As we all know, there is now widespread recognition that many of the social ills besetting the United States have their roots in one of several family pathologies: divorce, fatherlessness, teenage pregnancies, single parent families, etc.

What our society offers in terms of a conception of family life and in terms of preparation for family life is inadequate. There is also a widespread inability of Americans to succeed in family life.

All this has taken place in the context of the increasing secularism of American culture, the privatization of religion and the exclusion of religion from the public square.

With the above as background, we should recognize that Blessing '95 is an Affirmation of the family as an institution created by God and as a call to America to reconnect with God through renewing the family. This is a Call from all Americans (black, white, yellow, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Unificationist, Native American, European, Asian and African) to all Americans.

Of course the theme of Blessing '95 is World Peace Through Ideal Families. Accordingly, Blessing '95 will publicly proclaim at least the following:

1. That the family is meant to be the dwelling place of God's true love;

2. That faith in God and spiritual practices are enormously valuable resources for any marriage; and

3. That the intact, healthy family is absolutely necessary to the well-being of our nation.

This is a proclamation that many religious bodies and many religious persons should be able to support. Therefore, Blessing '95 will make a very definite statement about the direction in which America must move for its future well-being and about the relationship of God to that direction. Blessing '95 will thus offer vision for America.

True Parents are those who recognize in a special way the importance of family, who seek through Blessing '95 to promote the building of ideal families and who thus seek to bring Blessing to the world.

Paradoxically, through this very non-traditional event, traditional elements that have sustained our nation-God, family, public spiritedness-can be reaffirmed.

Theology, it is said, is autobiography. One conceptualizes from his own spiritual experience.

Let us assume, then, that what Father teaches us derives from his own experience with God, i.e., he teaches us what he as God's anointed has learned.

What does Father emphasize these days as the principles of his own spirituality? At the conference in mid-April, he stressed three qualities as absolutes: absolute faith, absolute love and absolute obedience.

I want to suggest that these are the qualities that we should bring to the Blessing '95 campaign.

First, let us think of obedience. Not something that Americans are used to or perhaps even comfortable with. Without doubt, however, a commitment to obedience is a source of strength. It brings unity with higher authority and with greater power. Ghandi wrote that when he made himself nothing, that is when he was most powerful. Father speaks of the same principle: his goal has been to make himself an absolute minus in front of God as absolute plus. Paradoxically, the flower of obedience is internal power and external authority.

Father has directed that each couple bring 12 other couples to Blessing '95. Let me suggest that each of us try to be obedient to this direction. If we live with this direction in our hearts, we will do well.

Being obedient to this direction means that each of us takes responsibility for his or her portion of the campaign. As Reverend Kwak has said, don't think of the overall goal, but rather think only of your goal and take full responsibility for that. It is only by many individual successes that there can be collective success.

Father also emphasizes absolute faith. Faith counts most on the edge of life, out where we are "pushing the envelope." It is this uncharted dimension which Father has constantly pioneered and to which he calls us. So he often challenges us to "have guts." Let us not be timid, but rather have faith and test the limits. Pioneering new territory, testing the limits, having absolute faith. These also should be our watchwords for this year.

Individually and collectively, we have a great challenge ahead of us. But we need to affirm day by day that success is possible. "It is possible." Let's say it and believe it! That is faith.

Finally, when Father speaks of absolute love, let us think of it as absolute investment. This is the time to make a 100% investment in our work and to act in an absolutely whole-hearted way for the sake of our contacts, our nation and God's providence.

I know everyone is very busy with many things. But however great or little time we are able to put into our spiritual work, we must do it wholeheartedly.

So let us set the standards of absolute obedience, faith and love for ourselves during these next 3 1/2 months. If we set these standards and live conscientiously according to them, great results will be achieved. It's possible!

Download entire page and pages related to it in ZIP format
Table of Contents
Copyright Information