On January 4, the Commencement Ceremony of 2024 for the Regional Group of Heavenly Japan in the Heavenly Parent’s Holy Community was held at the Shoto Headquarters in Shibuya, Tokyo, where headquarters staff, senior members, and leaders of the Unification movement gathered. In his message, President Tomihiro Tanaka explained True Mother’s current concerns and called on the participants to “unite with heaven’s heart and move forward with even greater unity!”
Editorial Department
Mother made sure Director Lee Ki-seong was sent to Japan after the earthquake
Happy New Year! I look forward to working with you again this year.
The year 2024 began with an earthquake and tsunami, followed the next day by the collision between a Japan Airlines (JAL) plane and an aircraft of the Japan Coast Guard (JCG). I would like to offer my condolences to all those who lost their lives and offer my sympathies to their families. I sincerely pray for the health of those who were injured and a quick recovery to normal life for those who were forced to live as evacuees.
Four tectonic plates converge near the Japanese archipelago, and everyone believes that earthquakes are inevitable. Even in such a situation, those who stand in heaven must keep the perspective of “time” in mind. When disaster strikes, how will those who stand in heaven perceive the events before them? They are critical matters that will affect the destiny of the nation.
The fact that these disasters occurred at the beginning of the year—the first being an earthquake and tsunami, which was a natural disaster, and the second being an airplane accident, which was a man-made disaster—seems to foreshadow the year ahead and suggests that all people must tighten their belts and become one.
Upon hearing the news of the disaster, True Mother immediately contacted us. She emphasized that she would devote more cheongseong for the people of Japan and that she would do her utmost to support the relief efforts in the affected areas. She said, “We must understand that the earthquake and plane crash are no ordinary disasters or accidents, and we must offer our sincerity in a very special way.”
In heaven’s providence, the attitude of those who stand in Abel’s realm is always questioned. Centering on the Heavenly Parent (God) and True Parents, the Abel realm must unite as one, repent from their hearts, and devote cheongseong.
After the earthquake, True Mother made sure that Lee Ki-seong, Director of Cheon Shim Won, was sent to Japan without a moment’s delay. Since yesterday (January 3), the Family Federation of Japan has been holding a three-day special all-night vigil. Many blessed families and members are participating in this prayer vigil at 14,000 sites across the country, which are connected with the special all-night prayer vigils at Cheon Shim Won in Korea.
What we are most grateful for is that True Mother has put in the work of building a realm of spiritual protection for Japan, as well as protecting the members in Japan, and blowing away the “dark clouds” that cover the Japanese archipelago. Let us also repent deeply throughout this period and do our utmost with cheongseong.
Reflecting on Mother’s heart and wishes contained in the New Year’s slogan
At the beginning of the year, the 2024 New Year’s Day Cheon Shim Won Special All-night Vigil for the World (Cheongpyeonng, Korea; HJ Heaven and Earth Cheonbo Training Center) was held, and participants received True Mother’s words through video. It was a message she gave when the New Year’s slogan was set in 2014. Once again, I was given the opportunity to reflect on Mother’s hearts and wishes contained in the New Year’s slogan.
“Let us become true owners of Cheon Il Guk who practice true love in resemblance to our Creator, the Heavenly Parent!”
The thoughts and wishes of True Mother contained in the New Year’s slogan is consistent and unchanging. Mother is looking forward to the day when it will be fulfilled.
What I would like to share with you, today at this commencement ceremony, is what True Mother is paying attention to right now, and what her heart is focused on.
How to bring the existence of God, the Heavenly Parent, to humanity
The first is the dissemination of “Theory of True Parents”.
With the proclamation of Foundation Day, the Completed Testament Age came to an end and the Age of Cheon Il Guk had begun. The curtain of the new age has already been lifted. Despite this and to the contrary of heaven’s wish, the correct understanding of the phases and values of True Parents has not yet been secured among the people. Therein lies True Mother’s pain.
