Dr. Pak returns from a conference for European leaders and shares his insights from listening to and fishing with Father. Using the recent phenomena surrounding the selling of marble vases in Japan, he proceeds to demonstrate how the value of a thing or a person comes solely from its purpose and encourages members to become "living marble vases."

Let's face north and greet True Parents. Last Sunday I was with True Parents in Boston, and I clearly and most distinctly heard your voices. So let's make it even louder and clearer. Good morning, Father. Good morning, Mother. I am sure they heard all of us. Let's face front. Good morning, everyone.

How are you? [Great.] You sound great. You look great. Your smiles are so great. I have been away for two weeks actually. Last Sunday I couldn't be here because of the European conference in Boston. But it seems like I've been away for two years. I have been missing you very much and I wanted to be here. So I asked special permission from Father to return to Belvedere. I told him I wanted to be with you brothers and sisters on Sunday, and Father granted permission, so I was able to come back yesterday. I am here. Wonderful.

How do I look? [Great.] Father is even darker than me by now. I am not that strong a sailor or fisherman, and I am not that strong at sea. Every day this last week, we were out in the Atlantic Ocean, starting from 3:30 in the morning. After that, 5 a.m. pledge service is nothing. Every day is pledge service, but that pledge service is not on the land, it is at sea. By 5 o'clock we are already in the middle of the sea. Even now, for me, the whole Belvedere ground is shaking like this. Yesterday I was sitting at a table trying to do something and all of a sudden the table started to move. Boy, I thought it was an earthquake. I just couldn't imagine. But after one week at sea, everything is moving.

Last Sunday was my first day at sea. Practically the whole conference was conducted on the ocean. I was ready, but after one hour on the water, something funny was going on in my stomach. Something very funny, and I had a headache, and, boy, I had an awful day. The first day was absolute ly hell. I really prayed, Father, Aboji, please help me. At least I was successful in keeping everything down in my stomach. I couldn't eat too much, but at least I could keep everything down.

That evening, I was talking to myself, "Father, I know this meeting is so important, and I hope the meeting tomorrow is on land. This meeting is so important, so I hope, Father, that you conduct the meeting in the house instead of on the sea." But that evening Father announced: "Tomorrow morning, 3:30, everybody in the boats." Boy! He said this particular meeting has a special meaning, and we will conduct it on the water.

Then, I made up my mind. Father, I may just collapse or die, or I may drown in the sea, or I might become the prey of sharks; but whatever happens, I am going to be there. I could never say to Father, I am so weak and I can't go out to sea. I will never say it. Father, I would rather collapse or be thrown into the sea and become the prey of sharks, but I will go. So the next morning I made it. I was like a kamikaze pilot. I made up my mind, and at 3:30 I got up and was first in following right behind Father. It was dark, and there is a cliff going down in a rocky area. It was very, very slippery and so rugged. I followed right behind Father, and I was on the boat right next to Father, and I made up my mind. OK, Satan, you test me. Come on.

Then, an amazing thing happened. That day I didn't feel anything funny in my stomach. I really enjoyed the second day. On the second day, God helped me in one way. The sea was very calm that day. Boy, then I really felt heaven in the sea. Very calm, like a mirror, and also that day the tuna helped me too. The tuna didn't bite, so I didn't have to move around too much. I was sitting down and listening to Father talk about different things. So that was a heavenly day. I really enjoyed the second day. I learned that everything depends on the state of mind. Now I just made up my mind to conquer the sea. I have done it.

The third day the sea was rough, and Father conducted the meeting on the boat. All the European and Korean and Japanese leaders came. Father invited everybody into the cabin, and we were all sitting very close like this, as you sit here. Father was giving them a message and I was translating. Boy, that was a real challenge. I was not just translating. I had been fighting with the sea and I had to balance myself so I would not collapse in front of Father's chair. When I would look up, I could see the window going up and down, up and down, and I looked at the sky and the next thing I saw was the sea going up and down. Father's message was so beautiful. Again, I really made up my mind that I would not give any weak sign of any kind. I would show Father that I am determined to do the mission. But, I was amazed myself. I just couldn't imagine translating for long hours. The sea was moving and the desk was moving up and down, and the faces of many of the European leaders became pale; their eyes became like this. They were just barely hanging on. The first day I looked very miserable. But second, third, fourth, and fifth days, no problem. I really have confidence following Father that I can be a good sailor and a good fisherman.

