The Words of Hak Ja Han (Mrs. Sun Myung Moon)
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The Words of Hak Ja Han (Mrs. Sun Myung Moon) |
Now that I have come to this point, when I look back, all those memories of hardship have turned into joy, something about which I can converse and have fellowship with Father.
(Between Father and Mother there are endless subjects of conversation, limitless realms of understanding. Even though they don't talk too much, they understand each other's situation so deeply because the circumstances which they have passed through are very similar. They understood one common purpose, and they have persevered and were victorious. They overcame the difficulties, reached out for perfection and attained it, and now satanic infiltration is no longer possible. When Father and Mother see each other, they have such a victorious feeling, and that gives them tremendous comfort and peace at this time.)
I have in a way trained Mother. She was often so tired, wanting to rest, but I would just pull her around every place and make her do everything. She would be almost exhausted, but she was always willing to obey her husband, and whatever I did she would try to do; wherever I went, she would follow. And in proportion to her loyalty to the heavenly way of life and to her husband, she will he greatly blessed.
If she prays hard, if she asks for something from God, that will
be fulfilled, and by her living that way of life, her children will
be more blessed.
12/22/76
Today Mother has become 34 years old. Jesus Christ could not go
over the age of 33. He wanted to celebrate his 34th birthday with
God, but he could not, because of his crucifixion. Now that Mother
has turned 34, she is going beyond the level of Jesus' 33 years of
physical life. Therefore, today is an even more momentous occasion.
From this time on, Satan has no right to bring accusation to the
throne of God; heaven will not allow it.
2/23/77
When you look at Mother and me, do we appear to be a happy couple?
Actually, I do not care whether you say yes or no; I only care
whether Mother says yes or no. I should also be in a position to
answer yes if Mother would ask me the same question.
3/6/77
Mother and my own children have become a sacrifice, but I cannot
give up the mission. Even if I were to die before winning the final
victory, the purpose and course of the providence would not be over.
Once the dispensation for which I sacrificed myself and my family was
fulfilled, God would be responsible to restore me and my
family.
3/20/77
The one who knows me best is Mother, because she is the only one
who watches over me 24 hours a day. Mother respects me because she
has seen that I act first and then speak. When I speak, Mother always
knows that it matches my actions. Mother is in a position to be with
me on this level. She already leads a difficult life. I have to
really give her credit because she simply does not have time to pray
much and keep up with the children as well.
4/1/77
Whenever I can spare a little bit of time at home, then I play with the children; but unfortunately, I do not have much time to do that. I have had a dual mission all these years. One has been to build the spiritual foundation of the Unification Church and get the message out to the world. But my internal mission is to build my own home and the central point of the kingdom of heaven on earth. To do that, I had to find Mother and raise her up, so together we can nurture our children to make a perfect family which can be a model of the kingdom of God.
I have already received persecution in the course of erecting the tradition of the Unification Church, and now I am willing to do whatever may be necessary to build the tradition of the home and the family.
When I look at Mother and the children, I am gazing at eternity;
she is my God-given wife for eternity, and they are my God-given
children for eternity. There are always physical limitations and
personality clashes in human behavior, and if you quibble and
complain, you can find dozens and hundreds of instances every day.
But when you look at eternity and your role of serving others, you
bind yourself to these people, and you see only their beauty, grace
and God-given blessing.
4/17/77
Mother sometimes thinks that I am made of iron, that God built my
body in such a way that I do not feel fatigue. Her nickname for me is
"The Brass General."
6/5/77
Sometimes Mother tries to get me to stay home and pay more
attention to our family. She tells me, "As soon as you open your
eyes, you talk about going out to meet the members somewhere; can't
you spend a little more time at home?" However, I am in the
parent's position, while you are in the position of children.
Children inherit the foundation and tradition of their parents, and
by working harder than anyone else, I am leaving you even greater
assets to inherit.
6/17/77
I must be sympathetic with Mother, because she has borne ten
children and her energy has been drained. Her body has become an
absolute offering to God. Sometimes people think Mother must be made
of iron, but that's not so. In Korean custom, the wife usually gives
her husband a massage, but never the other way around. Sometimes,
however, I must ignore that custom and massage Mother's legs because
she is too tired to continue.
10/1/77
I never think of myself as one man or of Mother as one woman; I look at the entire universe and the consequences every action will have in the spirit world. Whether Mother goes to a certain place or not makes a tremendous difference in the spirit world. If she is left behind, all of womanhood in the spirit world would be disappointed, and we just cannot leave this stigma in history.