Last year, True Mother continued to have faith in the dedication of Cheon Won Gung and Cheon Il Sanctum. I personally thought that it would have been better to have completed the exterior and interior before dedicating it. This thought itself showed my gap in my faith with Mother’s heart, who placed great importance on the dedication of the palace, even if it was not fully completed.
The day after the dedication ceremony, I learned more about the main reason why True Mother placed so much importance on it. In the Cheon Il Sanctum, there are 14 murals depicting True Parents’ life course and the providential path toward the establishment of Cheon Il Guk. On that day, Mother shared her thoughts and feelings that had been expressed in the murals, with us.
(She said,) “From now on, giving Divine Principle lectures is not enough. We must also educate people about True Parents’ life course.”
The meaning of her words “educate people about (True Parents’) life course” is not to tell people about the greatness of True Parents, but rather to let them know that God is the Heavenly Parent. If we look at True Parents’ course through the correct lens, we can see that God is the Heavenly Parent. The greatest purpose of True Parents’ path is how to bring the presence of God, the Heavenly Parent, to humanity.
Please look back again on True Parents’ life course. Why did Father go to North Korea, even at the risk of his life? Why did they go to the Kremlin, the stronghold of communism? It was all because they are the Parents of humankind. When the Parents’ heart and God’s heart are connected, people will know that God is the Parent. True Mother has clearly stated that if people know that God is the Parent, all problems will be solved.
We must testify about True Parents’ life course with this kind of perspective. We must proclaim to humankind that God is the Heavenly Parent and secure this thought (in their hearts). The reason why True Mother emphasizes the dissemination of Theory of True Parents is because we, the children, have the mission of securing the fact that God is the Parent. For this reason, we need to understand Theory of True Parents correctly.
Some people resist the term “first coming” when they hear “True Mother is the first coming of a True Mother.” In Christology of the Exposition of the Divine Principle, you can find the explanation of the spiritual trinity of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. From the perspective of the role of the Holy Spirit, Mother would be the “second coming.” However, from the perspective of the substantial embodiment of the Holy Spirit received on earth, Mother would be the “first coming.”
In 1960, through the role of the Trinity with God the Parent and the substantial embodiment of True Parents, we (humanity) have been able to walk on the path of rebirth by connecting with God’s lineage. In order to properly understand the value (of this grace), we must correctly understand that God is the Parent and accept that we have a mission to ensure the firm establishment of True Parents. This is the key theme for True Mother at the moment and what she must do while she is on earth.
Completion of Cheon Won Gung and Cheon Il Sanctum is an important topic for the Mother Nation of Japan
The second point is the completion of Cheon Won Gung and the entry into the palace.
We must complete the Cheon Won Gung and Cheon Il Sanctum, which were dedicated last year, and allow True Parents’ entry into the palace. Cheon Il Sanctum is the base on earth where God can realize His dream and where He will be securely established. God’s dream will be substantialized through the Cheon Il Sanctum.
True Mother has set the year 2025 as the “time of the providence” for its completion. It goes without saying that the sanctum should be built during Mother’s lifetime so that it can be passed down to future generations forever, and it will only be truly completed when she gives her approval. The completion of Cheon Won Gung and Cheon Il Sanctum will be an important theme for Japan, the Mother Nation which has to become one with Mother.
Our challenge is to cultivate the future generation into the entities that Mother wishes for
The third point is the establishment of the future generation.
For the past eleven years after True Father’ seonghwa, True Mother has continued to invest in this field, starting with the Special Workshops in Hawaii (2014). There is only one purpose: to cultivate a realm of second generation united with the True Parents of humankind, who will always be considered as a pair. In particular, she is now focusing on fostering a realm of second generation that is united with Mother, who is in charge of the providence on earth.
It is only natural that we, the first generation, are expected to become one with True Mother, but we must raise the realm of second generation to a standard that will reassure Mother to the point that she says, “Now the future will be safe,” when she sees the future generation. In this sense, I am keenly aware that we have the responsibility to see how the future generation will appear in Mother’s eyes and what kind of body they will become in response to her wishes.
