Ep 807 - The True Family and I Part 9
True Mother’s Message at Thanksgiving Dinner (11/24/2022) - January 10, 2023
PDF Printable Text and Images + Testimony Calisa Tiratis
Key Points
As the parent of humankind, God wants the human being, His object partner of love, to be better than he is and to have infinite value.
God loves each human being more than himself. He can never turn a blind eye to a single person's pain.
God's providence of restoration is to restore this parent-child relationship to fulfill God's ideal of creation.
Why don’t we put God first? Because we do not know how much God loves us.
Because Satan’s blood runs in our veins and because the stage of his activities is our body, we need to subjugate our flesh through self-mortification such as fasting and controlling our desires for food and drink, sleep, clothing and material things. Also, we need to obey God’s word with absolute faith, love and obedience.
God’s ideal (vision? hope?) must be fulfilled in the family, not just in the individual.
The family is the purpose for establishing the four position foundation.
We can experience the four great realms of heart and the three great kingships in the family
The family, not the individual, is the most basic unit of God's ideal of heaven.
In the Family Pledge we commit to attending God directly in our family and to making our family a model ideal family that can become the absolute standard of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Family pledge establishes the unity of God and humankind as the vertical standard to achieve the unity of all the other relationships within the individual and the family in order to form an ideal family of true love.
The Family Pledge is the prayer of prayers, hope of hopes, ideal of ideals. It contains our vision, hope and responsibility. We should read it slowly with heart and meditate on it to derive its essence.
Transcripts from November 3, 2021 to the present, personal notes from November 11, 2020 until November 2, 2021 and slides from August 29, 2021 to the present are available at MD.Hoondok.com as PDF files.♦
(Response to sharing) Our common point is heart and love, not centering on doctrine or dogma or anything else. If we focus on doctrine and theory, we always fight each other. The common point is heart. That’s why we need to teach God’s, Jesus’ and True Parents’ heart and what the original human being’s mind, the original mind. We need to focus on that. That is the main point.♦
I would like to request that each of us pray for the providence in Japan. The situation has become more critical. From now until the middle of February, the government wants to make a very important decision about us. So we really need to pray how we can overcome this issue. I ask each of you to pray for the Japanese providence.
Also I heard that international headquarters is organizing an African summit the middle of February centering on Nigeria. Let’s pray for that (as well).
Today I’d like to talk about “The True Family and I” from True Mother’s Anthology, Book 2.
<This speech was given by Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon between September 14 and October 26, 1995 during speaking tours to Japanese cities and Korean universities. > Thus, just as human beings want their object partner of love to be infinitely more valuable than them, God also wants the human being, His object partner of love, to have infinite value. A true human being is a person of infinite value. Yet we did not know that Adam and Eve were meant to be that kind of man and woman. If we were given such a high aspiration in our conscience, it is because God is the subject partner and God wanted human beings to be in the position of His object partner. God did not want human beings simply to be a part of God; He wanted them to have a completely different personality. God allowed us as human beings to have the action of conscience at such an elevated level simply because God hoped that human beings would be 1,000 or 10,000 times more valuable than even God Himself. Please understand this very clearly.
If, at the beginning of creation, a family could have been realized in which God and human beings could have united in a relationship of true love, today we would not have to worry about hell or heaven, because we would automatically enter the kingdom of God. The problem here is that God's true love and true human love did not begin at a common point, united as subject and object partners of love. The love of God and the love of human beings began in two different directions with two different goals. Therefore, it has been impossible to realize the ideal world for which God and human beings are both longing. God's ideal of beginning on common ground was completely frustrated.
Just as we human beings want our object partner of love to be infinitely more valuable than us, God also wants the human being, His object partner of love, to have infinite value.
If it is true that God really wanted Adam and Eve, whom He created, to be better than Him, it is news like a thunderbolt in the blue sky to all the religious worlds until now. In fact, if you know this, this is a tremendous event in cosmic history. What could be greater news than this?
Knowing that God wants not only Adam and Eve, but also ourselves to be better than Him, we cannot deny the fact that God really exists as a parent among parents.
Then God has enough qualification to be the parent of human beings. If human beings cannot be better than God, then he has no qualification to become the parent of human beings. This is not theory but reality.
