The Words The Kwak Family
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The Words The Kwak Family |
First of all, I would like to extend my heartfelt greetings to all of our brothers and sisters in every mission throughout the world as we begin 1983.
This coming year begins with great promise, and there are many things to speak to you about; but first, I'd like to reflect back on these past twelve months, 1982.
As you already know, 1982 was a year of tremendous persecution from the American government, not merely for the Unification Church but, more directly, for our True Parents themselves. Through the government's court case against Father, all of us stood with our Parents through the most serious and painful circumstances. Truly we shared too many tearful moments. And yet, in the midst of this year of his greatest persecution, Father still raised the banner of historical victory many times on so many fronts. I'd like to look again at a few of those victories.
Through these epoch-making international Blessings, our True Parents set another record, but not simply by the number of couples or by the fact that 100 nations were represented. The Blessing itself, I believe, is the essence of the formula course for the salvation of all humanity. Without this way of the Blessing, there is no ultimate solution to the world's problems.
Our world has become, in a very real sense, a "global village"; and as with any village, there is the growing realization of the need for solid cooperation in all human endeavors: trade, technology, business, culture, economics, to name a few. Still, without an internal union in the realm of the heart, people have no real root for harmony or true oneness.
It is in this sense that the significance of the Blessing is tremendous. With God as the center of strong blessed vertical relationships built on a common foundation of faith, humanity will overcome racial, national, cultural and historical problems; by loving each other and serving each other, we can direct the world toward the family ideal with a higher moral standard. There is really no other way to achieve eternal peace for the world. The expansion of blessed families will leave no room for racism, nationalism or narrow- mindedness.
The July 1, October 14 and October 15 (for previously-married couples) Blessing ceremonies included almost 8500 couples. Honestly, is there anyone who can do this kind of thing? Can money or power qualify one to bestow the Blessing?
Of course, over the years our church has held many Blessings, but these 1982 ceremonies stand as a special certification of world peace and brotherhood: 100 countries, 17,000 young men and women joined in sacred union. Much more than a rally or conference, the Blessings were a sincere giving -- of entire life destinies, marriages and families for the cause of world peace. The ceremonies in New York City and Seoul are just the beginning of a great sharing which will finally touch the lives of all people everywhere.
Of course, this is not yet completed. I believe, though some may say it is still early to predict, that we will win a decisive victory in the appeals process. At this time, our lawyers are making final preparations for presenting their case before the Federal Appellate Court. Legally and practically there is no real basis for Father to be accused. As the essentials of our case come before the panel of judges on the appellate bench, away from the emotional atmosphere of the earlier trial, truth will separate itself from innuendo and our Father will be vindicated.
In fact, 1982 saw no less than five landmark court victories: in the area of our constitutional rights and guarantees as a bona fide religion; in the area of protection as a minority religion; in the immigration area (missionary status granted to our foreign members); and in the fundraising area (the right to solicit funds without discriminatory treatment) -- we gained the final decision. We will prevail once more in our Father's case.
On May 1, 1982, The Washington Times began daily publication. In publishing the Times, Father's desire was to reach not only America but the whole free world as well. As the "capital" of the free world, and as a city much in need of two journalistic voices, Washington, D.C. was the ideal place to publish the Times. Until the Times, the left-of-center Washington Post was the only major paper published in Washington. With the Times, Washington and the free world have an articulate and strong conservative alternative to the Post -- one which, I hear, many people, including those who live in the White House, have welcomed.
In the 1960's Father initiated interfaith activities, and they have been expanding ever since. To my understanding, he is the only person doing any substantial work on this level. His conviction, founded on Principle, is that God's desire is not only inter-denominationalism but inter-religionism -- the deep harmony and cooperation of all major faiths. The leading edge of these activities is represented by the New ERA (Ecumenical Research Association) movement, established in 1979; the annual God Conference, first convened in 1982; and the Youth for God, also initiated in 1982.
On June 30 of last year, the Youth for God inaugurated its first "Youth Seminar on World Religions," a round-the-world pilgrimage to the centers of the world's major faiths. More than 140 young men and women from eight major religions assembled in Barrytown to begin the seminar. From there they set out on a 50-day journey through history, living and learning together, visiting the most holy places of each of the great faiths of the world. These students -- young leaders from Jewish, Hindu, Protestant, Catholic, Islamic, Buddhist, Confucian and Unificationist traditions -- formed an unprecedented gathering.
