Rev. J. H. Pak
This year's motto is: "Let us be proud of True Parents and love True Parents and accomplish the 3.6 Million Couples Blessing." How? By succeeding in inviting 3.6 million couples to the Blessing November 29, 1997. True Parents have dedicated their entire lives to God. They have loved God, and loved humankind and all of creation with True Love and with this True Love, they are now extending this glorious opportunity to all people to participate in this heavenly event.
True Parents have shed their tears, sweat and blood for humankind. Through them we receive God's True Love and Eternal Life. This is their gift to all people so we have to appreciate God and True Parents. This invitation to the 3.6 million couples Blessing is so vitally important this year. Through the Blessing everyone receives God's Eternal True Love, Eternal Pure Lineage. We have to understand this.
Since Communism fell in 1990, America's big enemy disappeared and now America is the single, super power. Those who live in America don't appreciate so much what it stands for and the many privileges and advantages it has to offer. In Switzerland, where I am national messiah, I have seen for myself just how very expensive everything is--from food to cars to houses, everything. A McDonalds hamburger costs ten dollars. Gasoline for the car is three times as expensive as America. Houses are extremely expensive. To go to a restaurant for dinner is a costly activity. In comparison to other countries, American prices are more reasonable. This country is a super country in many other ways as well. It influences the world--with good and bad.
General Colin Powell, famous general of the Gulf War, dedicated his entire career to defense of America. His mission was to always watch the outside enemy--be aware of how strong they were; when and where the enemy might attack; how to defend against them. That was his mission. Then he retired. And he began to look within our nation, our domestic side. In a recent national magazine article he said we are our own worst enemy now. So now our enemy is 'within'. He spoke of how dangerous America has become. Why? Twenty million young people, maybe more. are wandering the streets, taking drugs, alcohol, participating in free sex, homosexuality, lesbianism; having no families (divorced parents or single-parent homes); many young people are becoming gangsters.
General Powell said we must give volunteer service. On April 29 in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, President Clinton and General Powell organized a "Volunteers Summit." They organized a big budget and a large group of volunteers to help young people find jobs and such. But that is not the fundamental answer. Rather, the answer lies in strengthening American family ties, bringing value back to the family. Young people have become violent because of lack of family life, love and education.
America is now this super country, influencing the world, having everything to offer-- except family strength and integrity! Families are in trouble. It has become very dangerous. Some statistics have shown that only 50% of American families are intact. Even our door-to-door volunteers for the Blessing now are finding single-parent homes to be the norm. In the Christian churches we are finding more and more single mothers. And some of the ministers themselves are divorced. America most definitely is in a family crisis.
If we ask the question "Who is God? How do you envision God, the Father?" people will have different answers because God is spirit and we answer according to our imagery, emotion, concept or experience. Sadly, if we ask America's young people the same question, they may not have an answer because in most cases they have no image or experience with a father in the home, And worst of all, they have very negative impressions of what a physical father is because many have experiences an abusive step-parent.
So to speak of the goodness of God the Father is difficult for some young people to comprehend. Shocking.
America has become shamefully immoral. Without father images, masculine role models, young boys are turning to homosexuality. And in some cases, the mother figure is missing so young girls do not grow up experiencing the feminine role model and turn to lesbianism. Both boys and girls lack respect for the opposite gender.
We must become America's volunteers for the sake of the families. This is our very important life's mission, each of us. We must not sit at home watching television while America is in peril. We must become model volunteers.
When Communism collapsed, we thought there would be peace on Earth. But immoral, invisible Satan was there still bringing free sex and breaking down the families. This big Satan never died, never disappeared. Marx and Lenin lived only 70 or so years, but immoral Satan has existed for 6,000 years.
In Korea, when I was child going to a country school, we had one room. Even within that one small classroom boys and girls were divided. One-half of the room was boys, one-half was girls. Morality was so important. But our nations are changing now.
University life is a low life now. As a student, if you live a pure life on campus, most other students think you are abnormal. Dormitory life is very strange and impure, with boys and girls relaxing together, partying, drinking. I saw some of these things with my own eyes when I visited the campuses of my sons and daughters. For students who do not wish to participate it is a very lonely life. Our second generation is suffering very much in these situations. Your children and mine are going into this kind of immoral atmosphere after they leave their homes. We must work to change all this.
This is why True Father is giving Blessings. To cover the Earth with wholesome families, educating people about God's plan for Heaven and Earth and purifying God's creation. We are now working to bring True Father's Blessing to all the people.
We are receiving the cooperation of many Christian ministers and other spiritual leaders as well. The ministers and spiritual leaders who attended True Family Values seminars should teach their congregations and assemblies what they have learned. This is True Parents expectations for the spiritual leaders.
Our True Family Values Ministry is for the sake of our nations, our societies, our families. It is very important that we clearly understand. All of you should have the True Family Values book in your home. Sit down and read it with your children. They must be taught the value of the family, centered on God.
What is the meaning of True Family Values ?
