The Words of Hak Ja Han (Mrs. Sun Myung Moon)
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The Words of Hak Ja Han (Mrs. Sun Myung Moon) |
Mother
holds the telephone receiver toward the leaders at Belvedere, who all
joined In a resounding "Mansei" for Father on the other end
of the line.
"This is the first Sunday without Father, and we cannot welcome that Sunday without a truly repentful heart." With these words, our True Mother commenced her first morning service at Belvedere on July 22, 1984. It marked the third day of Father's incarceration, and Mother took his place according to Father's wish. She reminded everyone that Belvedere is truly God's holy place which represents history and the entire world. She also asked everyone to fast that one day.
Mother spoke twice that day; the second time to New York area leaders. The content of her second speech includes in full everything she said in the morning.
One special incident happened during the evening... In the middle of her speech, Mother was interrupted by a telephone call from Father in Danbury prison. Immediately she dashed out to the telephone, everyone else following her. At one point members shouted messages of encouragement, and pledges of victor over the phone, while Mother smilingly held up the telephone receiver for Father to hear.
Afterward her face was literally beaming, and she continued to speak about Father's situation in prison.
I want you to know that as much as yours, my heart is filled with deep emotion. I have no words to say, probably. I wanted to be resigned and to retreat to a quiet place. That was my true wish. However, that cannot be the case. I must follow Father's instruction and fulfill the mission. So this morning I came and spoke to the members, as Father requested.
In the Orient, we have a tradition that, whenever the head of the family undergoes certain suffering, the entire family joins in their suffering. This same thing can be said of a dynastic kingdom. When the king or queen is in jeopardy or experiences certain suffering, the royal subjects and all the people of the nation suffer together with the king and queen. This age-old Oriental tradition is a very beautiful one to behold.
I do feel all of you are very special, compared to the numerous other Unification Church members around the world, because you have had the privilege of directly serving Father in the New York area in the United States. You have more exposure to the love of our 'Due Parents, particularly the generous love from our True Father.
We treat ourselves to the presence of True Father all the time, attending True Father, and True Mother, our True Parents. You know that you have listened to Father's message many times. The message you have received from Father is priceless.
Think of this. Father has issued numerous instructions. But how much do we really take him seriously and fulfill? We have shouted "mansei" many times to Father. But now, the time has come to achieve something. We must build something tangible so that True Parents can see that achievement accomplished.
Before I share a message from Father, I have my own message for you. That is, let us have a movement of true repentance. Repent tearfully. Let us repent in sackcloth. Let us repent and sit on ashes and really renew ourselves so that in this time, not just by word, but by deed, we shall fulfill Father's will. That is my wish and message to you.
I wish that that day, July 20, 1984, would never have existed. I wish that we could eradicate that day totally from the calendar. Until the last minute of his departure from East Garden, Father kept speaking to you and encouraging you. He tried to give you courage and a message of incredible cheer.
Of course, an American prison is different from the kind of prison that Father suffered in previously, such as the one in communist North Korea or in South Korea under a very harsh government dictatorship. It's different from those prisons, yet it is still a prison.
On July 20, I accompanied Father, leaving East Garden at 10:00 p.m. We arrived at the camp, the place of incarceration [Danbury], at 10:59 p.m. I escorted Father all the way until the last minute that Father disappeared inside the door.
Although I wanted to be strong, and determined not to cry, still on the way there, my tears overflowed beyond control.
Until the last minute, before he departed from the car, even getting out of the car, Father had no concern about himself. He was worrying about me, encouraging me, and worrying about you, and the people, and the church. He kept talking about that even until the last second.
Father kept saying, "I came to this place to liberate the prison, liberate hell. So, Mother, you must not cry for me. Cry out for the mission, for the fulfillment of God's will. That's what you should do. Don't worry about me. I came to fulfill a glorious mission, the liberation of hell in prison."
In giving you this message today, I have one purpose, and one purpose only: that you now become responsible leaders. You must conduct yourselves, conduct your mission with utmost responsibility, as you never have before.
You are living in the time contemporary with our True Parents -- breathing the same air, walking in the same space, drinking the same water, sharing the same food. Whatever you do, it is a unique opportunity in history, and your deeds shall be recorded in history. What kind of statement can you make to our posterity? What kind of excuses do we have? What kind of testimony do we have for the future generations to come?
You are the leaders, you are the Blessed couples and you must reflect within yourselves, re-examine yourselves. Let us repent totally and renew ourselves. We must march into our missions so that we can achieve and fulfill them.
