The Words of the Baek Family
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The Words of the Baek Family |
In Korea and many parts of Asia, people are in the New Year's mood for the first couple of weeks of the New Year, and give greetings to each other. So first, I would like to offer you a New Year's bow according to Korean tradition. I sincerely wish all of you good health and hope that you will accomplish everything you set out to do this year.
Last Saturday, I was checking out at a supermarket when I received a phone call from Hyung Jin Nim's Secretary, Ken Doo Seung Yeon. He asked, "Did you win the lottery? Did you buy a lottery ticket today?" I had been surprised by a fraud phone call recently so I replied, "No, I did not buy a lottery ticket. There are many prank calls these days." However, he continued to say, "You really won the lottery." I told him calmly, "No!" and he said, "Hyung Jin Nim asked you to give the sermon next week!" From that moment on, my mind went completely blank. After paying for my groceries, I hurried back home. Even after I got home, I just could not believe this, so I couldn't even tell my husband about it.
On the way to early Morning Prayer on a mountain top the next day, Reverend Kim Yong Ha said, "I received an email from the office, that Mrs. Baek Sun Ja will be giving the sermon next Sunday." However, because my husband had not heard about the change in the speaker, he said, "No, it is Chairman Moon Soo Ja who will be speaking." I continued to think about why Hyung Jin Nim had asked me to take the platform, when there are many pastors at the Headquarters Church. He asked me to talk about Chung Seong and the Cheon Bok Gung, the World Peace Temple. (Chung Seong refers to "one's true heart; sincerity; devotion; earnestness.") I believe the reason is because I am attending Hyung Jin Nim and Yeon Ah Nim closely, when many others do not have the opportunity to see them too much in daily life.
As you may all know, Hyung Jin Nim and Yeon Ah Nim's Chung Seong is of the utmost. After Hyung Jin Nim received his mission, he asked, "What should I do now, Father?" and Father said, "Offer Chung Seong." Although their children are still quite young so Yeon Ah Nim does not have much time to rest, she makes effort to stay next to Hyung Jin Nim, and I feel sorry for her at times.
On January 4th, when the leaders' 3:00 a.m. Chung Seong was being changed to 5:00 a.m., something came to my mind during the last prayer. I saw tiny buds that were trembling, as they tried to come out of the earth, but a cement floor was blocking them. "Oh, they cannot penetrate through that cement!" However, next, I saw a mountain made of rocks.
"Those weak buds won't be able to penetrate through rocks, either!"
Then, I also saw soil in between the rocks.
"Yes, they can grow in between the rocks!" I said, and there was a feeling of hope.
Although our Chung Seong at the Headquarters Church may not have been enough, it has been a process to raise the invisible buds so far. If you agree, I ask you to give an applause of encouragement to those little buds, so they can push away the soil between the rocks and come out!
Hyung Jin Nim was very happy and was encouraged to hear that more members are taking part in the 5 o'clock Chung Seong in the morning, centering on the regional director. In fact, Hyung Jin Nim asked us to join in a prayer meeting in the mountains, starting from January 10th. He loves nature. He feels the atmosphere of the universe and the spiritual energy of the soil, rocks and trees. Then he gathers all of his Chung Seong and offers kyung-bae (bows). We have seen him receiving many answers from those deep meditations.
We started this Chung Seong on January 10, when the weather was at its coldest. It is colder up in the mountains than it is here. When I took off my shoes and did the bows on the gazebo at the mountain top, I felt my hands, feet, my whole body, freeze.
Still, Hyung Jin Nim was so happy to be in nature and was grateful to be offering such Chung Seong. He gathered Chung Seong and offered gratitude with every step he took.
Before he was through two-thirds of this Chung Seong, we witnessed incredible changes taking place. Just before the first Chung Seong was completed, Hyung Jin Nim was appointed as the Senior Pastor. Before the end of the second Chung Seong, he was appointed as International President of the Family Federation [FFWPU]. He offered a forty-day Chung Seong after Hyo Jin Nim passed away; following this Chung Seong, he was appointed as the President of World CARP and received the blessing of the mission of the 210,000 membership foundation. On October 14th, just before the end of the third Chung Seong, he received the official name 'Cheon Bok Gung' for the World Peace Temple as calligraphy from Father. Through these developments, I feel that the time today is very different from the past age of the providence of restoration through indemnity.