You know we heard that during the month of August Father caught 41 giant tuna. I thought tuna fishing must be somewhat easy. You just go out there and pull the tuna out of the water. I had that kind of impression. Father caught one tuna, two tuna, three tuna sometimes. Of course, we have three different boats. A small one, a little larger one, and three boats go out together. If each boat catches one, that makes three. So I thought, just go out there and pull the tuna up. But God gave me a lesson. It is not that easy. You have to really struggle. You have to really pray. You have to really go after them. It was hard work, many days. God gave me that lesson by giving no tuna the first day, no tuna the second day, no tuna the third day, even though we got up at 3:30 in the morning and didn't come back until it was almost dark. Over 15 hours out there, and no sign of tuna. Some other boats caught tuna. We were so envious. We were wondering why the tuna weren't biting. Father said because you are new people. The tuna know you are novices, newcomers, so they shy away from you. You must become friends with the tuna. Talk to the tuna, say hello to the tuna in the morning and greet them every day. Good morning, tuna. In the evening, no tuna. Good-bye tuna, we will see you tomorrow morning.

Everyday when I came back to the house, In Jin Nim would ask, did you catch a tuna? No, but I have an appointment with a tuna tomorrow morning. Then the next day she asked me, did you catch a tuna? No, I postponed the appointment until tomorrow morning. The first day, second day, nothing happened, third day nothing happened, fourth day nothing happened, fifth day nothing happened. Boy, five days. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Now it's Friday. I have to leave to come back to see you on Saturday, so I was really desperate. I wanted to catch a tuna with Father. Father, what am I going to do? Give me just one tuna. I just want to be victorious so I have a victorious story to share with our brothers and sisters. If I go back without a tuna, what shall I tell them? I will have nothing to share. Everybody felt that way. Father answered our prayer.

Friday was a victorious day. In the morning we caught a giant tuna. Boy, the rope was going out. Calm sea, but one tuna struck. Boy, this is like a war. Everybody was shouting and running back and forth and pulling on the ropes. It was a gigantic battle, and we won it. So I came back here to report to you that we were victorious and we caught one giant tuna.

There was a second strike that day, but the tuna got away. We did see it, but it got away somehow. I felt so bad -- I wanted to catch a second tuna. Two would be so much more victorious. Father said, you did catch one tuna, so you are victorious. But you also lost a tuna, so you feel very empty or miserable. The memory of the second tuna lasts longer, Father said. There is always a meaning. In any case, I am here with you and, I tell you, it is not easy to catch a tuna. Each one is such a battle. Each one requires such concentration. No good thing comes easy. You know it, I know it.

Father is working harder than anybody else. At 3:30 in the morning, Father is the first one to be up and get ready to go out to sea. During the day he meditates a lot. He looks out at the ocean and he is thinking. I see now why Father enjoys it so much. He sees nature untouched by humanity. It is not spoiled. Out there is a line waiting for the heavenly pioneer's hand. Father feels a real challenge in the sea.

During the week-long conference, many, many great lessons and messages were given. This morning I would like to share with you testimony given by some of the leaders, particularly from Japan concerning marble vases. So I brought one marble vase here to show you. This morning's message is titled "A Living Marble Vase."

By the way, all the European leaders left recharged. Every three months European leaders get together for this conference. This one in Boston was a most meaningful one because they struggled together with Father for one week, learning Father's way of life and listening to so many instructions and messages from Father. August 15 was the 32nd anniversary of Korea's liberation, so we had a special prayer at sea. The four boats gathered together around New Hope. New Hope is like the flag ship, then there is Sea Hope, a little smaller boat; then Go Hope, a little smaller even; and last there is the fast boat that is called the Flying Phoenix. So we have a heavenly fleet out there. The heavenly fleet gathered in diamond formation, like the heavenly four positions on August 15. Father gave a special prayer on the ocean and said this is the most meaningful year after the Korean liberation. We are now moving into the 33rd year since the liberation, and as you know, Jesus' ministry was consummated at the age of 33 when he was crucified. So reaching the 33rd year is very meaningful.