If you buy a new car or new computer, you will receive a manual with it. This manual is the guidebook, the blueprint for your car or computer, how to use it and what to do when something is not working right. You read your manual and become acquainted with it so you can know your new car and know how to operate it and maintain it. That is what True Family Values is for the marriage, for the family. It is the guidebook for the family--how to keep the family healthy and functional and how to restore it back to health if it has become dysfunctional.
Let's think of the car when it is first made in the car factory--it goes through the stages of an assembly-line. At the end of the assembly-line, it is ready for a final inspection. Having passed that, it now rolls off the assemblyline, ready for use. Now you can buy the car. But if you buy the car but do not learn how to drive it or care for it, of what use is it? And also, if you are a salesperson at the showplace and you do not understand the function or value of the car, then how can you convince others to buy it.
If Brothers and Sisters do not believe in True Family Values how can they go about convincing others of its value? Or more seriously, how can you be the true salesperson if you are not the user of the product? Or if it is not part of your internal self? Do we really believe the Blessing is the answer to overcome family crises?
What is the meaning of the Blessing?
On the "human assembly-line of God," we grow through different stages in life until we reach adulthood, and you are ready for God's and True Parents' final inspection. True Parents now give you that certificate, that final stamp of approval--in the form of the Blessing. Now, centering on God and True Love, you are ready to begin a productive life, fulfilling your purpose of creation, living the True Family Values. The Blessing is the beginning of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
Adam and Eve were the first family, the ancestor family. They were only one family. This family was in trouble. This family lost God's original blueprint and manual. They followed the wrong blueprint and manual. They followed Satan's guidebook. The family fell. There was Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel. God was the first generation, Adam and Eve were second generation, Cain and Abel were third generation. Cain and Abel hated each other, were angry with each other, jealous of each other and finally one killed the other. This pattern followed generation after generation. Anger, hate, distrust, disunity--these are not God's attributes, but Satan's. God's original blueprint never contained such elements. Satan invaded the first family values.
Isn't it wonderful, as we go about the world now, offering True Parents' Blessing; once husband and wife sign that certificate, vowing their pledge of purity toward their marriage, with that certificate in their household, Satan will say, "Oh, this house belongs to a true family. I cannot invade!" How wonderful! What a treasure. For generations to come, people will say "that is the house of Mr. and Mrs. so-and-so."
As Blessed couples, we are Trees of Life. Do trees need fruit? Yes, a lot of fruit. November 29, in Washington, DC, 30,000 couples will attend the Blessing and by satellite, 185 nations.
A spiritual Revolution has come to Korea. Things have been quiet there for a long time but now it is changing and wonderful results are coming. They are experiencing the results of Chungpyung and hard work combined.. Blessings are spreading like wildfire. Daemonim's life of faith, love and obedience to God and True Parents is bringing results to Korea.
During True Mother's speaking tour throughout America last year, I was asked to travel with True Mother from city to city. Also traveling with True Mother were several representatives from the Moon and Han clans. I was responsible to teach them Divine Principle. Our workshops took place in the air, aboard the planes! I didn't know at the time what a privilege I had been given. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ had no family to support him. Zechariah's family and Joseph's family did not support with their clans. If they had, Jesus could have claimed a family and a nation.
In Washington, DC maybe there will be empty seats at RFK stadium if we space out and do not bring results! We must bring honor to America and to God and True Parents.
What is the meaning of True Parents?
True Parents have received the absolute Blessing from God and come as God's physical representatives on the Earth to give that Blessing to others, changing the blood lineage from Satan to God. They become the educators and models for family development. The original family, Adam and Eve, did not receive God's Blessing so humankind has never had the true role models of what 'parents' should be. Likewise they did not give birth to children who would then become true role models for generations to come. Instead, all families followed Satan's example, doing the best they could do in following God's will until God could finally set the right conditions for the True Role Models to come, True Parents. When a family is a true family, the parents become the model for the Blessing. The purpose of a husband and wife is to have a God-centered relationship and produce and educate children who will be continue to produce God-centered families themselves. Without parents, how can we learn to live a life of goodness, based on heavenly traditions? How can we experience a true lifestyle, centered on God? We need our true parents who have been blessed by God to be the blueprints of life so that we in turn become true parents ourselves. They educate us and show us by example how to live the life on Earth and in Heaven as intended by God. A life of real happiness and joy. True Parents bring us the new car and the manual, the instructions, but it is up to us to learn to drive the car.
Humankind, in the Garden of Eden, did not receive God's Blessing. Humankind did not receive God's Holy Blessing at that time. Check the Bible. You will not find where Adam and Eve had any such ceremony. It is not there. Instead we read where God expelled them from the Garden. That means that Adam and Eve, without God's permission, began sexual relations and family life, bearing children. They started an immoral, illegal sexual life.
But now, couples from even that lineage can receive God's Blessing for a happy, joyful marriage. It is guaranteed.
When Jesus came, he brought the blueprint for a true family. But he could not demonstrate it with his life because his life was taken. He must return for the sake of the fulfillment of the family. The Messiah brings a True Family and True Family Values.
