The Words of Sun Myung Moon from 2009
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The Words of Sun Myung Moon from 2009 |
Today, over 200 members came to greet True Parents in East Garden and to wish them well in Washington, DC. Some were young adults, some were elderly, many were in their middle ages and a few were infants, born within the last few months. Some were Korean, some were Japanese, some were American, some were European, some were African and some were Asian. I could say for sure how many religious and cultural backgrounds were represented in the room, but it was clear that in front of True Parents, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, culture, age and gender were all equalized. True Parents’ love embraced and encompassed all people as children of God.
To start off Hoon Dok Hae, True Father asked Wonju McDevitt to read the Foreword and Chapter Four of his autobiography. The Foreword is a short introduction to the book that gives us a glimpse into the mind of the author, and Chapter Four is about mission activities of the Unification Church, starting with an account of the beginnings of mission activities in Japan and America. The part that was read today described the interactions between True Father and the first missionary to Japan, Mr. Bong Chun Choi. It highlighted the fact that True Father sent a missionary to Japan in order to improve Korean-Japanese relations, which he saw as crucial for the survival of both nations in the political climate of Far East Asia of those days.
After the first section of Chapter Four of Father’s autobiography had been read, True Father shared insights on heavenly meaning of words, such as (thought), (parents), (woman), and (loving title for one’s spouse). Father also talked about Sun Jin Nim’s achievement of graduating from Harvard University with honors, the significance of Ye Jin Nim’s name, In Jin Nim’s work in America, and Hyun Jin Nim’s work of meeting with Christian ministers and government officials around the world. In addition, Father interacted with American leaders, such as Neil Salonen, Tyler Hendricks, and Tom Walsh, interpreting the meanings of their names and loving them up.
Although a lot of what Father said on this day was difficult to understand, it was apparent that Father wanted to create multiple levels of relationships with the members present. At one point during Hoon Dok Hae, Father sat down on the floor in front of his chair and took off his sweater. Although it wasn’t long until he put his sweater back on again, he remained seated on the floor for the remainder of Hoon Dok Hae. Perhaps his sitting down was an extra expression of love and humility, where he came down to the level of the members so that he could raise us up to his level. Toward the end of Hoon Dok Hae, Father asked Mr. Koo Bae Park to sing Summer Time. Father sang (Spring Maiden). Father said that he had come to New York to rest at his home and spend time with beloved members during Hoon Dok Hae before going to Washington, DC.
May God bless all the members who came and attended Father today. Surely, they will be allowed into Hoon Dok Hae in the heavenly world on the foundation of their substantial attendance of True Parents while on the earthly world. And they will serve as a cloud of witnesses to uphold, protect and represent True Parents until the Kingdom of Heaven permeates every corner of the earthly and spiritual worlds and God’s ideal of creation is realized.
Report by Tossa Cromwell, Unification Church USA HQ