Speaking of tuna once again, many people come to that area, the Gloucester and Provincetown area, to fish. As you know we visited Provincetown one day. Provincetown is where the Mayflower, about 300 years ago, came across the Atlantic from Europe. Provincetown was the first place the Mayflower anchored. Then from there they moved up to Plymouth Rock and landed there. The name probably comes from Provident Town. It is the most providential town. So Father took two days out of the six-day conference to visit Provincetown. We stayed in two small cottages. Just like the MFT [mobile fund-raising team], we slept on the floor in sleeping bags and went to bed very late at night. And promptly at 3:30 we got up and were ready to go. It was a most meaningful conference at Provincetown. Father also mentioned that the reason he came to Provincetown is to make a new beginning. The Pilgrim Fathers came with the Mayflower and anchored here first. He said, let us have our new anchor from this meeting on. Let us make a new history.

There was a testimony given by Mr. Furuta, who is leading the MFT of Japan. The Japanese MFT movement is slightly different from our American-style operation, but the spirit is the same and the purpose is the same. In Japan we organize into companies that sell primarily three items: ginseng tea, marble vases, and flowers.

Mr. Furuta reported to Father and while I was translating to the European leaders, I thought that I would like to share this testimony with my brothers and sisters in Belvedere. Several years ago this marble vase I have here was manufactured in Korea out of Korean stone. It was dug up and hand-carved by our members into a vase. There are all different kinds of vases, some are taller, some are shorter. Some have this shape, and some have a different shape. Some are dark like this, some are white, green, and so forth. Different hues and shades of color. Different designs. The differences are not made by men-the nature of the stone itself brings out the different flavor of the vase.

Several years ago when the first marble vase was produced in Korea, according to Father's instruction, we exported that vase to Japan. Our MFT team went to sell marble vases, but not a single one was sold. We had a very, very difficult time selling the marble vases. Many times our members said that we would get better results with other items, ginseng tea or flowers. The marble vases were a difficult item to sell. But Father asked them to continue. Continue and persevere. Don't give up.

Then this year, 1977, after several years of continuing marble vase production and selling in Japan, an amazing thing started happening. Many, many spiritual phenomena started occurring connected to the marble vases. The members who are selling the vases are having amazing experiences. Mr. Furuta himself has been absolutely flabbergasted at the kind of reaction they are getting from people concerning these marble vases.

First of all, there are many, many spiritualists in Japan. They are not Christian, or mainline Buddhist, or anything like that. They are fortune tellers and palm readers, spiritual advisors. Nowadays in every country there are many people who are spiritually oriented. One member was going to visit some other place and a fortune teller saw him and asked him to show him the vase. The spiritualist asked, "Can I buy that? Don't even tell me how much the vase costs you. I will pay any amount of money you want." Our member was completely thrown off balance.

The vases come from different countries. Some good quality stone vases from Taiwan normally sell for about 50,000 yen, a little less than $200. But we have been selling the Korean vases for about 200,000 yen because they are very special and really beautiful, all hand-made, no machine work. This is not small money, 200,000 yen is $700. It's not easy to convince someone to pay $700 for a vase.

So the member answered the spiritualist, "Yes, I can sell you this vase, but it is a little bit expensive." Our member was ready to say that it costs 200,000 yen, but before he could say anything, the spiritualist said, "Expensive? Yes, I am sure this vase must be expensive. So I will give you one million yen. Two million yen. Even three million yen (three million yen is $10,000). Whatever the price, I will pay it."

This member was very wise. Instead of naming an exact price, he said, "I am not just selling vases. I am doing the work of God. Every yen you pay goes to the beautiful work of Heavenly Father. That is what I am doing." This fortuneteller said, "I know you are doing that. I already knew before you told me. So let me pay you three million yen for the vase. Will you sell it?"

Then that fortuneteller told the member that the reason he was buying the vase was that it was not an ordinary vase. "This vase has a special spiritual power," he said, "and the spirit tells me I do not deserve to own one like it. But it is such a precious treasure, not just an ornament. I can see spiritual light shining out of the vase. It is incredibly important for me to have this vase and treasure it." That man paid three million yen for the vase.

So when this member came back to headquarters and reported what had happened, all our members' eyes popped out like this, like popcorn. Each thought, boy, I want to do the same thing. So from the next day on all the members are going out and trying to locate the spiritualists. They are going after the fortunetellers, mediums, palm readers, and spiritual advisors. Amazing things are happening. Almost one out of two of these spiritual persons say, "Yes, I will buy. You are a very special person and you are doing a special work. Your vase is very precious and I will buy one." So they pay at least 200,000 yen, sometimes one million yen, because we don't put a price tag on the vases.