Historical differences and feelings of exclusivity have so often hampered communication among the various religions. As these interfaith programs continue and expand, I believe such barriers will have to break down and people's views will become broader. As all people of God come to know each other honestly and deeply, then they can perceive the ideal of one world under the ore God, one brotherhood and sisterhood, and one Heavenly Parent.
Inchon was released on September 17, 1982, and although its marketing was not successful, we need to remember the main motivation behind the film. Father invested a great amount in the movie for the purpose of educating America and the free world about communism and its strategy. In particular, he wanted to reach the younger generation, since western youth have either forgotten or were never aware of what the communists have done and continue to do in Korea and so many other places. Inchon was not made as merely entertainment but as an historical and educational film.
Too many people judge Inchon by its quality as a movie and miss the thought behind it, but Father's motivation in making the film and supporting the project will remain eternally.
The events I described above were important for us in 1982, but they represent only a fraction of our total activity. Our normal worldwide activities included much more: international missionary work, VOC movement, CAUSA, the Christian Professors' Academy, the 11th ICUS, the 5th World Media Conference, professors Principle seminars, Unification Theological Seminary activities, funding projects, PWPA, cultural and performing arts programs, numerous publications, worldwide medical support units, etc.
I want to underscore again the fact that Father has stood at the head of all this activity while in the shadow of heavy, unrelenting persecution. This has been the story of our True Parents' life. Truly we are blessed to know them, work with them, and call them True Parents.
I would like to begin with two important points: first, as of January 1, 1983, we are standing upon a wonderful foundation of victory. In 1982 we fully entered our era, the children's era. Of course, each nation has a somewhat different providential significance or role to play, but basically 1983 is a key year for all countries in this children's age. True Parents have inherited to members in each nation their own foundation of victory; in other words, True Parents have already paid each country's worldwide and universal level indemnity. Having received this priceless inheritance, each country now needs to focus on the establishment of its own national-level indemnity foundation.
Second, nearly all of the worldwide mission countries now have blessed couples in residence. This is a tremendous benefit; it represents something very different from before. With the Blessing, each couple has inherited the title of tribal-level messiah from True Parents; many countries now have at least several tribal-level messiahs. In the past, Heavenly Father has worked vertically, through a single central line; but now because of this special inheritance, He can work through many lines, horizontally. So now we can invest our sincere efforts and gain results -- without the need for any special indemnity condition.
"To restore the world let us go forth with the heart of the Father, in the shoes of a servant, shedding tears for man, sweat for earth, and blood for heaven." -- Father
Our tradition, the tradition that our True Parents have taught us, is to serve God and serve mankind. However great the external development of our activities may be, each one of us needs to invest our own sincere service and hard work. Remember that the internal substance of the great things the church achieves needs to be manifested in the individual -- you and me. Even though our Parents have laid a worldwide indemnity condition, still each child needs to lay his or her personal condition of indemnity.
The fulfillment of our own individual responsibility is the central point in inheriting our Father's tradition and becoming God's son or daughter. Big rallies or external successes will never bring our final victory. That victory will come only with the attainment of a true vertical relationship with God and our True Parents, pure-hearted dedication and sincere heartlistic relationships. So, under any circumstances, whatever our mission, through our daily life and work we have to check our vertical relationship and personal tradition of faith.
Again, please remember that the process of indemnity dispensation is never fulfilled by conferences, rallies, etc. Only by our personal conditions of indemnity, the sharing of true love, and heartfelt sacrifice can we come to inherit the heart of God.
All of God's dispensation is for one purpose alone -- salvation, or rebirth, Without God's blessing or assistance, we cannot achieve a conclusive result. Whom does God seek? The person with Abel's heart and attitude is the one whom He can bless, assist and work through. Of course, each of us is Abel to some people and Cain to others; but whatever our relative position may be, we should maintain Abel's heart: a heart of love, caring service and faith.