As you know, God had a good ideal in the beginning. Only because of the disobedience of man, the faithlessness of man, was man separated and departed from God. The fall brought about hell, brought terrible consequences to our world. You know that very well through the Principle. Then during restoration history, God directed the chosen nation of Israel and gave them Judaism. The purpose of Judaism, the chosen nation, was to prepare the day of the coming of the Lord. That nation was the foundation to fulfill God's will and desire. When Judaism rejected Jesus, and left the mission that was given by God unfulfilled, Jesus lost the foundation, so he inevitably had to be crucified on the cross. However, even upon the crucifixion, the resurrection came. Upon the foundation of the resurrection, the new history of Christianity began.
Then what is the will of God to make Christianity prosper? What is the purpose behind Christianity? Isn't it true that its purpose is the restoration of the entire world, to embrace the entire world? After World War II, when V-day was completed and the war ended, actually that moment was a glorious moment that God gave to the Christian nations, and America had the opportunity to embrace and rally around the entire world, so that Christendom could literally be launched.
This is the time when the ideal of the Lord of the Second Advent must be manifested. That ideal actually can be achieved and fulfilled. This is known to all of you as fact, the truth. However, Christianity has thus far failed to respond to that opportunity. Then what about the Lord, the Second Advent, the Messiah who came? Where is his foundation? What kind of path has he walked? Even if I may not speak of it entirely, you know it; you know Father's path.
As you know, the Unification Church was started in the worst prison, a communist prison. Father has been victorious and has come to the nation representing the world, that is, to the United States. Father has worked with tears and sweat in this country for over twelve years.
This morning on the telephone, Father asked me to tell you that you are the torch hearers. You are to go among the Christian community and unite the churches and awaken them from deep spiritual sleep. As you know, Father's prison term is not absolutely necessary for the fulfillment of his mission. There is a way he could do it without going to prison. However, since Father's incarceration has begun, whatever we ignite with our torches, almost like igniting gasoline, will result in an incredible expansion of that fire.
So when you look at the world situation, and examine your own relationship with our True Parents, you know that this is the last opportunity. The freedom of Father is at stake, depending on you and your work. This is our final opportunity that God has given to us. God's mandate asks us to go ahead and prove ourselves.
Your mission is important. Whatever you do in your mission now, do it with your whole heart and soul and mind. And do fulfill it. Do achieve the final outcome of victory. Depending on your determination, God will be moved or Satan can even surrender. It's up to you. Your deeds can either make God move or Satan surrender or vice versa. Father asked that for these next forty days, a special period be declared. During this forty days, extraordinary things can happen; miracles can come. You must make the miracles happen. That was his message.
My heart is very anxious, intensely nervous. I am very restless this morning, even in this meeting. Maybe we have to be out and running, now. But I know this meeting is important. Now every moment of the day makes me restless. So right after this meeting, let us get out and apply ourselves to the utmost. You already are prepared. You have all the knowledge and experiences. All you have to do is go and harvest the victory.
One other matter that Father spoke about concerned Japanese members in the United States. Koreans, Japanese and Americans -- leaders and members -- must be united. Korean leaders especially must take care of the Japanese, who have suffered so greatly.
Father is bearing the incredible universal, cosmic indemnity through his confinement. However, Japan has been single- handedly bearing the burden of financial responsibility for our worldwide movement. As you know, the financial responsibility is a severe one, very difficult and not easy to accomplish; yet the Japanese members and churches are doing it.
On July 21, the very next day after Father was incarcerated, the six older children and I drove to visit him in the camp at 8:00 a.m. I didn't know how Father had spent the night, and was worried about how he was. I worried about how he would look, and trembled while I waited after filling out certain forms. Then Father appeared. He met David Hager, who was there filling out more forms. Smiling, David went to him and they shook hands. Then Father spent time mostly with the children and me.
I wondered why Father is so absolutely natural in any circumstances.
This morning, Father told me he has a lot f friends already. His roommates really feel exuberant having Father join them. They sincerely welcomed Father, volunteered certain assistance, and were coming and going and greeting him. He expressed to me this morning that he felt the people truly have no hostility.
Of course Father feels that this occasion, this confinement, has special and deep meaning, more than any one of us can imagine or even understand. Father himself knows there is some much greater meaning in his confinement.
[At this point, Father telephoned. Mother spoke to Father on the phone. Members shouted Mansei, messages of encouragement, and pledges of victory to Father over the phone.]
You wonder how Father fares in the camp, in the prison, what Father wears and certain other things, and I am sure you are anxious to know, right?
What I saw Father wearing was like a military surplus uniform. It was just khaki, top and bottom. Every piece of clothing has been government-issued, including shoes (not leather shoes, but cloth shoes). They are not like sneakers, but are more like a military shoe.
