The Words of the Ji Yea Park Moon (wife of Kook Jin Moon) |
Welcome Brothers and Sisters! Good afternoon. Today is a wonderful day to worship Heavenly Father and True Parents. We are always honored to have you here in this sanctuary, and for those who are joining with us via internet, we also welcome you as well. Welcome Brothers and welcome Sisters!
Welcome brothers and sisters! You know, at the end of every month, in the last week of every month, we have a very special guest who comes and speaks to all of our brothers and sisters. Last month, as you all know, because of the helicopter accident, we were initially planning to have Sun Jin nunna come and speak to us, but due to the information that we wanted to share with all of you, she was not able to speak at that time. Now she's in Japan and so we have this time in the month of August, in the time of harvest. We have such a wonderful speaker today.
Brothers and sisters, I have the great pleasure of introducing my sister-in-law. Father gave her an honorary doctorate, so she's now Dr. Pak Ji Hae. Let's give it up! You know, we are very proud of Ji Hae onni. From a very young age she was trained in the arts. She was trained at the Little Angels as a Little Angel, and then moved on and pursued a career in academics and in studying the arts. She went to a very good university here in Seoul, pursued her arts degree there, and then in 2003 she represented the entire nation of Korea in the Miss World Pageant.
In the indemnity period a lot of brothers and sisters were pushed out to the wayside. At that stage we were very intense, almost like the military. But in the age of liberation and complete release it's so important that we understand that each one of our families' victories, each one of our blessed families' shining is the whole community's shining. Understanding that, we are so proud of Ji Hae onni because many years ago she showed the world that our Unification movement is world class at whatever we do, whether it be in the arts, whether it be in business, whether it be in ministry, in whatever we do. Let us have that pride and see with those eyes.
Brothers and sisters, whenever we start service I always want to encourage you not to just observe service, but let us participate. Let us really be part of the service, part of sharing our prayers and songs, listening and finding what God is saying to us today. If we can do that, then we can offer this service, we can turn it back and let it fall back into God's heart, allowing the give and receive process to begin in our lives. If we do that, we really do believe that our next week, our next days, the days ahead of us will always become stronger and brighter in our lives. Our mindsets, our outlook, our thinking, our demeanor, how we act and move in this world, they'll move according to those things.
So Brothers and Sisters, today we have a very special guest. We want to really be able to hear what God is going to say to us today. I encourage you all once again to see yourselves the way God sees us. Sometimes living from day to day, we can get in a rut and get into the stress of all things. It's important to remember our value, that we are cosmic and divine and unique in our value.
Whenever we feel down on ourselves, and maybe not everything is going the way we would like it to be, it's always important to remember and say, "Hey, wait a minute. I'm doing valuable things. I'm contributing valuable energy and work to the people around me, to my family and to my spouse. I'm valuable in what I'm doing," and to return to how God sees us, not only how we see ourselves with our own eyes, but how God sees us. That's where we begin the transformation. Let's take this time all around the world to really participate. Let's have a wonderful service and return that to God. Thank you!
Heavenly Father! Thank you for this day that You have blessed upon us. Father, we stand in Your Presence today at the end of this beautiful August. Father, we feel inspired as we feel the change of season. We feel that a fall harvest is coming, not only for our Unification Family worldwide, but for each and every one of us in our lives individually and in our families. Father, let us know that in this new season Your abundant blessing will be around us. Let us be wise to notice and catch those blessings and to share them with so many people that need them. Father, we thank You for this day that You have allowed us to come this far. Many times the future seems very distant, but Father, let us remember that You have guided us until now. You have allowed us to grow into the people that we have become.
Father, we know and are confident that we will continue to mature everyday, that we will continue to have more victory, more illumination and more peace that we can share with the many people around us.
Father, thank you for this day. We truly are in Your presence, and we feel that you are rejuvenating and reviving our hearts. Father, be with us today, and with all the families that are here gathered in your presence, and all the families that are gathered via the internet as well. We are praying that abundant blessings and your dreams and desires may be fulfilled and that Your children may truly prosper at whatever they do. Father, please bless our Unification family. There are so many brothers and sisters throughout the world who desperately need Your consolation, Your love and Your blessing. We're praying for those families and for each other here as we stand in Your Presence. Thank you so much. We pray these things with a grateful heart and an everlasting love, in our own names, Aju.
There's an old saying which says, "Behind every great man is a greater woman." We know our brother Kook Jin hyung is a great man, a great CEO and a real genius at whatever he does. We've seen him take the entire Korean foundation, which had a $100 million loss every year, and in three years turn it around so that it's now making a $50,000 plus profit every year. He worked a miracle. I've been in the office with him seeing him work day in and day out, going in at 7:00 in the morning and coming back at 9:00 pm, working all day, meetings, meetings, directions, providing that leadership that all those companies need.
