The Words of the Jenkins Family from 2008
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The Words of the Jenkins Family from 2008 |
Dear brothers and sisters,
Best wishes to you and your family for a blessed and meaningful Thanksgiving 2008! On this special holiday, our nation pauses, families come together in fellowship and celebration, and we collectively express our gratitude to the Source and Sustainer of our lives and well-being, our heavenly parent God.
As Americans, we are indeed blessed that our nation’s heritage is rooted in the understanding that we are “endowed by the Creator with inalienable rights.” America s history chronicles the ongoing efforts to translate our founding vision into reality - to overcome the shortcomings, injustices and challenges on our nation’s path. In that journey, America’s greatest strength, its most important asset, has been the faith of its people.
Through times of great difficulty as well as good fortune, Americans have relied on their faith and have sought to honor God. In his Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1986, President Ronald Reagan said this,
"Perhaps no custom reveals our character as a Nation so clearly as our celebration of Thanksgiving Day. Rooted deeply in our Judeo-Christian heritage, the practice of offering thanksgiving underscores our unshakable belief in God as the foundation of our Nation and our firm reliance upon Him from Whom all blessings flow."
Today our nation and world face profound challenges, from the collapse of financial institutions to the daily threats of violence and conflict. Yet we also know that this is a time of great hope and promise, both spiritually and practically. On this Thanksgiving Day, let us express our gratitude to the living God, and reaffirm our faith in the unfolding of His providence.
In times of great challenge, the American spirit is to pull together and rise to meet whatever difficulties we face. Now as never before America has the opportunity to rise up to fulfill God’s hope for this nation, and to “live out the true meaning of its creed.” America has come “this far by faith,” and it is faith that will lead us to the fulfillment of our promise.
Let us make this Thanksgiving holiday also a time of re-commitment, for as President John F. Kennedy said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” We most substantially express our gratitude to God by investing our whole hearts and spirits into the fulfillment of His providential will.
Throughout his ministry, Father Moon has called upon America to understand God’s hope for this nation. As we reflect and celebrate today, and as we navigate these challenging yet hopeful times, let us consider Father Moon’s deep guidance for America:
“The time has come when America must awaken once again. …If America attends God properly, all America's problems - the family problems, moral problems, youth problems and racial problems - will be solved naturally. When America becomes a place where people of all races can live together in harmony, it will be a model for the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
It is time for us to unite together
and open the path that humankind must travel. It is time for America,
as the elder son nation, to take the lead in attending God and to
complete its mission as the helmsman that brings the nations of the
world to God. I ask you to stand with me in accomplishing this
historic task.”
Rev. Sun Myung Moon, January 22, 2000
May God continue to bless you and your family, and may God bless America.
Sincerely, UPF USA Headquarters