The American world is so lucky to have True Family Values in its midst. Those receiving the Blessing through the True Family and the True Family Values are so lucky. Our Sunday morning Pledge contents are True Family Values. As we say the Pledge each Sunday with our family, with our children, are we really believing the words and living the words? This is a very serious matter. We have to deeply understand the meaning of the Family Pledge. If we understand and believe the words, we will put it into practice. If we put the Pledge into practice, results will come.
This is True Family Values.
Someday we will be in the spiritual world, standing before our descendants. What valuable gift should we bequeath? Our property? Our bank account? We should have the gift of Divine Principle and True Family Values.. And if we have lived the Divine Principle and True Family Values, we will have changed entire cities. Making house-to-house families can make your city drug-free, crime-free, disease-free, social problem-free. Your city can become a small Kingdom of Heaven. This is the Ideal of Peace on Earth. All families, all cities, all nations combining to make the Kingdom of Heaven.
By building True Families with the True Family Values "the blueprint," the manual for building and maintaining a true family, you will receive God's "inspection sticker" or "stamp of approval." You will be abiding by the heavenly Traditions which have been given by the True Parents. If you begin your family with this heavenly way of life, your family will be very secure, no troubles; everything good.
We need True Parents. We need True Parents' Marriage Blessing. We need Divine Principle and True Family Values. Spiritual leaders in America need True Parents. Five thousand spiritual leaders were educated last year in Washington, DC at the True Family Values seminars. Some of them were Muslim imams.
In our Unification Church life we have been accused of being a "cult" and other such attacks by the media, but today we are recognized as "mainstream." We are now being included in activities of "traditional" Christian groups, such as annual city-wide prayer breakfasts. Not only being included but also being asked, in some of cities, to give the opening representative prayer at these large gatherings.
In Africa, already they have great numbers of couples for the Blessing. This is reasonable when we think of our much Africans have suffered through the ages.
In C.I.S. they are having great success, educating pure love values. The government is working together with our leadership. In Siberia there have been many Blessings. Imagine.
In Taiwan, the national President cares about people and what kind of standards they keep. He appointed a Mr. Wong to be his cabinet member. Mr. Wong met our Blessing Invitation Committee. Their goal is 100,000 couples for the Blessing, but already they have reached this. Their problem now is: so many couples coming that they don't have enough staff to take care of them! Bad activities, Mafia, porno shops and so forth were taking over Taiwan so they have welcomed true family life activities. We brought Little Angels ballet, Mr. & Ms. University contest, Family Federation for World Peace, and True Family Values seminars. Governors and Mayors of cities welcomed our pure activities. They welcome our Blessing Festivals. Now Taiwan has raised its quota for the Blessing.
In America, in Los Angeles, the mayor and chief of police have given congratulatory speeches at our Blessing Festivals. Also, in Chicago, at a forthcoming large Blessing Festival, they are planning to ask the mayor of the city to give an address. True Mother herself spoke at this particular church during her 16-city tour in America. This is the Messiah's church. Christianity's Temple, God's Temple, True Parents' Temple, Two thousand years ago, Jesus overturned the tables in the Temple and cried out, "Why do you make trouble in this Temple?" This is my Father's House, I am here!" So today's Christian church, whose is it? God's and True Parents'! If True Parents make anymore speeches in America we will use Christian churches, not other halls. They belong in the Christian church.
America is now going the way of victory! Which city in America will become the national champion?! How high up on the list do you want to be? How low on the list will you be? Shall we sleep or shall we wake up! We need spirit! God is watching.
St. Paul said, "Our war is not with flesh and blood; our war is spiritual. In America (as well as other nations) it no longer is a battle with flesh and blood. but a spiritual battle with Satan. Especially in America, where Satan's blood lineage is everywhere in the form of immorality. Many good families have become false families, satanic families. broken families. So shall we be volunteers to bring blessings to American families and victory for God?
We can make America the king of volunteerism again, We can volunteer ourselves to save America by saving its families. America is in crisis as it has never been before. As you go about in your volunteer work, carry your "business card" which will identify you to others. Have "True Family Values Ministry volunteer" printed on your card, with your name. Be serious about what you are doing. Put value to what you are accomplishing. Take a video tape, some True Family Values materials, an approach book, anything you may need to enrich your volunteer work for your 160-Family Blessing goal.
When your children see you being so serious they will benefit in their own lives. Mrs. Pak and I have six children. They have seen both of their parents work seriously for the Kingdom over the years and they are influenced by that. And in practical matters, they learned early to do many things for themselves and to participate in caring for the family household. They learned to be respectful and sacrificial.
God has planted His divine nature within our second generation. God teaches them and inspires them in many different ways . But we must set an example for them in order to activate these blessings that God has given.
We must believe the angels and ancestors are working with us. Just be eager to volunteer to go to families and you will see how much they are helping. Just take that first step and all help will come. Miracles are happening everywhere. Please let the miracles happen in your life.