In the future, we will be questioned in detail about our thoughts, governance, and approaches in regards to cultivating the future generation. We are reminded once again that the year 2024 is a time of great change.
Victory of heavenly tribal messiahship is our destiny as blessed families
The fourth point is building the foundation for national salvation by bringing victory in heavenly tribal messiahship.
This is a message that has been consistent and has not changed, just as in the aforementioned new year’s slogan. There is only one goal that all blessed families should aim for: the victory of heavenly tribal messiahship. No matter what title or position you assume, this applies to everyone. The victory of heavenly tribal messiahship is our destiny as blessed families. No matter how many bold claims you make, without victory in heavenly tribal messiahship you will not be heard in the spirit world. This is True Father’s legacy and a core of his teachings, which is non-negotiable for all members.
The title of “victorious cheonbo families” can only be earned, in essence, by bringing victory in heavenly tribal messiahship. As we have heard many times, “If the first generation cannot do it, the second generation must take on the mantle and accomplish it.”
The Family Federation in Japan will transform its organizational structure suitable for fulfilling the points mentioned above. In the year 2024, changes will be required in our consciousness and senses.
I was reading the Exposition of the Divine Principle at the beginning of this year, and I would like to share some the things from Eschatology that particularly impressed me.
Fallen people’s spiritual sensibility is extremely dull. Hence, they generally tend to adhere strictly to the letter of the truth in their efforts to follow God’s providence. Such people cannot readily adjust themselves to the dispensation of the new age, even though the providence of restoration is moving toward it. They are generally too strongly attached to the outdated perspective provided by the doctrines of the old age…On the other hand, those believers who receive divine inspiration through prayer are able to grasp spiritually the providence of the new age. Even though this may put them at odds with the doctrines of the old age, they will still respond to the promptings of the spirit and follow the calling of the new providence.
We who are alive today are living in the Last Days. We should cultivate a humble heart and make the utmost effort to receive divine inspiration through prayer. We should not be strongly attached to conventional concepts, but rather should direct ourselves to be receptive to the spirit, in order that we may find the new truth which can guide us to the providence of the new age. When we come across this truth, we should ascertain whether it leads us to become one with Heavens guidance. We should examine ourselves as to whether or not genuine, heavenly bliss springs forth abundantly from the depths of our soul.
(pp. 107 – 108)
Currently, the providence on earth is progressing centered around True Mother. We must pay the utmost attention to her words and her heart which lies behind her words. We must also keep our eyes on the flow of the times and make judgments accordingly. If we stand before Mother with our own concepts and cultivated views of faith, it will be detrimental to the providence.
When True Mother received the news of the earthquake, she sent Director Lee Ki-seong to Japan. Above all, it is heaven’s heart that we should pursue. If we do not focus our prayers on becoming one with True Parents’ heart, which has become one with the Heavenly Parent’s heart, and especially with Mother’s heart who walks the earth, it will lead to church management that is not in accordance with heaven’s will and will lead to major mistakes.
Members who’ve become one with heaven can transform Japanese society
We do not know how heaven’s dispensation will transpire in 2024. We must carefully discern what our own hearts are revolving around at each moment as we face the events that appear before us. In particular, each guideline and piece of information sent out by headquarters will affect church operations throughout the country that will mobilize members and blessed families, so we must clearly set our compass and move forward without misjudging the course we should be on.
True Mother refers to the members as the “treasures of heaven” and “heavens’ armaments.” Throughout the past year, I have realized that this is indeed true. The members are the ones who can transform the society of Japan. Members that have become united with heaven are our greatest strength and they are the weapons (and bastions) for heaven.
At the beginning of the year, we have become one with True Mother and conducted the three-day course. We stand in heavenly fortune. Let us become one with heaven’s heart and move forward in further unity!
