Good Morning. Today I want to carry on from our talk of the other day, which we called the first of the Autumn series. That's your name that you gave it, you know, it's not My name. That's just like I gave you the animal names in the beginning; it was your names for them that brought Me joy. So, when you give these titles to these talks, there's a certain joy there in My heart because you really feel the significance.

When we spoke last time, we talked about the problem of mediocrity and fear and of the need for courage. Courage is not just doing brave things on an external level. But courage has to do with opening the heart to the light of new understanding, new realization, and, therefore, new challenges. Those who have become too satisfied with their own beliefs, their own identity within a conceptual framework (or faith framework or belief framework), you will find over and over again that these persons will close themselves to any new light because they want to believe and want to be comfortable with what they have understood. And so what was initially new light for them can become their own darkness.

I am an ongoing God and, for this reason, you too were created as ongoing in your life of realization. If we speak of the eternal spiritual realm, what is the source of eternity? It is creation itself. It is the ongoing unfoldment of understanding, of consciousness, of love. And, therefore, those children of Mine who become caught by just holding on to one idea - even when that idea is true and good, when they become caught by that one idea and then are unable to open to any next step, for Me this is a very sad thing to see because they fail to realize the importance of advancement. This is one key point in your connection with Me, because A and B, as you have come to know Me, we continue to open new doors, don't we? And you realize that I am not stuck by any one doctrine or particular idea, and then we just sit down together and we say together, "Isn't it nice that we all believe this? Aren't we happy? This is the only thing we need. Therefore, we all go to sleep together. No. I am not this way." And this is the danger of putting other centers of worship in front of Me, because those centers of worship without My living relationship with you become an end in themselves. And, ironically, even though they may be speaking about the Kingdom of God, the new world, the future, so many things, when that actual new world tries to be born and when that future comes, those very people who hold on to those ideas about the new world and the future are the very ones who resist the very message itself becoming fulfilled. Do you understand? So, that is why you need to connect with Me, because I am that ongoing and developing parent in your life.

Isn't that what you want for your children? You long for them to stand up and have continuing growth in their understanding of the world. I know this is of great concern to you right now as you see them. They are approaching marriage age, and you wonder if they are going to be ready for such a heavy responsibility as another person's life, and then the lives of their own children, and how to help them quickly get themselves mature. And you see that belief, whatever their beliefs are, is not the point, in one sense. Yes, it's good that they have solid beliefs in something good. But the real concern now is not just the belief alone, but how, on the basis of those values that they believe, they can open themselves to that maturing process. So there are two different things here. Very often My people become caught by the belief and then begin to judge those around them and become very insecure. Insecurity comes when there is not an ongoing growth process, because that is your own internal nature that comes out of your own original self, that ongoing maturity process. And when you are not taking that path, you become very insecure, so you hold tightly to your beliefs and you judge others around you, because that's the only way you can justify sitting where you are. When you're moving, growing, there is nothing to be insecure about because you are open, and you can interact very naturally with reality. So, as you find yourself doing that, you more and more recognize that that's the only way of life. You're not betraying your own beliefs to do that. What is true is "true". And if your heart is open, you will know that truth. You will know it in a way beyond intellectual knowing. You will know it in your heart, and you will know it in your daily activity. So you don't have to worry about abandoning truth. That's something like saying abandoning air. How can you abandon air? When you freely breathe, you automatically interact with the air around you. When you live in the way that is in accord with your original mind, then you will freely interact with the truth. There is no way that you can deny it. The one thing that you can deny, and that is good to deny, is that state of no moving, no growing, and closed mindedness. That's a good thing to leave behind you.

Many people in your movement are in such a state that they are looking at that door and wondering if they should push it open. And they're not quite certain in whether they should leave this little room. But in part, through this series of talks, I am interested to encourage them and to assure them that they are not abandoning anything of real substance. They are not abandoning the truth itself. They are not abandoning God or True Parents, but, like your own children who eventually will need to stand up from this home and go out into the world, they must do this. And you as parents, unless you are very strange parents, would encourage them to do it. That's the nature of a family, like we spoke several times ago, it's the nature of a family to send the children out, not to cloister them until they die.