Some spiritualists or fortunetellers say, no, I don't want it. I don't need it. But now our members have so much confidence that this vase carries a special power. So, they say, "Are you really a spiritualist? Do you really have the power to communicate with spirit world?" "Yes, I can hear voices and I can see visions." "All right, then do me one favor. I will leave this vase with you and you take it to your shrine and pray about it. Ask God or whoever you are worshiping to tell you the truth about this vase."

The spiritualists can't say no, so they go to their holy place and pray. Then in almost 100 percent of the cases they come back and say something like, "You know, I was spanked by the spirit world. The voice spoke strongly and harshly, saying, `How could you be so dumb? First of all, your spirituality is so low, you don't even deserve to own a vase like that. You must feel honored that a member came to you and offered one vase to you. It is a great honor. You better take the opportunity.'" Then they say that they will buy, whatever the price.

But even people who are not spiritualists, businessmen or professors or housewives -- but who are spiritually keen people sometimes tell the most fantastic things about the vases. They sometimes see a special image in the vase. Some people say, I see Buddha's image coming out so strongly in this vase. Some Christians say they see the image of Christ in the vase. In these cases, they don't want to bargain; they feel the vase is so precious, they are determined to buy.

The Japanese people have things that they consider sacred, such as Mount Fujiyama, Japan's beautiful snow-capped mountain, and the crane, and the turtle, which they believe give good fortune. We Korean people also believe that the turtle brings long life and good fortune. My second daughter's nickname is turtle. So sometimes they see in the vases the image of the crane or a turtle or Mount Fujiyama. Then, because those images are sacred to them, they buy the vase for their home.

Our members, therefore, are getting wiser. When a new shipment of vases arrives from Korea, they examine them and try to see if there is an image of Fujiyama or a crane or a turtle. Sometimes they find nothing, just a beautiful and colorful vase, but ordinary. So they have to just promote it as an ordinary vase. One member brought an ordinary vase to recommend to a customer. But to the surprise of the member, that person saw something absolutely special, which the member couldn't see. "What do you see there?" "I see the image of my grandfather." Of course, our member had no way to know his grandfather, so we certainly didn't see anything. Some other person said, "My mother died 10 years ago. My mother was a fantastic woman and I can see her face in this vase."

On the Sea Hope boat, there was a Japanese cameraman whose brother in Japan bought one vase and wanted his father to buy another vase. He went to his parents' home and asked them, "Will you do me a great favor and buy this vase? It would be a great help to our movement. Father, I know 200,000 yen is not a small amount of money, but I know you can afford it. It will become a treasure in your home and for your children and descendants, and in the future this vase will become more valuable." But the father was very nasty and cold. "You are crazy. You want me to pay 200,000 yen for that piece of stone? Get out of here with that vase." The brother was kicked out.

The next day while his father was working in his machine shop, some metal was thrown into his face and chest. He was burned and black dots covered his chest and face. It was a very unusual accident; nothing like that had ever happened before. He was taken to the hospital and had surgery. Then the father, who is a veterinarian, found that the animals at the animal hospital all became very wild. One day he was attacked by a bull with horns. He had a big, big scare. Nothing like this had ever happened in his entire life.

This member's mother was a very sensitive person, and she could see that something unusual was happening in her house. She realized that it was because her son had asked them for a favor, not for his own sake but for the sake of the movement. He had pleaded and pleaded for the sake of our movement. He is giving himself totally to the work of God, his plea was pure, and his father so ruthlessly rejected him. The mother's conscience was hurting because they had rejected their son's request. One night the mother spoke to her husband, "We made a terrible mistake. We should have done what our son asked. But better late than never. We must repent and apologize to our son and buy one vase." The father agreed. He just could not afford another accident. So they called their son, "Please come and don't come empty-handed. Bring that vase with you." So they bought one vase. Thereafter, everything became peaceful.

This kind of news is spreading, and the most surprised people are our members. Our members just hadn't regarded the vase as that precious or important. But now they are repenting. There are so many strange and marvelous testimonies coming one after another that this vase has been named "the vase of good fortune."

The story does not end there. The people who buy these vases do not use them to put flowers in. They put them in a special place in their homes. Some women testified that when they first bought the vase they didn't see anything in them. But then several months later they were looking at the vase and, all of a sudden, an image popped up. The image hadn't been there before. The image might be of Jesus or Buddha or some monk from Japanese history. Some Japanese pray in front of this vase and then see the image of their ancestors on the vase.