Did God really ask me to be better than himself. He is really my God, my father, my mother, my parents? Is this really true? We have no experience; we cannot see that. If this is really reality, this is incredible and amazing news!
Next, God loves each human being more than himself. Just as the Korean proverb says that there is no finger that does not hurt from biting ten fingers, God is a person who can never turn a blind eye to a single person's pain. If God ignores one person, God is not the parent of all people.
If God does not have a heart that wants human beings to be better, God cannot be the parent of human beings. He will only be the being that created man. God's providence of restoration is to restore this parent-child relationship to fulfill God's ideal of creation.
I often cry when I think about God’s love. He really loves me more than himself. He created the universe, the sun, moon and ocean. (Does) he really love me that much? If this is true, amazing! How much God loves me! Even though I (may) go to hell, he never gives up on me. What kind of God he is!
The problem is that we do not know how much he really loves us. Father was so happy with incredible joy when he found out that God is the parent of human beings. (It) is fundamental truth that between God and human beings is a parent-child relationship.
As a parent how much he loves me! Then I need to return (love) to him. I love him more than anything else. I need to put him as my top priority and love him more than anything else – with my soul, my heart, my mind I need to put God first.
Why don’t we put God first? Because we do not know how much God loves us.
LIVING DIVINE PRINCIPLE: The Human Fall 16: The Consequences of the Human Fall
Section 4: The Consequences of the Human Fall
• What were the consequences of the spiritual and physical fall of Adam and Eve for the entire universe, including humankind and the angels?
• Satan is the name given to the Archangel Lucifer after he fell.
• When the first human ancestors fell, they bound themselves in blood ties with Lucifer. They formed a four position foundation yoked to Satan, and thus all humanity became the children of Satan.
• This is why Jesus said to the people, "You are of your father the devil," (John 8:44) and called them a "brood of vipers" (Matt. 12:34; Matt. 23:33).
• Also in Rom 8:23, St. Paul wrote, "Not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons." This indicates that no one belongs to the lineage of God, instead human beings are of the lineage of Satan.
• Adam and Eve fell while they were still immature and they formed a four position foundation centering on Satan. Consequently, this world has come under Satan's soverZeignty.
• Hence, the Bible calls Satan "the ruler of this world" (John 12:31) and "the god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4).
• Furthermore, it is written in Rom. 8:19-22, "The creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God..." These verses describe the agony of the creation as it longs for the appearance of unfallen people who have perfected their original nature and who will vanquish Satan and rule it with love.
Based on this, let’s study Father’s word.
Totally Eradicate the Roots of Satan
<41-301> As it turned out, the Satan, the devil who had killed my father and raped my mother has stood in the position of my father. My body which inherited such blood of the enemy should get rid of the blood. That’s why you have been told to do fasting to cleanse your body. There is no proper way without sacrifices and shedding blood. We must experience the sacrifices to beat our body. We must be gentle, humble and sacrifice, do the service work as well and be obedient until we die. The roots of Satan must be eradicated. That’s what you are taught in the Unification church.
Do you understand what Satan, the devil, is like? The people who came here first time must clearly understand this. Those who do not want to follow this would be struck by a thunderbolt. This story is not just simply made up by Rev. Moon. It is absolute. It is not unique but absolute. There must set an absolute standard to accomplish absolute God’s will. In this manner, you have got different breeds. Are you feeling good, now?
Who is Satan? Satan is the one who has raped my father. Satan is the one who raped my mother. Satan is the one who raped my wife. Satan is the one who raped my husband. Satan is the one who raped my children. Satan is the one who raped my grandparents.
Know that the blood of Satan, who raped my parents and siblings, runs in my body. And know that the stage of Satan's activities is our body. Then, how will we conquer Satan?
In order to conquer our flesh, which is controlled by Satan, we must go the path of self-mortification. We must go the path of shedding blood. We must go the path of meekness, humility and sacrifice.
Therefore, the Unification Church has been encouraging fasting as a training to eliminate Satan's lineage. The tradition was 1-day fasting, 3-day fasting, and 7-day fasting. Without subduing our flesh, there is no way to subdue Satan. Our body is always rebellious, self-centered, arrogant, hates to obey, always prioritizes what to eat, what to drink and what to wear.
