The latest Richard Urban Show:
#108-Strengthening Families & Communities Forum-April Gallart
Cheon Seong Gyeong 2188
If the son advises and teaches his parents to love their country so that they become patriots, and makes them a mother and father whom heaven remembers, is he a filial or unfilial son?
So, rather than a son who says to his parents, “Mom, Dad, don’t go out! Just rest at home.” he should say, “Mom, Dad, what are you doing? Please, let’s try together to find even one more person who can be a patriot, who can work for the unification of North and South Korea, who can work to save North Korea.” Then he makes them shed tears, blood and sweat. Then what would you think if the people in the neighborhood were to praise this achievement?
Would the parents say, “You scoundrel, you really made your mother and father’s life difficult, so at first we thought you were a bad boy. Yet we became successful and are praised by everyone. My! You really are a filial son.” Do you think the parents would say this, or would they say, “You are an unfilial son”? What do you think? (209-266, 1990.11.30)
Cheon Seong Gyeon 1613
With a greater heart than that of God who nurtured His love for the universe at the time of creation, you need to bring your people together and invest everything you have into them without expecting anything in return. We are responsible to form a model family serving God. Its final destination is the highest ideal of a family, with love so beautiful that when the True Parents come to visit, they would never want to leave. In fact, all world leaders, including the royal family of True Parents’ direct sons and daughters, would desire to live in the home of this family. (298-54, 1999.1.1)
Martyrdom
Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
Great religions were born and grew up in the soil of persecution and martyrdom. They stand on a foundation of the precious traditions of their founders. Therefore, we must not avoid sacrifices as we recover the original honor of our religions. (271:72, August 21, 1995)
Throughout history religions have taught the value of sacrifice, ultimately to guide people in approaching God. The stairway to Heaven has thousands of steps. For each step God must triumph and Satan must be defeated, but each time Satan demands his maximum price—a sacrifice. Satan does not like to be defeated. That is why so many martyrs appeared in Christian history.
Christianity has produced more martyrs than any other religion because it is the central religion of the providence. To human eyes, each martyr’s death looked like a setback, yet in fact it was a victory for God. The martyrs are the reason Christianity kept advancing victoriously despite opposition and persecution. At every step, Satan demanded a huge sacrifice as the price for his defeat. (130:283) Christianity today is proud of its history of martyrdom. In every place and in every age, wherever Christianity spread its martyrs have shed blood. The blood they shed laid the foundation for Christian missions. However, we should not just reflect on the miserable sacrifices suffered by individuals, families, or groups. Know that God, in guiding them, walked a path more tragic than theirs. (13:220-21, March 22, 1964)
Have you ever thought that you might be defeated or fall away? Never allow it to happen, even at the point of death! You should not waver even in the face of execution by a firing squad or the torture of having each knuckle of your fingers severed. Live your entire life this way and you will have transcended life and death. Then you can be a friend of God, because He is transcendent of life and death. Though you may be killed, since you transcend life and death, you will live on as a friend of God. (66:317, May 17, 1973)
No matter what pain, sorrow, and sufferings they may face, those who know that their position based upon the Universal Teaching are not shaken; they shall overcome those hills. Those who think, “I am a person who can tolerate this suffering, and I will not surrender even on this hill of death,” are successful in the course of life. Those who think, “I will not change the direction of my life, no matter what hills of persecution and death come to me. I have a value that cannot be replaced with anything under the sun,” are citizens of Heaven. Whether on earth they live or die, they still belong to Heaven. (9:166, May 8, 1960)
Many people were martyred in the two thousand years of Christian history. You should be ready to follow in their footsteps, saying, “I offer my life for Heaven. My death will lay the foundation to liberate all the people.” Then you will surely create that foundation. When the time comes, instead of ten thousand people dying, God will fulfill His promise to you and save the important people in your family and tribe. Your sacrifice is that important. As long as your foundation remains, future generations will stand on that foundation and rise up. (218:236, August 19, 1991)
At the time of Jesus’ death, Israel and Rome were his enemies, but rather than curse these enemies Jesus loved them and taught his disciples to love them. He resolved, “Rome may be my enemy today, but in the future Rome will surely be blessed through my followers.” That blessing was more than enough to save Rome. Jesus wanted more than anything to give Rome this blessing. Thinking of Rome’s future, he forgave the Roman soldiers and blessed them. (101:151, October 29, 1978)
A person who becomes a martyr in order to enter heaven will fall down to hell. However, a person who is willing to go into hell in order to send the whole world to heaven will be brought into the Kingdom of Heaven, even if he protests. (39:197, January 10, 1971)