There are all kinds of stories, too numerous to mention. One person who bought the vase and drank water from it reported that they were cured of a disease they had for eight years. Another person reported that he had fallen and hurt his arm and that the arm was cured after touching the vase. So our MFT vase team said, well, we should do the same. They drink water from the vase every morning. Sometimes they drink ginseng tea from the vase. Double energy.

Now I am sure all these stories sound unreal and superstitious. But let me tell you that when Father heard these reports he asked, "Do you know why that phenomenon is happening in Japan at this time?" Nobody could answer. Father said that these Korean vases are not special. They are made of ordinary stone and they don't have any magic power. Not at all. These supernatural, marvelous things are happening connected to the vases because they have a special purpose. That purpose is parallel with the purpose of the universe and Heavenly Father. Therefore, the marble vases affect the entire work of restoration. To make a long story short, the vases have supernatural power simply because Father is behind it. This vase is directly connected to our True Parents' goal, which is the restoration of the universe.

What does this mean? The entire universe has a purpose and goal. When God created the universe, He had a purpose of creation. Now the time has come for the entire universal purpose and goal to be restored.

Universal restoration is coming. And God sent one person to the world to be the center and moving force of this restoration: our True Parents, True Father. The entire universe, particularly spirit world, is coming down so strongly to work, to push all the universal phenomena into the fulfillment of that goal. We have tremendous supporting power because we belong to that center. This vase, sold by any other merchant, would not have the same power, even if it came from the same stone, from the same mountain, and was processed the same. It would not be connected to the heavenly work of restoration.

This entire universe, and particularly the spirit world, is focused on one central goal, the restoration of the universe, especially the restoration of men. Therefore, our members can advance this heavenly goal by going out with a loving heart to sell this vase. Going out with an attitude of "I am not doing this for myself. I am doing it for the sake of God and the sake of humanity" really advances Father's work. That fervent desire gives such power. The supernatural power is not from the stone itself, but from its purpose. The backbone of that power is our True Parents, because True Parents are heading the central role of the restoration of the universe and mankind.

If one of these vases is just sitting in a corner getting dusty, it is shameful. The vase I have here today comes from my own office. I am sure every morning I am going to polish it. Not because I am going to get a million yen out of it, but because I want to see that this marble vase is activated with the power of God and can manifest supernatural power. And I am going to wipe the vase with the feeling of, Father, I want to become a living marble vase for you. That is the meaning of this sermon this morning.

Now, you and I are far more precious than a marble vase. If even a piece of stone can manifest supernatural power because it is serving God's providence, then how much more you and I can do when our spirit and power are directly connected to the work of the True Parents. When we center ourselves on Heavenly Father and His work, when we liberate ourselves from our selfish thoughts, when we connect ourselves so intimately to Heavenly Father, when we can say, I am in the Father and the Father is in me-then you and I will become a living marble vase.

I would like to give one illustration. During the Celebration of Life tour, I always carried around one lamp. I had one important demonstration with the audience. I said, what is light? What is death? You eat a McDonald hamburger, you sleep in a bed, and wake up in the morning, but that does not mean life. According to the teaching of Jesus, even though we think we are alive, we are all dead. One day one of Jesus' disciple came to him and said, "My father is dying. Let me go and bury my father and come back and serve you." Jesus answered saying, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead." Jesus told him to leave the burial of his dead father to the dead people of the world, the people who are still in darkness. Instead of going to bury your own dead father, you must follow life. That means, follow Jesus.

We must learn the true concept of life and death. The three or four billion people in the world all think they are living. Everybody thinks they are enjoying a marvelous life. But in the eyes of God, this world is pitch dark. Particularly the communist world is pitch dark. There is no sign of life even though there is biological life. Like an insect, we can eat, we can move, we can see. This is not necessarily life in sight of God. We are dead unless we are connected to God. There is only one source of light and life in this universe and that is God. Separation from God is death. No matter how strong you are, you may be a heavyweight boxing champion, it doesn't make any difference. Separation from God, not knowing God, that is death. Knowing God is life.

Adam and Eve were supposed to live as one living entity with God. They were supposed to be a walking God, the visible form of God. God is invisible. Adam was visible. God is subject, Adam was object. That is the only difference. This is why Jesus said, "I am in the Father and the Father is in me." The Father and I are one. That was the concept of life.