Now, I want to get to this point of courage again this morning. There are a number of items under this general heading of courage that I'd like to cover. Perhaps we'll start this morning and we can continue later on.

As I said before, courage is not just external brave actions. It is the strength to open yourself to new things, even when your old ideas or your old framework is threatened. And this is the substance of true humility also. Courage and humility go together. When you look at the courage of Jesus, you realize it was not based on ego, in a bad sense, or on some self-concept about how great he was, but it was based on a genuine humility to Me. And with that he had no hesitation to bravely walk inside himself and outside himself into new territory. This is what makes a real son, a true son. It is not just a bloodline; it is also an attitude, an attitude of the original mind that's coming forth. Your people, the Unification movement members all over the world, are challenged at this time to exercise this courage.

A is really thinking in his heart right now about the Women's Federation. You know, there are moments, when you look back in your memories, of how A faced certain realities, such as a heavy kind of leader, and how you faced them. You definitely had the greater courage, B. There is something in a man that may be very brave for certain things, but may have a very hard time confronting other things. And yet a woman, very often, is in better touch with herself through very heavy confrontations than a man is. This is not always true, but it is often true. The mother, for example, in the family, oftentimes can go more deeply to the children and realize what is needed, when the father doesn't quite know what to do. He may be very good out in the business world, to break through and talk to big contacts or whatever, but he comes home and it's not always easy. So, there is a great need of true motherhood in the movement today. And please don't make the mistake of saying "Well, we have a True Mother, so all we have to do is follow her." Because there are ways of following that are very empty. There is a true motherhood in each and every woman. And in its deepest place, it is imbued with great courage. You see the actions in nature of a mother whose cubs are threatened by an outside predator; she will give her life to protect those babies, without hesitation.

And so, when you look now at the Women's Movement in the Unification Church . . . . There has been a proclamation two years ago of this great day in history, but most of what has happened in the last two years is, honestly, like a whimper. There is not a great courage coming forth in the women of the Unification movement. They were told by your leader that they should take a stand, that they are in the role of Eve. This means something very serious. And yet, most of the time over the past two years, they have been put in the position of waiting for the next direction from the local leader. And there is so much frustration in the hearts of women, throughout America and through-out the world, wherever Women's Federation is. They wonder, "Is the only purpose of Women's Federation to bring people to the Blessing or to witness for the True Parents? Is there something more?" I tell you, it's not just what you are supposed to do as women. That's not the something more. The something more is what is within each and every woman that wants to come out. And that is her true motherhood, her true womanhood.

The era isn't over in one or two years. "Well, I'm sorry, your opportunity passed; you can no longer stand up as a true woman because now this is the age of true children. So forget it." That's not "the way I work"!

We didn't labor down through history with so much blood and tears to see women stand up and then sit down again! This is the time for the women of the Unification movement to exercise the courage, first internally, to catch the light that is trying to come through the door of their own hearts, and then to go to that door and swing it open, allow the light to come in, and do not turn back! This will mean, without a doubt, much conflict, because of the historical problem of men and women. First it will be conflict with your local leadership and with church structure, because church structure is very obedience oriented and very much working on an external level. The internal life of your movement, unfortunately, is very sick, very weak.

When the baby gets sick, it's the mama who comes, gives the good breast milk, or the good medicine, good hot bath, who really cares for that child. Well, there's a child that wants to be born in each of the women in your movement, a great birth. Men cannot give this baby birth. But so many of your women are just sitting back down. They don't want to make conflict. They don't have the courage to respond to that light within themselves. It's not just a matter of rebelling against this or that instruction or leader or whatever. It's a matter of responding to God. A matter of responding to what you know is right in your original mind and standing up. I respect actions like those of (name); however challenged she is at this point on other levels, she really has a heart for those children in Russia; and she really has fulfilled her dream to help them in some way. Now, I know the struggle she is going through individually; I needn't go into that. But beyond that struggle, she's trying to help that situation with Chernobyl. Then how do I feel about a woman who may be personally in a very good marriage, having a very good situation with many children, and who has no problems, and who has been called to the Women's Federation work, but who doesn't carry out what she feels in her heart? And I have far more respect for the woman who may be struggling and yet, beyond the struggle, is reaching out to "DO" something. The whole history is full of people who didn't go to the door and let in the light. And it's very easy to become one of these people. It's always connected with lack of personal courage, of internal courage, and lack of courage to even stir up the water a bit and make waves, but it is so important. It is so important. Because when they become old, and I speak of the women here, and they see their sons and daughters growing to maturity, and they realize that because of liver problems or stomach problems or whatever, they can no longer move about, and they sit in one room and they realize, "Why didn't I "do this"? Why didn't I "stand up and open the door"? Now I can only internally, in a way, look at that light, but I can't do anything any more."