This time as well, following the Coronation Ceremony of King of Kings on January 15th, Hyung Jin Nim asked once again, "Father, what should I do?" and Father said, "Continue to offer Chung Seong!" It is of course important to fulfill the mission of the 210,000 foundation; however, Hyung Jin Nim's concern is how we can continually be connected to the root of Shim Jeong, or Heart. He says that the only way to do this is through the power of Chung Seong.
While I was meditating 'Thank you, True Parents!' on the hill top, Father's life course came to my mind. True Father's ninety years have been none other than a life of offering Chung Seong. He has been treading this difficult course with ceaseless Chung Seong, out on the oceans, up in the mountains, and he is still walking that path. We have come to realize, that he is someone who moves the spirit world through that Chung Seong. Because we ourselves have not physically witnessed True Father offering all of this internal Chung Seong, it's difficult for us to realize that everything that has been achieved by Father, was enabled on the foundation of that Chung Seong. Today, we can feel how rapidly God works at this time. I am truly grateful for Hyung Jin Nim's love for the members, his deep filial piety and attendance before True Parents, and absolute standard.
There was a special 3-day course before the 90th birthday celebration on January 31st. Hyung Jin Nim prayed on the mountains on the 25th, 26th and 27th. He then returned to Han Nam Dong, circled around the Han Nam Dong garden eight times, and offered three cheers of 'og-mansei.' I would like to share about the special news received this new year during the Chung Seong, on another occasion.
I wish to speak a little about Hyung Jin Nim's love for Cheon Bok Gung. One of the things he said when he was inaugurated as the Senior Pastor was that he wanted to make the Unification Movement shine proudly. He observed every corner of the Headquarters Church, and planned the decoration for our members. He always encourages the members so we can be proud and confident of being members of the Unification Church. When Hyung Jin Nim received the mission of the 20,000, and then the 210,000 membership foundation, he was very surprised. It was again, through Chung Seong that he was able to come to bear this responsibility. He appealed to his three elder brothers, Hyo Jin Nim, Heung Jin Nim and Young Jin Nim without rest before the altar, and received an answer in the end.
One day, he suddenly came out of his quarters early in the morning, sat down before Secretary Ken Doo's desk, and started to draw a picture. He drew a model of the World Peace Temple, and he sounded very pleased to tell us that this model expresses the core of the Principle. At such moments, I could feel that the Holy Spirit was with him. He said that this Cheon Bok Gung will represent God's glory for generations to come, be praise to True Parents' name, and elevate the Unification Movement. He raised both hands up high, shouted 'og-mansei,' and he was so very happy. The Temple had been blessed as a house to share fortune with all people of the world.
There were many difficulties internally as well. Nevertheless, Hyung Jin Nim shook them off and rose without giving up. He enhanced his will for God with firm determination. The time when the spirit world is actively supporting us has come, and the era we have been dreaming of is now before our eyes.
Let's do our best to keep adding our small Chung Seong and gather more and more Chung Seong to make it happen. Our dear True Parents have now reached the age of 90! God holds the victory of having found True Parents, and True Parents have found and created our True Family. I wish to offer my heartfelt congratulations for this victory on True Parents' 90th birthday, and close my talk here.
We thank you, Heavenly Father! You have never given up on us, always sought us out.
I feel Father close by at this moment.
You have searched so hard, as it was difficult for you to reach us. Man's heart was like cement, and you waited for us to open our hardened hearts.
Father, please guide us!
When we were hurt, you bore the pain and suffering together with us.
We love you from the bottom of our hearts.
From now on, we also, will not give up.
We will not let go of Your hands!
Grant us all great love, strength and courage.
I pray deeply, in the name of Baek Sun Ja, a central blessed family.
Aju.
About the Speaker:
51.3.31 - Born in Jin-ju, Kyung Nam
1965 - Joined the Unification Church
70.10.21 - Received the 777 Couple's Blessing and currently has 3 sons, 1 daughter, and 2 grand-daughters
Served as the wife of pastor for 36 years
Served as the wife of regional director for 15 years
2007.7.20 until now - Attends Senior Pastor Hyung Jin Moon, living a life of Chung Seong and attendance