I illustrate this with the lamp. It is as though you and I are light bulbs. But we give no light unless we are in the socket and the switch is on. When the switch is on, this light bulb gives light and heat and dispels darkness. This dark, gray piece of metal glows with powerful light and heat. Why? Because the source of light is coming through this wire from the source of electricity. That is the way we can give light as a living person. We are a light bulb, and when our lives are connected to the source of endless power, which is God, we become entities that give light and heat.

However, if we disconnect ourselves from the source of energy, no matter how many times you turn on the lamp, there is no light because it is disconnected from the source of power. This bulb is dead. The shape is the same. A living bulb and a dead bulb look the same. The only difference is whether it is connected to the power source. Even though all appearances are the same, this bulb is dead. No matter what, this bulb will not function, never give light, never give heat. By the same token, you and I are the light bulb of God. All of mankind since the fall has been disconnected from the source of power. Therefore, the world has been living in death. Death has reigned on the earth.

So restoration means coming back to God. Reuniting with God. That is the history of religion, particularly Christianity. In the Old Testament we began to come back to life. Our light bulb gives only about 10 watts. A dim light. In the New Testament, by coming back to God through the truth of Jesus Christ, we increase to at least 100 watts. There is light and heat, but it is limited light and limited heat. Now the New Testament era is over and we are moving into the perfected era, which we call the Completed Testament. Through the power of the Divine Principle coming through the True Parents here on earth, that new age will dawn. That will create a perfect conductivity between the energy source-the power of God-and us. Then we shall become like sunlight, 1,000 watts.

Now we are learning another important lesson. God, the source of power, is limitless. There is no end to His power. There is no power break, no power failure. The important question is how much you can become a recipient of that power. This is what determines your value. Even within the Unification Church, you can become many different types of light bulb. You can become a 100-watt bulb, but that 100 watts is limited by the bulb, not by God. You can expand the wattage to 1,000. You can expand that energy into 10,000 watts, one million watts. There is no limit. As much as you can expand your capacity to transmit light, you can become that glowing man in the sight of God. Each man is a light-giving object.

Therefore, today our goal is to become perfectly united with God and with the Divine Principle. With the advent of the True Parents, that is now possible. We have been given this challenge and this opportunity. It is our responsibility, yours and mine. It is up to us how much we take advantage of this opportunity to grow into greater wattage light bulbs.

You know August 18 was my birthday. I was born in 1930, so I just celebrated being 47 years old. Already, I am 47 years old. I don't feel like it, but it is reality. I am 47 years old and going into my 48th year. When I pray knowing that I am already going on to age 48, I have one regret: that I learned the Divine Principle at the age of 26. I was young just like you are now. Most of you are around 26. But 26 to 36, that was my prime slice of life. My regret is that I wish I had suffered more for the sake of God in those days. I wish that I had suffered more for the sake of True Parents. I wish that I had tasted prison in those days. I wish that I had even been tortured by the police in those days so that I can know God more and understand the True Parents more. My youth will never return. I will never become 26 again. I will never be 36 again.

In two more years, I will be 50 years old. The level of energy and vitality of the human body has to follow natural law, and no matter what, I cannot compete with your physical vitality. Knowing that my prime youth is gone, that is my regret, wishing that I could have done more, so that at the age of 50 I could say, "Yes, God, I have done my absolute best. No one can do better than me." I can't say that. I could have done more for God. More witnessing, more fund-raising, more fights against Satan. I could have done many things more dramatically. If I were now a 23-year-old, I think I could do more bold things and much more dramatic and gigantic and courageous things without fear.

I have greater wisdom now because I have learned more. But I wish I had that wisdom at the age of 26 or even at the age of 36. How much more I could be proud of those days. Now I tell you, my brothers and sisters, you think you are suffering. You think you are living a hard life. Yes, I know. Some MFT members here have been struggling for two and three years and in some cases under horrible conditions. Do not sag in power, saying, why should I do this. I want you to be proud, saying, I have done this because of the Father, for nobody else. I didn't do it for myself. Not for my own family. Not for my own things. I gave myself totally for the sake of the True Parents, for the sake of God, for the central purpose of the universe. I want you to keep that pride.

Do not weaken yourself. You must keep your spirit up, saying to God, I want to be really proud of my young life and being totally dedicated to Your purpose. Sometime you may falter. At the age of 26 or 30, you may even collapse and die for the sake of God and True Parents. You have been living the most successful, glorious life anyone can imagine. Jesus at the age of 33 died on the cross. But actually Jesus never died. His death on the cross crystallized his life, and a miracle came forth showing the power of God. For 2,000 years Jesus is the living star, giving light to the world.