Courage is needed not only by the women of your movement, but by all of the brothers and sisters around the world, particularly those in the countries that were already witnessed to many, many years ago. In America, for example, you are in the second generation of the movement, and yet there is nothing going on. And, unfortunately, leadership can't see why.

Who sees it is the most unknown member in a small town somewhere, people who are in the grassroots area. They see it. They feel it in their hearts. The leadership may have not the freedom to see it as they are running here, running there, trying to fulfill. But it's your grassroots people. And when did I not bring change through the grassroots? Jesus had no high position in the church. Martin Luther. Well, he was a professor, but, again, no high leadership role. And so, once again, where do I find My greatest joy? In seeing the hearts of your grassroots people opening up, and then standing up, and then going forward toward that light.

So I am taking great joy day by day in our own emerging relationship. And I want to encourage you. I know sometimes you feel, "Where is it all going? Are we just going to have a series of talks here?" Please don't think this way. How else can I communicate with you? You know the talks are not an end in themselves. And these talks go out to each and every person you are contacting, not so they can just collect a bunch of nice talks, but so that they, in their own lives, can realize that "I am available" as their parent, to be with them, to share with them, to help them stand up and take the courage that they need to take in their own lives. Some are very insecure because they're afraid that it may lead them away from the church. Number one, I want to ask you: If you trust me, do you believe I want to take you away from anything good? Anything true? Am I going to take you into darkness? That's why I say you need courage, courage to face your own concepts, and the courage of conviction. That's what this means. Courage of your conviction. What you "feel" in your "deepest heart". Really get in contact with that, because I "put that heart there" as a real sensor of the truth, like a microphone. And to have the courage of your conviction is to live by your conviction and to act on your conviction. Is this what you want for your children? Or do you just want them to do it because they have to obey your words or the signs on the kitchen wall that say, "Clean the dishes," "Wipe the table." Do you want them to live by those pieces of paper or by their convictions? Okay. It's the same for members of your movement. And it's the same for every living man and woman.

That step is needed right now throughout the Unification movement. Yes, the Unification movement has been a beacon at this time in history to wake the world up. But the Unification movement is in great danger right now of extinction if it does not recognize that now each member must make steps ahead, and not just wait to be told what to do.

I tell you the time is coming when your leadership goes to the spiritual world. What will you do? So, your courage is demanded at this time. And I want to encourage you . . . you know what that means? . . .to give you courage by the things that I share. Mediocrity does not involve courage. Mediocrity does not involve true heartfelt desire to go into the light no matter what it means. No. Mediocrity is keeping a sort of a half lit little corner, and it ultimately moves toward non-movement. It's a sad situation for My people because I didn't make you to live that way.

I look at the Women's Federation, for example. They must really check their own hearts. There is a need for a networking of women throughout this nation, not in secret behind the leaders' backs, but heart to heart. And let it be discovered if it will be discovered. No problem. It's fine. But a heart to heart networking, just like you're finding through these writings, and not simply many women curling up in their own frustration and not connecting. It's needed very greatly and it will demand people who have the courage of their convictions.

So, I'm going to leave it at this, this morning. You can call this a pep-talk if you will. I hope that you, B, can share this around, particularly with the women. It's applicable to men and women and children, of course, but this is especially applicable to the women in your movement. If they're just going to sit down and obey, they're not women anymore in the true sense. They're just an object of being told what to do. It all becomes rather sexless and without strength. This is tragedy. I didn't work all of these years, and your people didn't give their lives all these centuries for something like that.

I want to continue. As I said, this is a series of talks. It's really one long talk. We will continue. But I will bring this to an end this morning.

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