But we've also seen in our own home -- because we stay together, Kook Jin hyung's family, our family, Sun Ja's family, and now Yeon Ah onni's family is moving back to Hannam Dong training center -- we've seen that behind the scenes, without Ji Hae onni's immense love and support for Kook Jin hyung... when he's giving it all out, everyday, she becomes the safe haven that he can return back to. She's just an amazing mom, taking care of her three beautiful children. Shin Ah is here. "Hey, Shin Ah! We see you and we love you!"
Shin Cheon, her new baby is on the way. It's a very special thing. When Kook Jin Nim's first son was born, he was still in the womb when Father gave him his name. That was the first time in our family. And now, while they have their second boy on the way, in the womb, Father has given them a name already, Shin Cheon, which means the faith of heaven. It's really a tremendous name. Brothers and sisters, you know, we live in the same training center, so we see her everyday really being that support, that pillar. We've seen her step up in every single aspect of her life. I've seen her personally go out of her comfort zone to get closer with Kook Jin Hyung in every aspect of their life.
Our brother was always a genius at strategy games. If you played Monopoly against him you were guaranteed to lose. He has an amazing talent for these kind of games, and he really practices a lot of the principles that he practices in business. When he gets home from work and relaxes, he starts training his mind by studying or playing games like chess. He's always training his mind. What I've noticed is that Ji Hae onni is always playing with him, improving her skills, and allowing him to calm his mind. I am so amazed.
When I think of a supportive wife, I think of course of my beautiful wife, but I also think of Ji Hae onni. She really has been a pillar in Kook Jin hyung's life. We've seen it and experienced it. She's been on the world stage at the Miss World Pageant, and at the top level of the arts, but at the same time she's so grounded. She can come right back to earth. She's an everyday mom, taking care of her kids, supporting her husband. When I see that, we're so impressed. We're so proud of what she does and we know that because of her great love for Kook Jin hyung he is able to step up and have the strength to go forward and do those miraculous things that he's able to do.
Brothers and sisters, today I want to welcome to this stage and to this podium our wonderful sister-in-law, Dr. Ji Hae Moon!
Beloved church members, brothers and sisters, I am happy to see you all today.
Actually, when Hyung Jin Nim first said, "It'll be nice if the True Family members take turns giving sermons during the last week of each month," Hoon Sook Nim and I answered, "Oh…We can perform dancing on stage if told to but giving a sermon is something very difficult to do."
Of course I cannot compare myself with Hoon Sook Nim who is such a great world-level ballerina, but personally I, too, feel more comfortable being on stage dancing because that's what I have done from when I was an elementary student at the Little Angels school and also because Korean traditional dance was my major in college. I've never had much experience on stage giving a sermon. Maybe the last time I gave a speech was during my college days, my speech as Miss Korea 2003 and at the world speech tour centering on the three generations. I sincerely thank True Parents, True Children and all our brothers and sisters here today for giving me such a wonderful opportunity.
Today I had many thoughts in mind, but because this is my first time to give a sermon in church, rather than a testimony about myself I would like to share what I have felt attending True Parents and what we have to do. Maybe someday when another opportunity comes by, I can give you my personal testimony.
It is already the end of August. It really seems that time passes by so quickly. It was just one or two years ago when I was pregnant with my third and fourth baby. Back then, 10 months seemed to be like a long time, but now, with my fifth baby, it seems as if time quickly passes by. Whenever I feel so, I recall True Father and how he must have felt time go by so quickly on the path of fulfilling the providence and going from one declaration to the next.
Through the recent helicopter incident True Parents' greatness inspired not only us but now their greatness is recognized and remembered by all people in society. That is how shocking this incident was. True Father should still be resting. Yet True Father continued conveying the Word even during the period he was hospitalized in the Chung Shim Hospital. True Father took each and every second, minute, hour and days of his time to enlighten and illuminate the hearts of the people whoever they were.
He dearly wants to let us know about God's will and the reasons behind it. Just a little while after the incident, although their health wasn't in the best shape, and despite the doctors advising them to take more rest, True Parents said, "It's time," and started preparing for church events, and not even a day did they forget to do Hoon Dok Hae. Not even for a moment did True Father compromise, taking the easy way for his body. Seeing True Father and his will to fulfill his heavenly mission, I was able to feel deeply his utmost filial piety as a True Son of God.