We must be wise. If you weren't a wise man, you would never have joined the Unification Church in the first place. You did not come to the Unification Church to relax. You did not come to join a beach party. You did not come to win a big fortune and become a millionaire in the Unification Church. You did not come to be the most glorious politician of mankind. You are wiser. Your wisdom tells you that this way of life is the right way of life. It is better than anything under the sun. That is why I joined. But this way of life is not just an external one. Our real wisdom shines out, telling us that there is a more important life to live than just a hundred years here on earth. That is why we joined.

Our greatest virtue is to persevere. Revitalize yourself every morning. Pick yourself up and do not lose the vision of the Unification Church. Once you lose the vision, you have nothing, and you become men and women of miserable failure. Because once you lose vision, you have nothing to be proud of. But if you have the vision and conviction, you have everything. Even if physical death takes you, you are not a failure. You are not a loser at all. The important thing is not the suffering itself but the meaning of the suffering. Do you understand the meaning of the suffering? It is like what Jesus said, "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it." The key words are, "For my sake." Not your sake, not the world's sake, not vanity's sake, but for my sake, the sake of the Christ. For the sake of the True Parents and God and humanity. That is what you are living for. You suffer for that purpose.

Our members are carrying the marble vases for many miles during the day. They are small Japanese women. Their feet are tiny. Think of it: they are carrying around several vases like this sometimes all day long. Do they say, why should I do this? Why should I be working this hard? But every moment that young lady is saying, Heavenly Father, this is your vase. Please find someone who will buy this so that person will receive the blessing; then blessing can also come to our work so we can be successful in our mission. Dear God, I want to give you my heart. This vase is carrying heavenly heart. Heavenly sorrow, heavenly tears. There is a meaning. Then a miracle comes and supernatural things happen.

Now, I tell you, my dear brothers and sisters. You and I are far greater than this stone vase. We are handpicked and chosen to be the sons of God and daughters of God. The question is, do you realize it? That is the key. If you feel that you are really chosen and are really giving yourself for the sake of God and True Parents, then you are living a most invincible and successful life here on earth. As a person who is a little older than most of you are, it is my advice that you make sure that when you are 40 or 50 or 60 that you don't have to feel that you wish you had done more. The worst kind of life you can live is one full of regret. At the moment of your death, you want to be able to say to Heavenly Father, "Father, you know I have lived out my life without any reservation, for your sake and your sake alone. God, my Father, of course I could be better, I could have done more. But I do know, Father, I can say proudly, that I did not spare one ounce of energy, one drop of blood for any other purpose except you. You know my heart is pure. You know I did my best. You know that I have done everything I can. God, my Father, now I am returning to you. Those things I left undone I know, God, you will take it over, you will fulfill it."

Every one of us will come to that final moment, whether it be tomorrow or in 10 years or 50 years. The person who can say this when that moment comes and die without any regrets will have had the most successful life on earth.

Father said in Boston that many people see the image of their loved ones, their Buddha, in these vases. By the same token, when you are walking in the heart of God, from street to street and from town to town, people will look at you and say, I see the image of Jesus in that man. I see the image of Buddha in that man. Because you are far greater than the vase. God can manifest his power even in a vase. How much more can God manifest His power through the living sons and daughters of God. You can imagine. Unlimited power. Once your heart is right, then you become a powerful being here on earth. Walking God.

I am sure if you walk with the right heart a similar kind of story can be manifested through you over and over. I am sure many people can say yes, yes, I experienced that myself in my newspaper selling. The News World is not just a newspaper. It is a light-giving object of God. When you sell The News World, in your heart it is becoming God's object. It is becoming a powerful tool of God. I am sure you experience all kinds of situations. It is not just happening in Japan. Do not ever think the vase has some supernatural power and it is only manifested in Japan. No. Right here in New York and every part of this country and all over the world, wherever you walk in the heart of God, that power will be yours.

Next Sunday I will share more about other subjects of Father's message in Boston and this first marble vase. My conclusion is this: You and I are greater than the marble vase. Let us become a living marble vase. We are the sons and daughters of God. Once we work with one perfected united heart with God, then God will manifest through you. You become a life-giving object. You become a heat-giving object. That light will shine in the darkness of this world. And heat will warm up this entire freezing world of hell into spring of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Thank you.

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