Wherever I go, I want to be with Mother so we can feel sorrow together and feel ecstatic joy together. We will look at people from God's position and weep from the position of God.
I have had to apologize to my own children. One day I asked them, "I am always going out with Mother. I don't leave her at home so much, but you are often left behind. Do you still want me to take Mother with me?"
The children all said, "Father, we don't want you to go alone. Always go with Mother."
When I replied, "But we won't be here to take care of you," they said, "That's all right. For you to be with Mother is far more important than us staying at home alone." Basically, they know that if Mother and I go away, something important is being fulfilled. They know where our hearts are and what we are doing.
When we come home very late, maybe at 2:00 a.m., we go to the
children's rooms and look at their peacefully sleeping faces. Then I
really feel parental love in a silent way, more than at any other
time. Distance can be comforting; separation means nothing as long as
both are linked by God's love and express genuine trust and
honesty.
12/4/77
When I look at Mother, she reminds me of calm and clear water. When a lake is calm and clear, it reflects the whole sky. As the moon reflects the sun, Father's image is reflected by Mother shining back to reach the rest of the people. I always feel that. When I pray for Father I feel aroused and dynamic. When I pray for Mother, I become calm, tranquil, profound and serene. Sometimes I feel more of the image of heaven reflected to me through Mother. Compared to the wind, her character is like a breeze. Compared to a flower, her character is fragrance. In the balmy spring air, you feel something embracing and warm, so in your mind, you feel that there is something beautiful hatching in the world. Mother Nature gives out life after life. Our Mother reflects Father's active nature, but in a passive way, returning it and shining out to reach everyone.
Mother is always soft and fragrantly calm and reflective. When she is deeply hurt or when she feels that she must scold the members around us or her immediate children, she looks very sad. Sad, that is all. She looks at the members or her children without saying a word and with a deep tearful heart. Sometimes she says a word or two in a whispering tone. She always says, "I trust you." When you are told that you are trusted and that you are expected to do something for others by someone who loves you, you are more encouraged and more repentant than when you are ordered to do something or when you are scolded or even punished.
Father is not only the father of love but also of judgment, but he always withholds judgment until the last minute, hoping that the conditions for judgment will be dissolved. Before he scolds someone, he prays first, forgetting his sleep or his food. Sometimes we feel that Father is so loving that we can relax and take it for granted. Then the next moment we may feel dark inside, holding something fearful that we dare not take to him. But in Mother, we find the soothing element coming to her children. Whenever we are hurt, we turn to her. Even just looking at her would calm our hearts. Still we feel the great sereneness, fragrance and soothing tone coming to us in full vibration.
Father is like the light; Mother is like the warmth. Father is like the sun; Mother is like the moon. Father is cause and Mother is the effect. God wanted Adam to have a bride to complete himself. We must have our True Parents' reflection in ourselves. In doing that, we must be receptive. We must have the same frequency, the same resonance, so that they can perform the act of give and take with us. Sometimes we may complain that the sun is not shining. But in every case it is the clouds created in our own minds that are blocking the sunbeams from reaching us. But the sun is always shining there, just and fair to everyone. Even when they are away, we feel their vibration all around us, if our spiritual posture is facing them.
You must always set aside a place for Father and Mother. In Korea, the blessed families always have Parents' room ready; when they eat, they have the Parents' food there. They eat, sleep and live with them. Spiritually living together in that way is vet.), important. We must encourage ourselves and each other to remember our True Parents and live with them in heart.
The path of restoration is so difficult and so extraordinary. You don't know anything about it. In your case, your heart will be the deciding factor. It is the same in my own dispensation; when my own heart is set right, when your heart is oriented properly in relation to the True Parents and God, everything will start to work out around you. Until your heart is settled, however, nothing will happen.
As you can see, Mother and Grandmother were both chosen for a glorious responsibility and position, but they started out their journey at the lowest level. This is your lesson. The blessing of the glorious heavenly throne is not given from the highest, most glorious position. That blessing must be won at the lowest level of human misery. Then it will endure for eternity and will embrace all humankind. Blessings never come in high places; blessings come to you in the lowest places.
I have explained that the messiah's role was launched in the depths of the dungeon. Therefore, it cannot be changed for you. That is why I push you. Can you complain? Suppose that in those days of hardship Mother had protested against me and given up in despair saying, "Father, no matter what you are I don't care." Then she could not be a Mother to you at all.
In your case as well, if I place you in a certain position and you start to complain, then you lose your position entirely. When you become self-centered and begin to protest, then you begin to stray. The key to success is selflessness.