That's why True Father said that fallen human beings should set the standard of obeying the Word until they die. He also said that fallen human beings did not have the right to assert themselves because they did not obey God and fell.
Therefore, True Father said that fallen human beings should go the path of absolute faith, absolute love, and absolute obedience, thinking of paying indemnity through hardships until death.
That is why (God’s providence has) taken a long time, more than 6,000 years. No one (defeated) Satan, no one (conquered) human physical body desires, right?... It took a long time. How much Satan conquered each part of the human body. Can you imagine that? That is why without a sacrificial way, without paying indemnity, we cannot reach a certain standard. That is why we need to (follow) the path of self-mortification. Wow!
TODAY’S YOUTH MINISTRY: The Family Pledge is the Blessing of Blessings
1. What kind of people are we today? Have you ever heard of the ‘Family Pledge’ in your life of faith? This is the first time in history that such a Family Pledge has been made.
Because God had a providential calling through True Parents to fulfill His ideal of creation on an absolute standard, He declared the Family Pledge. The “Family Pledge” is that you live by attending God directly in your family, and become a model of an ideal family. And, with the ideal family as a model, the absolute standard for establishing the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth and in Heaven should be established. In that respect, the Family Pledge is one of the blessings bestowed upon us.
The Family Pledge is the Eternal Standard for Realizing the Ideal of True Family
2. The Family Pledge is that we, as the owners, parents, and teachers of Cheon Il Guk, obey the commands of our conscience and set the standard for perfecting one's character through 100 percent absolute faith, absolute love, and absolute obedience. In that sense achieving the ideal of God and human beings united in love is absolute. Therefore, the Family Pledge is to complete the unity of mind and body, unity of parents, husband and wife, father and son, and brothers and sisters in true love as a basic framework.
We cannot recite the Family Pledge by mouth alone. Brothers and sisters, does God Himself need the Family Pledge? Does God tell us to do the family pledge because he wants to hear it? The Family Pledge is the responsibility that God and True Parents have asked us to realize the ideal of a true family.
Until now, many people have established standards for vows centered on individuals or groups, but the “Family Pledge” centered on the family is the first (family pledge?) in history.
Now is the age of love in which the ideal of God must be fulfilled centering on the family beyond the individual age. The purpose of establishing the 4 position foundation is in the family; the 4 great realms of heart and the 3 great kingships can be experienced centering on the family; and God's ideal of heaven must eventually be realized with the family as the most basic unit. No one has known this throughout history.
The “Family Pledge” is that we (will) live by attending God directly in our family, and (that our family will ) become a model of an ideal family. And, with the ideal family as a model, the absolute standard for establishing the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth and in Heaven should be established. In that respect, the Family Pledge is one of the blessings bestowed upon us.
Whenever I recite the Family Pledge, everything is there from 1 to 8. So beautiful! That is why we need to meditate every day centered on each (verse of the) family pledge. These are God’s wishes, as you know.
The Family Pledge should be based on the ideal of God and human beings united in love. It is to set (up) the unity of God and humankind as the vertical standard and achieve the unity of mind and body, unity of parents (and children?), husband and wife, father and son, (mother and daughter?) and brothers and sisters in true love to form an ideal family in true love.
We cannot recite the Family Pledge by mouth alone.
Sometimes I struggle every morning when I recite the Family Pledge. How much am I putting my heart (into it)?
When we recite the Family Pledge only by mouth as a habit, it has nothing to do with our heart. When we recite Family Pledge, do we become very serious about what it means? Do we do it as a condition without putting our heart into it? Then we become a hypocrite.
Why do we need to do Family Pledge? For what purpose?... How can we become an ideal person? It is according to Family Pledge. We need to (invest) our heart. Sometimes we focus on other things and just use our mouth. This is the attitude of the hypocrite. We need to use our heart, put our heart into it.
That is why (we should) not read it very fast. We really need to think about the meaning.
The Family Pledge is the prayer of prayers, hope of hopes, ideal of ideals. A family fulfills the wishes of God and True Parents by becoming the most holy of holies where God can dwell forever.