The direction of Unification Church activities and devotion is not primarily aimed at harmony with our social environment, but at following and fulfilling the unchanging heavenly law. I know that our activities are becoming ever more broad and exciting, but my sincere desire is for you to focus your minds and hearts on following the way of tradition. This is the heart of the providence.
Finally, while we speak easily of the children's era, we may at the same time overlook a very important reality: the position which Father is inheriting to us at the start of the children's course is the position he occupied 21 years ago -- not his position in 1981. In other words, even though I stand very close to Father, see him occasionally, or sit in the front row during his weekly sermon, I am dispensationally distant from him by 21 years. I now stand where he did 21 years ago. Father's attitude in 1960, as those of us who were with him observed, was very serious; he attended no movies, he had no special diversions -- only the will of God.
None of us can be truly successful if we just try to adapt ourselves to today's Father; our tradition should build up from 21 years ago. We need to go back, in order to understand Father's thought, prayer, attitude, devotion and environment as he began his historic course with our Mother.
We need to build the blessed couples' foundation. The destiny of the Unification Church is not only to teach God's idea, but to substantiate it by building the kingdom of God through ideal families. Our activities branch in two directions: first, restoration work, the cleansing of fallen history by laying indemnity conditions; and second, the actual building of God's kingdom through forming blessed families. In our era, in the early part of the new age, we face a unique and serious problem: blessed couples and families have been "born," but there is no heavenly environment to nurture them.
Because of this, all blessed couples, from the first 36 on, have the mission of being a bridge toward the actual ideal world. God's idea is being realized, but in the midst of a satanic environment. This "bridge" mission is not at all easy. We can model our lifestyle on our True Parents' 21-year example. Even with their own large family, Father and Mother focus their hard work and prayer toward the fulfillment of God's will -- anytime, anywhere, under any circumstance. Every couple should study our True Parents' way of life and thought and make a real effort to follow their pattern. I also want to urge all the blessed couples to remember the Family Pledge and follow its direction and content.
From this time on, the Blessed Families Association in each nation will take more and more responsibility for the guidance of their nation. These associations will serve as a solid center around which to establish lasting tradition. I want to encourage all of our blessed families who pioneer these associations to build harmony among yourselves, support one another, and stand on the front line of God's work.
Within each country's association, the couples should form blessed trinities, with other couples of the same Blessing, centering on a brother. If the number of couples in a nation is not a multiple of three, any extra couple or couples may join in a regional trinity with couples from a nearby country. If there are not enough couples in a country, then report this to headquarters and headquarters will make arrangements.
When you have set up your trinities, based on these instructions, then send a thorough report to headquarters.
Each national leader's ultimate goal and main mission is the restoration of his or her country through witnessing. Your witnessing effort is the foundation which Heavenly Father and True Parents desperately need. Each leader should take time to reflect on his or her witnessing efforts and the present number of members. Remember, the first goal is witnessing, the second goal is witnessing, and the third goal is witnessing.
In the children's era, our main way of witnessing is home church. Each blessed couple and all members who have graduated from the 40-day training program should have their own home church area of 360 homes. In addition, members who have completed the 21-day training, and even those who have not, may be assigned a home church area and develop activities there. The national leader can make decisions about home church activities for graduates of 21-day training and younger members.
While crusades and street witnessing are still important ways to witness, the main witnessing will be done through the home church providence. I would advise you, as the year begins, to study Father's home church guidance. Please don't think that you are serving a home church area because that is the home church "method." A deeper sacrifice -- serving and sharing of true love -- is the central path of individual restoration, and our original destiny. Total sincerity -- not merely methods -- will restore the world.
Make an economic foundation and establish good relations with intellectual, religious and social leaders. This is the time when we need these relationships and foundations. Headquarters wants to assist mission countries in building economic foundations. The Professors World Peace Academy, the World Media Conference, the International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences, and various New ERA conferences will help countries solidify important high-level work.
But once again I would like to remind you, our priorities are (1) to help each member learn and walk the way of traditional faith, and (2) to place witnessing above all else. In closing I would like to quote from a memorable speech Father gave some time ago. He said that when he witnesses or teaches his disciples, his goal is to become the best friend among friends, the most respected teacher among teachers, and the most loving parent among parents. Let us all aspire to embody these words in the coming year.
May God bless you very richly in 1983.