large diamond for True Parents, meaning, will you offer this nation to God? Furthermore, will you offer the world to God?
Think about what kind of mindset is best to have in welcoming today. Because of True Parents, you are the first blessed families in history. Thanks to True Parents, you welcomed Foundation Day and have all gathered in a position where you could register as citizens of Cheon Il Guk.
Even though there are seven billion people in the world, you are the few who know of this amazing universal and cosmic great secret. Your ancestors were never in this position before.
Let us look back two thousand years: what happened to the dignity of Jesus’ twelve apostles? How should blessed families spend their entire lives as people who have welcomed the returning Messiah and received the blessing? You are in the position of the first and last ancestor. You can become a representative of the royal heavenly family and form a dignified family; your efforts will decide this. What will you choose to do?
There is a saying that happiness increases if it is shared with others. This applies when you share the things that you know with others, inform the world’s people and reveal the True Parents to them. To be able to show them, you cannot think lightly of your responsibilities, spending day after day in the same way; if you do you cannot be in the position of the first ancestor of a dignified family. Even though you may be the first to know now, those in the last position can take your position. However, this applies to the time when True Parents are still alive.
The fact that I am still alive is precious and important. If you do not take part in the providence I am conducting now, you will have nowhere to stand. You may say, “I will go the kingdom of Heaven since I have received the blessing.” Yet, if you fail to make a good environment for yourself, you cannot become free. Now you can see me up close and you can talk to me; however, what do you think will happen if you die without fulfilling your responsibilities? You all know how your conscience works. You come to understand where you are by assessing yourselves. The longest we can live with our physical bodies is approximately one hundred years, but the place we must go to is eternal. If you are wise, what kind of decision will you make and how will you act? By showing how proud you are of being in a blessed family for twenty, thirty of forty years while True Parents are still alive. You must change.
The external world of today is a world of extreme speed. What I am saying here now will be connected to the world in a heartbeat. This is how much Heaven has developed civilization for us and for humanity; hence, please make good use of it, fulfill your tribal messiah mission and restore the nation and the world. This is the purpose for which you are living today. Only by doing this will your descendants, the second—and third—generation children live in joy.
Are you keeping the Family Pledge and practicing it in your lives every day? I have taught you everything as to how to live. Bearing fruit, however, is your responsibility. Only by fulfilling your responsibility can you enter the ranks of the children who took part in True Parents’ realm. Just like this candlelight is brightly illuminating the front of the offering table, will all the churches in America blaze up in the flames of the Holy Spirit and the truth and restore the entire world? Please be sincere: Were you happy or unhappy to see me this morning? Do I give you hope? Are you grateful? I want to praise you in front of our Heavenly Parent.
If the people of the United States, of this huge country, all catch fire, can the world become one? Two thousand years ago, it was said that all roads led to Rome. Two thousand years later, wouldn’t it be great if all roads led to America? True Parents are your backers, filling you with inspiration and truth to become successful. Please become proud Unification Church leaders of the United States that attend True Parents and practice the word.
Reflections from members
What really stood out to me about True Mother’s speech was that she was reminding us that the diamond anniversary is coming up in 2020 and we have a lot to do to prepare for that. It was really a reminder that True Parents have sacrificed so much for our country and we owe a lot of gratitude to them. I was touched to hear how much True Mother thinks of America and how she really wants us to shine brightly. I really appreciate the love that she shows by coming to America to speak with us.—Talia Haibara
I was so moved by True Mother’s deep love for True Father and Heavenly Parents, as she referred to the history of the providence for Christianity to meet and attend True Parents in America. I felt that True Mother urges us to fulfill this dream. I can only repent and recommit to a plan of action!
Through True Mother’s patient, forgiving love and heart is evident in her encouraging words, she wants “to make a good report about us to Heavenly Parents.” I was moved to tears. As we celebrated True Parents’ Day and studied the history of this Holy Day, I felt such overwhelming gratitude thinking that we have been given the tremendous opportunity and blessing to attend True Mother and vindicate True Parents in these remaining years until 2020. I feel a sense of great urgency to share the good news of True Parents through teaching Divine Principle in innovative ways through the technology prepared by Heaven to communicate and stimulate a transformation even in a few moments of powerful imagery and God’s word. Personally, I felt encouraged to follow through with these inspirations in witnessing and helping to raise up young Divine Principle lecturers as my top priorities. Thank you!—Christine Froehlich, N. California
For me this was a great and terrible message. I still see the goodness of America, so it saddens me when it’s said that we are failing as a country, but I’m going to do my best to make the future where America, and the world, finally “catch fire.” The price has been paid. We have been shown great breakthroughs regarding witnessing in Brazil. We can do that. And great breakthroughs with the Blessing in the Philippines. We can do that. I am a former member. I joined in June 1974, left September 1977, came back for a short time the summer of 1984, then came back for good in September of 1994. Once we’ve heard the Principle we can’t forget. I heard there were 100,000 who joined our Church, for 6 months or more, in the 70s. We can do this. By the way, the new weekly Peace TV updates are wonderful. We feel as though we’re kept on the cutting edge of all that’s being done. It helps a lot and is VERY much appreciated.—Nadia, Minnesota
I was very moved as I watched True Mother’s video. I’m so grateful. As she said, we are receiving the message right away through miracle of modern technology! I hope we can move America soon and as much as possible. I attended the UPF meeting in Clifton, NJ recently and heard Dr. Thomas Ward’s presentation. I’m reading his book, March to Moscow. True Mother mentioned about True Father’s efforts for Nicaragua. I just read about it in this book! I’m learning more about True Father’s work in America, because I’m Japanese and my understanding is not the best. But I’m inspired by reading about True Father’s fight against Communism and how he brought victory together with hardworking members. I thought we can do it again if we try, against many problems here and in the world! I heard UPF is trying to do just that. I hope more Unificationists realize this and work together with these good organizations, such as as Universal Peace Federation (UPF), Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC), etc. as Confederation of the Associations for the Unification of the Societies of the Americas (CAUSA) and other organizations.
Thank you very much, True Mother!—Keiko Osumi, New Jersey