On your way to heaven, you must expect to experience not only the heavenly side, but also taste the dungeons of hell; in the end, what you go through in hell will be the most precious part of God's grace. In this way you will become strong, and in your process of maturing, you will acquire a wholesome personality that reflects God's own personality. Then you will better appreciate heaven. Someday you will have a record you can be proud of -- the chronicle of your victory and perseverance. It will be your source of greatest pride.
During your recent fishing expedition with Father, you may have sometimes had the fleeting thought, "Why is Father asking us to do this silly, impossible thing? Who would go into the water in this weather? It is so deep we may die." I am sure that every one of you has had a glimmer of such thoughts.
In such a moment, you must not react quickly or make a hasty judgment. At such times, you must call on the name of God and remind yourself, "This is my opportunity to prove how worthy I am." Then the difficulty can become a joy, and you can take delight in going through that ordeal. My message to you is to persevere and not react quickly or make hasty judgments. Then you can convert all your ordeals into joy and a source of pride.
My tears this morning have two meanings: one is sorrow, but the
other is joy -- the joy of victory at being here with Father in this
way. In the future I would like to shed only tears of joy, so I beg
all of you never again to ask me about the past. Let us talk only of
our victorious future and our great vision of the wondrous days to
come. Let us rejoice in tears of joy for the future days which we
will share together. Thank you.
5/3/77
As soon as I arrived here [at Barrytown] this morning, I was told by Mrs. Choi that you had been expecting me. Actually, though, Father is the one to come.
Today is the 50th day since the birth of Kwon Jin, and I don't know whether or not he is conscious of our preparing to leave him. The other time I left him, he was restless and did not sleep well the previous night. The same thing occurred last night. The reason I'm saying this is because I want you to know how much you are loved by Father -- so much that our immediate children are jealous.
Sooner or later you will experience the same thing. Many of you are blessed couples and some day will also give birth to children. I want you to understand that after giving birth to the eighth child, I feel a little feeble. If you really understand the depths of the Divine Principle, you might realize that Father is going the way of Jacob, so I must give birth to at least twelve children.
Birth control is prevailing in this country, and each time I have a baby, I am warned against having too many children. This time when I was in the hospital, they asked me to bring my husband with me, because they wanted to talk to him about birth control!
You will soon be leaving for your mission countries, and you will assume the role of father and mother in your land, so I will give you a little bit of my experience as a parent.
Whenever I look at the face of a baby, I feel cleansed. There is a Korean saying, "The parents cannot help but be pure through children." Whenever the baby cries more than usual or gets sick, I always look back and reflect on what I have done wrong. When I feel that way, I always sense God's presence and sympathy towards me.
Whenever you witness to people in your land, you must have a parental heart towards them. You must really love them from the position of parents.
As you may know, Father really loves you. Today he rose while it was still dark and said, "I must go to Barrytown. I must go to Barrytown." We are leaving soon [for Korea] and we have many things to straighten out, but he pressed me to come, and here we are.
By the time we return, I think you will have already left, and we love you so much. Father loves you so much. Be confident and win many children.
Please never forget that your Parents are with you.
4/21/75
I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming to my country in the orient. Rev. Moon and I have wanted to bring you to our homeland for a long time. For ten years we have thought about this. We discussed many things that we wanted to show you and do for you. It is very meaningful that you have come, and I am so grateful to all of you.
Traditionally, Korean people like to wear white suits and dresses. Korean people love God very deeply, and so we like to wear white clothes as a symbol of God's purity. We respect our ancestors very much, and w e are a peace-loving people.
Hundreds of times, other countries have invaded ours, but we always overcame. And in our 5,000-year history, Korea has never attacked another nation. For this reason, we are known as "The Land of the Morning Calm."
During the Korean War, we suffered incredible tragedy. But God really helped us. The young people of 16 nations came to our aid. At that time, all the people of South Korea strongly united with the United Nations forces. With that unity, we were able to save our freedom from Communism.
From the 1970's on, our people have been working very hard. Today Korea is recognized as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Because of our growth, Korea was chosen as the site of the 1988 Olympics. We are grateful to be the host country for this global event.
They say that behind every great man, there is a woman. In this sense, I respect you all very much. You have helped your husbands create many things to help mankind.
I also try to be a wonderful helper for my husband, Rev. Moon. But it is hard, because, as you know, his ideals and goals are very high. Sometimes I wonder how good a job I am doing to help my husband. I never get a report card. If you have a chance to ask him, please do so, and let me know his answer!