When Father suffered incarceration in Korea, both North and South, he was given a prison number. They print out the number and it looks like merchandise, but in Danbury they do not have that kind of system -- no number, nothing, not even the name posted, so I was deeply comforted.
I saw other inmates coming out and everybody was wearing the same clothes. They have a number on the back side here, just below the belt, not at all conspicuous. Father's shirt is like a jacket, which some people tuck inside the belt.
On weekends breakfast is scheduled at 10:00 a.m., really a brunch schedule, unlike weekdays when it's 6:00-8:00 a.m. I was there to visit at 8:00 a.m., so Father hadn't had a chance to eat breakfast. Father said prison meals are served in a cafeteria system.
I said, "Father, you have had no breakfast. You have to eat something. You must be very hungry." Father said, "No. I ate breakfast already. All the inmates came and brought me cookies and candies and said, 'Reverend Moon, please have this. It's not so special, but I want you to take some of it.'" So the very first morning, everybody came to greet Father and give him cookies, tea bags, etc.
The visitors' area is a kind of simple lounge. There is, of course, no restaurant or coffee shop, but there are a couple of vending machines with Coca-Cola and some sandwiches and little snacks. I bought some sandwiches and snacks and Coca- Cola and served Father. He stayed there many hours with the children and me.
Mr. Peter Kim, who is now assigned to be Father's assistant in Danbury, was there organizing some paperwork. He was not allowed to go into where Father was, but he did have a chance to meet other inmates. One inmate came to him and said, "You know, I introduced myself to Reverend Moon. I shook hands with Reverend Moon." Then he said to Mr. Kim, "Don't worry, I will serve Reverend Moon very faithfully. As long as I am here, I am his servant. I will serve him. I will invite him to go out and exercise and I will do anything. Particularly I can see that Reverend Moon is a little overweight so I am going to take off his belly. Also I will help him with English words."
While I was there during visiting hours, there were a lot of other visitors who came to meet other people there. Most of the people coming out were white people, some of whom were prominent people, and some black people. But there are predominantly white people there in that camp. The impression that people gave me is a very good one. They are not hostile. Also they appear to be genuinely good people, very gentle and conducting themselves very fairly all the time.
Apparently there is some system organized that will get information from inside on the inmates' situation. In other words, they are monitoring very closely what is really going on inside the cells and dorms. There seems to be certain systems of informers so that any unusual kinds of activities can be noted.
The prison officials received sort of a first-night impression report from their own system. People are genuinely impressed with Father, and they welcome him. They are all trying to be cooperative with Father. There was no tension of any kind.
There were about forty or fifty people in the same dorm. However, we could not say that every one of them is a saint. There must be some bad ones, I'm sure. We therefore have to pray for the safety of our ram Father. This is one of our important missions.
That particular camp was newly built a couple of years ago, originally for women prisoners. The dorms were prepared for women, so it was a surprise to Father that when he went into the bathroom, there were only women's facilities there, no men's facilities.
All prisoners who are there participate in certain chores or labor. There are many kinds of labor with morning and afternoon hours. They give eight hours of labor. Sometimes they go to the factory to sew garments. Sometimes they work in the fire department. Sometimes they do maintenance or garden work, kitchen or dining room work. Father wants to be available to meet with visitors any time they come, so Father just mentioned to me over the phone that he will work in the dining room.
The day before Father entered the prison, officials received information that some people -- members, religious people, and very excited and passionate people who are mad at the government -- were going to cause a disturbance. Some Barrytown members wanted to demonstrate by lying down on the road to block the car so that Father's car could not move into the prison. I ask all members not to do things like this, although I understand your feeling.
Your feeling is also important, but you are here to serve and help Father. Anything that doesn't help Father is no good. So in order to minimize Father's suffering, it is not good to act violently or to show such displays of emotion. You must act within reason.
We have Mr. Kim there at Danbury headquarters, who will schedule a list of meetings with Father. You have to go through the channels. Do not do anything unwise -- not only you, but tell other members the same. Members should not take the law into their own hands and try to do something over there. That is absolutely undesirable.
Finally, I would like to give you this. I gave my impression of the first day's visit to give you a little bit of comfort. But we must realize two most important things. One, Father is without security, so he is exposed. Please pray for him. Two, prison is not the place that Father should stay. Father is our True Parent, the leader of the world, the Messiah, the King of Kings. We must do everything we can to shorten his time there to a bare minimum. I want you to realize this.
This is the only time in history that we can do something about this. When we do something about this, results will come. That result will be a victorious one, the liberation of our True Father from prison. That is our goal and now you must move forward for its achievement.
Thank you, everyone.