But who is the one who makes his filial piety so complete? Yes, it is True Mother. True Mother's existence just being right beside True Father makes True Father so complete. True Mother is truly wise. How can I express it? It's as if all her senses, all five of them, are alive. Seeing Mother and how she lives, her five senses are like antennas, always straight up, inclining towards True Father. Next to True Father, she fulfills her mission as Eve and as Mary. Furthermore, she boldly stands protecting him as she embraces the entire world. That is how she has given birth to thirteen wonderful children.
As a matter of fact, the place where she stands is lonely, both substantially and spiritually. She is in a position to always show utmost concern and care. This is how she spends her days, but recently she is concerned for True Father's health even more because True Father keeps on pushing himself even stronger, with more passion.
When I refer to strong passion, an episode about Kook Jin Nim comes to my mind. There was once a day True Mother worried about True Father so much and she said, "Kook Jin Nim exactly resembles True Father's character where he can't be stopped." Whenever I look at Kook Jin Nim I feel exactly the same. There are times when Kook Jin Nim is not understood by people, sometimes even attacked in the process of doing his work. However, Kook Jin Nim never ever works for something in return nor does he act in order to be considered a good man. If it is for the sake of the providence he is a man who will sacrifice himself and whatever it takes, and on certain occasions he will make bold decisions.
Looking over Kook Jin Nim right by his side, there are times when I feel so much sorrow in my heart. Yet Kook Jin Nim always tells me, "Greater than the success which True Parents have accomplished is the price of indemnity and sacrifice which they have paid. On this basis we were liberated from the original sin, from the root of sin. How can I help the providence if I do not sacrifice as much as my parents did? I would not be able to help the providence if I chased after personal benefits." In this sense, Kook Jin Nim always expressed his gratitude and honored True Parents.
After listening to his words all I could feel was deep gratefulness to True Parents and I couldn't help but naturally submit in front of him. I decided to change my thoughts. Just as natural subjugation will come after continuous deeds of goodness, the time when all misunderstanding is relieved will also come.
Although True Mother stands in a very strict public position, on a personal level she is my mother-in-law. However, in this world there is no one like True Mother for a mother-in-law. Our True Mother is the best! I was blessed to Kook Jin Nim under True Parents' great grace and Kook Jin Nim's love. Every time Kook Jin Nim took one step forward in the path of the providence I had to run in order to catch up with him. On the way True Mother always embraced me with such a gentle and warm heart. There was love in each and every word she spoke to me, and not even once was I hurt by what she said to me. I deeply look up to Mother and the way she is, and I am willing to become like her. I believe that all of the wives in the True Family feel the same. Isn't our True Mother the best?
Whenever True Father gives his Words about living for the sake of others, it was always followed with a good deed. Love, sacrifice, and filial piety, serving and showing care, all of these good deeds cannot be done without a giving heart nor without a good action. True Father speaks, lives and directly shows us the model to live for this world and for Heaven and he loves the Cain side children more than the Abel side children.
We shouldn't keep ourselves hiding in our well like a small frog. Although our well may be full with True Father's love and we are surrounded by it, we shouldn't just stay still and cuddle up in that love. We should learn the substance of love, put it into action and jump out of the well and live for the sake of others. That is why True Parents continuously conduct Hoon Dok Hae in order to bestow their words upon us, in order to open our eyes.
And in the position of the sons and daughters of True Parents, we should be proud and know how to honor our True Parents who have lived for the sake of others their entire lives. Now is the time for us to love the society. Actually, the time had already come. True Parents made the declaration in the motto for 1996. However, we were not aware of it, and once again True Parents sacrificed themselves through the helicopter accident.
They declared the completion of rebirth, resurrection and eternal life during the Holy Banquet Ceremony for Substantial Resurrection of True Parents, bringing forth a new day of eternal life, eternal liberation and opening of the ultimate ideal realm of the new heaven and earth. Now is the age of liberation, the Ssang-hab Chil-Pal Jubilee year! This is the time for everyone to be happy.
We should no longer just sit and wait. With the power and energy of True Parents' Declaration we shall stand strong and live for the sake of others to honor True Parents. True Children are already at the front of the line. Isn't society already amazed by their excellent leadership?
I believe that we have built the perfect four-position-foundation for the growth period of our Unification Family, with God, True Parents, True Children and, most of all, with all of you. Once the circular form is completed in all directions -- up, down, front, back, right and left -- centering on True Parents' will, we will see eternity and never ending prosperity. Is that an Aju?!
Please take a look at this church. Following True Parents' words, the True Children, Kook Jin Nim and Hyung Jin Nim are united in one here in Korea, building Cheon Seong, living and helping each other. Now we have you here today joining us, helping this church develop, reviving the spirit, allowing us all to see the substantial and spiritual prosper. Do you agree?
In preparation for 2013, let us live internally and externally for the sake of others and love and be proud of and honor our True Parents! Thank you.