Anyhow, I gave him twelve lovely children, so I hope he will give me one medal at least.
In Korean history we have had many wonderful women who have been greatly respected. They gave honor to their families. During times when Korea was attacked by other countries, many women gave their lives helping their husbands fight.
Today, the world situation is becoming dark. Many families are breaking up. My heart is so sad to see this. I think women must give love and practice a sacrificial spirit. When God dwells in every home, then parents and children will have God's love and hope. With families as the cornerstone of society, then our nations and world will become very beautiful and filled with God's love. We will all be one family under one God.
Today, you and your husbands came here to combine all of your spirit and strength to build a better world for our children.
I hope I can become closer to you all. I want to share love and friendship with you, even after you go back to your own countries.
I hope your time in our country will be remembered with joy all your life. Thank you very much.
My name is Hak Ja Han, and I am Mrs. Sun Myung Moon. My husband and I were married in 1960 and just two weeks ago we had our thirteenth child, a little girl named Jeung Jin. We have six daughters and seven sons, all of whom provide great joy for our lives. Our eldest daughter, Ye Jin, was married last year to a young man named Jin Hwi, who is studying at Columbia University. They recently had their first child, our first grandson. Our eldest son, Hyo Jin, was also married in January of this year.
I believe that I have had the most blessed life of any woman who has ever lived in being married to my husband. He has totally dedicated his life to the service of God and humanity. As the head of our household, he has provided an example which has inspired each of our children to live noble and virtuous lives that we can be proud of. In just the same way, as the head of our church family, he has provided an example which had led millions of people throughout the world to live good and holy lives.
From the time I was a young girl, I prayed fervently to live a pious life and to marry a pious man. God listened to every one of my prayers and blessed me more abundantly than I could have ever imagined. My husband is a man who brings great joy to God and great joy to all the many people we have worked with to expand our faith.
Throughout our life together, he has always encouraged me with his faith and his compassion. As you may know, many people have said hostile things to and about my husband. I have never once heard him say one hostile thing back to anyone, or even say one hostile thing about anyone. Many times when I believed that my husband was being unjustly persecuted, I expected that he would express some negative response. Instead, I would find that every time he would give the church members a sermon [it was] about love and forgiveness. The message that Christ taught about loving your enemy has always been a central theme which he has emphasized.
Our own children have been so moved to see their father speak and teach a message that they could also be inspired by. It has never been easy for them to know that there has been a great deal of negative publicity about their father. However, they have always moved me to tears with their own maturity in forgiving people. I am grateful to God that all of them inherited this virtuous nature from their father.
Our children have been surrounded by church members their entire lives. Our home is always filled with church members. Every single day begins with early morning prayer and then an early morning breakfast meeting with church members. In fact, the children have learned t9 expect to eat away from their father, sitting in the kitchen, so that the church members can sit with him in the dining room and share about the work of the church throughout the world. We have led this kind of totally public life since we have been married. I have talked to early church members who knew my husband even before I did, and they say that he has always lived this kind of life. It is for this reason that we all love him so deeply and feel always motivated to live similar lives of devotion and public service.
The proceedings of the recent trial were very difficult. Although I was in the final months of my pregnancy, I chose to sit by my husband's side every day.
During each break we were joined by elder members of the church in the small waiting room. We were all amazed that my husband continued to inspire us with messages of forgiveness and compassion. My husband would not allow any of us to harbor any hostility towards the government, the prosecutors or any of the witnesses. I can honestly say that, even though this is entirely what we could have expected from him, we were awe-struck by his commitment to his ideals.
Immediately after the conviction my husband gathered all the church members because he felt the need to minister to them and encourage them. He knows how sad they all feel because of this recent conviction and does not want them to be discouraged. The message which he shared on that day, and in every sermon he has given since, continues to be about love and forgiveness. During every sermon I have been moved to tears, and as I look around the room I see that all our brothers and sisters in the faith are also crying. It is a tragedy to them, and he continues to be so sensitive to them and their feelings. As the head of our church, they call him "Father," as the Catholics call the Pope "Holy Father."
Judge Goettel, I am writing you as his wife, as the mother of his thirteen children, as the grandmother of his grandson, and as the holy "Mother" of our church. I know what this conviction means to our brothers and sisters in the faith, as I know what it means to our own children and to me. I petition you to consider these things which I have described, to pray about them, and to ask God to guide you in your deliberations. Please be compassionate and lenient.