Even our beloved Jesus could not share about the Family Pledge. He just shared a little bit. But True Parents shared very clearly. If you have nothing to pray about? Then pray centered on the Family Pledge. (We can) remind (ourself) again and again and meditate on (verses) 1 to 8, then again go back (to the beginning). This is the most important content of our prayer. Our vision is there; our hope is there; what we should do (is there); our responsibility is there. Everything is there. Family Pledge is an incredible Blessing.
Family is the Scariest Place
3. Through the Family Pledge, we can also know that a family is the greatest blessing Heaven has bestowed on us. On the other hand, if you don't practice the pledge, your family becomes a scary place where everything is destroyed. Where did Adam's family go wrong? It was in the family. Where did Noah's family go wrong? It was in the family. Where did the first problem arise when Jesus went to the cross? It was in the family. This is reality. So, if things go wrong in the family, they become enemies before God. That is why True Father said that the family is the most frightening place.
Through the Family Pledge, we can also know that a family is the greatest blessing Heaven has bestowed on us. The family is the eternal settlement where God can operate and stay, the holiest of holy places. Therefore, if you can't form a family, everything is a scary place where everything is destroyed.
These problems came from the family, right? In Adam and Eve’s family was the incidents of fornication and murder. Can you imagine? Murder in the first family! Cain and Abel hated each other.
We cannot commit sin alone. When we commit sin with somebody, we need to have a reciprocal relationship, even in bad things, right? That is why really need to think that the family is the basic unit. How can we solve social, national and world problems? They come from the family. If our family becomes very healthy, it is a way to save the society, nation and the world. Where did Adam’s, Noah’s and Jesus’ family go wrong? It was in the family. What is the source of all our problems today? It is the family. That is why the family is the most important unity. Everything is there.
Where an we experience God’s heart? God’s heart centers of four kinds of heart: parental, conjugal, siblings and children heart. The family is the place to experience God’s love and heart. There is no other way, no other place.
That is why Father finally taught us the family pledge.
Where did Adam's family, Noah's family, and Jesus' family go wrong? It was in the family. Where is the source of all our problems today? It is in the family.
That is why the family is the most important unit.
Therefore, True Father said that the family is the most terrifying place because if something goes wrong in the family, it becomes an enemy before God.
Today I spoke about “The Family Pledge is Blessing of Blessings.”
(Testimony Calisa Tiratis, Winter Workshop in SF Bay Area )♦
(Response to sharing) Before Father proclaimed the Family Pledge, we used “My Pledge.” Some of you senior blessed couples remember My Pledge, right? You know the content of My Pledge. Everything is fighting with Satan in the era of indemnity. I cannot find one (mention of) love in it. We needed to seriously fight with Satan and win over him.
Then after the era of indemnity was over Father proclaimed Family Pledge. Each verse of Family Pledge talks about “true love as the owner of Cheon Il Guk” – true love and the family.
In the era of indemnity we needed to go as individuals, but the era of love is different. (It is) centering on the couple and the family. How incredible (is this) blessing given by God and True Parents!♦
NOTE: This text and the PowerPoint slides from this speech are available as a link at the top of this text. Transcripts from November 3, 2021 to the present, personal notes from November 11, 2020 until November 2, 2021 and slides from August 29, 2021 to the present are available at MD.Hoondok.com as PDF files. Books of the transcripts and notes are available as PDFs at MDBooks.Hoondok.com.
This lightly edited transcript may contain errors and omissions. Indecipherable, inaudible or uncertain words and guesses are tagged with a “(?)” and indecipherable phrases, with an ellipsis “...”. First, second and third person pronouns have been left as spoken if the meaning is clear, and other apparently Korean English expressions have been preserved if understandable. Some repeated phrases have been eliminated.
Audio only is available at anchor.morndev.com, spotify.morndev.com & audio.morndev.com. Notes or transcripts of Dr. Yong’s Morning Devotion speeches from November 11, 2020 through March 29, 2022 are available as six paperback books at cost at Lulu.com/Shop -- search for Dr. Chung Sik Yong -- and as PDF downloads free of charge at MDBooks.Hoondok.com.♦