Very sincerely yours,
Mrs. Hak Ja Han Moon
June 28, 1982
Korea is blessed with four distinct seasons. Springtime is warm; summer very hot; autumn is pleasant; and winter is brisk and cold, with lots of snow. The Korean people have always taken great delight in this variety of weather.
We also enjoy a variety of cultural traditions. You will find here in our country the Buddhist, Confucian, Christian and Islamic cultures. In Korea, faith in God is very strong, and our people are very religious. We believe that throughout her entire history, and especially during the Korean War, our country was protected by the special grace of God, and for a special purpose.
The Korean people are deeply peace-loving. During our five thousand year history, our country has been invaded numerous times. At these times, the Korean people have shown a great deal of courage in defending their land; yet we have never once invaded another country. The Korean people love to wear white clothes as a symbol of their love of peace.
Women in Korea are known for three traditional virtues: filial piety toward parents, total fidelity to the husband, and sacrificial love toward the children. Korean women are generally shy and somewhat reticent in their manner; yet many times in the past, when the country's fate was in peril, Korean women stood up bravely, defending their homeland with their lives. There are countless Korean "Joan of Arcs."
Just between you and me, I can tell you that the real power in Korea is very much in the hands of women. I would say that Korean wives know how to handle their husbands. All except me, that is. I certainly cannot handle my husband, Rev. Moon!
My husband is such an extraordinary man -- a man of strong will, totally dedicated to God -- that it is very hard for me to keep up with his pace. Sometimes I wonder how good a job I am doing in helping my husband. I never get a report card! If you get a chance to ask him, please do so, and let me know his answer.
One thing I can say, I have given my husband thirteen lovely children. I think that maybe he ill give me a medal just for that!
This afternoon, 1 would also like to make one serious plea to you. As you know, my husband has been treated rather harshly by the media of the world. I sincerely believe that he has been totally misunderstood and misrepresented. I feel that if he were honestly understood, the media would have no problem in presenting a fair and accurate picture of his life and work.
I want to ask you lady journalists to try to better understand my husband. I am sure that the ladies of the press will find it easier to understand him than the men.
I would also like to appeal to you good wives of great journalists and professors to tell your husbands that Rev. Moon is definitely a good man, because his wife says so!
In essence, what my husband is trying to accomplish is to build a society, nation and world in which God dwells in every home. He believes that the family is the building block of the kingdom of God, so he feels that creating a 0,d-centered family is the most urgent task of all. When God-centered families have been established, then a God-centered nation and world can be built, and human beings can live as one family of man under one parenthood of God.
In closing, I hope that I can become closer to you all. I want to share continuous friendship with you, even after you return to your own countries. May God bless you, your husbands and families.
Thank you very much.
My husband's joy is my joy
Raised in a devout Christian family, I was kept busy reading the books about men and women saints handed to me by my mother. Without allowing me any moments to think of any other dreams, my mother pushed me to read only those books, as if they were homework assignments given by a school teacher. As a result, I anticipated that I myself would become like such women-saints as I grew up. When I married Rev. Moon, I believed it was God's will and accepted it.
My husband's joy was indescribable whenever I delivered him a baby; it was really difficult for me to carry an infant almost every year. No matter how great the difficulty, if that was the way I could bring happiness to my husband, I felt I could endure anything. Isn't his joy mine?
He has been really mercilessly and cruelly treated by the mass media worldwide, but that is because they do not know my husband well. As you witnessed through the World Media Conference, the current world has changed a great deal. He definitely will be understood properly by the world. In the midst of tremendous tribulations, he does something incredible, things which no one else in human history could ever do. When we examine people of the past, we find that whoever was great was also lonely. In that sense, isn't it natural that he should be in such a situation? Although my power is weak, still I try to let him understand that there is a woman at his side who always wants to share the same destiny of life and death. Wouldn't that small power of a woman become the source of courage to a man? I believe this is my duty as a supportive wife to her husband.
My husband works so hard, day and night, even forgetting to eat and sleep. He sleeps only two hours a day. So often he prays all night long. But fortunately, he is not fussy about food and eats any kind of food. So I do not need to worry about that too much. Yet, I always prepare Ginseng, so he can take it whenever he needs spiritual relaxation. I mix one portion of Ginseng extract with four portions of honey, making a thin syrup, and serve him a spoonful of it every morning and evening. I also urge him to drink sufficient amounts of natural water.
In order for my husband to be able to work hard outside, without being bothered by family affairs, I try to be patient and tolerant, no matter what difficult matters may come up in my family. Don't you think that is one of a wife's virtues? I also believe that it is important not to lose the bright smile on my face.