True Love
Volume One, The Restoration of True Love
by Reverend Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 2 - Part 4 of 4
The True Parents

I have climbed over the hill successfully on every level -- from the individual all the way up to the present world level. According to the Divine Principle, the second sons and daughters are in the position to be sacrificed. This was true even for the second son of the True Parents, Heung Jin Nim. Heung Jin Nim was truly a handsome, attractive young man. He was loved by his brothers and sisters; they all wanted to spend time with him. Heavenly Father has never had a chance throughout human history to really love a true child, particularly within His own bosom in spirit world. But now Heung Jin Nim is in that position with God, representing the true, unstained child of True Parents and God.

If the sacrifice of Heung Jin Nim had not been made, either of two great calamities could have happened. Either the Korean nation could have suffered a catastrophic setback, such as an invasion from the North; or I myself could have been assassinated. Since special indemnity was paid that protected me in Korea at the Kwangju rally -- Satan's specific target day -- he hit Heung Jin Nim instead, at the same exact hour.

As a child, I was hand-picked by God to carry out a dispensational mission. As the chosen champion for God, I have not faltered. Even though Jesus' life was finished at the age of 33, Reverend Moon has moved forward all the way to the age of 64. All this time I have been fighting an uphill battle against all kinds of dangers. Not only have I survived, but I have also been victorious.

The year of 1945 was a golden opportunity for the fulfillment of God's dispensation. If Korean Christianity had united with me completely, the beginning of a new era, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, would have dawned. Christianity paid 2,000 years of indemnity so if they had united with God's dispensation in 1945 there would have been no more need for suffering. But since they did not, I had to start over again from scratch and take upon myself all the suffering in order to lay a new foundation, step by step. Finally I have come to the worldwide level.

Let Us Go Over the Hill 2-7-84

The suffering and agony of the True Parents in the course of the dispensation is beyond comparison with that of any of the True Children. True Parents have had to endure much more persecution and heartbreak than anyone. True Parents have lived an entirely public life, bearing the responsibility of the universe. Some people have taken advantage of us, even telling us lies. Such a thing is incredible.

Mother and I have suffered, not because we are foolish or weak and helpless; we are very intelligent and wise, and we are stronger and tougher than anyone can imagine. Our suffering is simply because of our public mission. For your sake, in order to bestow upon you the proper tradition, we have suffered. I want to give everything to you and for the sake of the dispensation. Even now I am taking on more suffering, so how can anyone among you feel you have the right to open your mouths in complaint or self-service?

If there were no True Parents, how could God even think about the realization of His ideal, the restoration, or anything? These ideals would never even have the chance to come to the minds of humanity. The scope of my mission is beyond anyone's concept -- bringing light to this darkened and chaotic world. Your attitude should be one of respect and gratitude.

I am talking in such plain language today so that you will understand the plain truth; this should give you the motivation for repentance, as well as obedience. You should have absolute faith in the True Parents. This is the day of a new beginning; everybody must begin a new life. That new life must begin with repentance and in that way we can have new hope and new direction. As we march forward from today, this day will shine as a most meaningful one in history. Parents' Day 1984 4-7-84

Did you hear the singing of the birds this morning on the lawn? Everyone keep absolutely quiet for a few moments so we can listen to them. What are they doing out there? They are singing love songs to one another. Nature is our textbook. When I hear those birds, I feel inspired to sing a love song to Mother.

The Day of the Love of God 5-20-84

If you think I am comfortable living in East Garden, you are wrong. Even from the secular point of view, I am miserable. Every day I am bearing the cross within my heart. Whenever it is a rainy day, I think about our members and think, "The MFT members must be soaking wet today. God, be with them." When it is cold and miserable, I think about our members living in Soviet satellite countries, some imprisoned and even on the verge of being executed. All of these thoughts are my constant burden.

Since I cannot deal physically with every member around the world, Mother and I try to love and care for those leaders who come to East Garden, as representatives of all the rest of the members. Mother may buy them clothing or I may give them some gift. We want to serve the members by serving their visiting leaders. Mother and I discuss this often and we always have the criterion that we want to buy nicer things for the Church members than for our own children.

Therefore, those who have been martyred in the Eastern satellite countries have ended their lives shouting "Mansei" and facing East Garden. They have not felt complaint or bitterness about losing their lives. They have been victorious and grateful, even in dying. Such people are a great pride to their ancestors and all their future descendants.

Do you think I am setting the right tradition? When the missionaries and other Unification Church members come, I eagerly invite them to East Garden to visit with me and Mother, feeding them good food. Often Mother and I will take them out to buy clothes for them. Why? From the worldly point of view, I am giving special attention to people who are nobodies" while virtually ignoring the "somebodies." How do you think God feels about that -- is He pleased or displeased? This is exactly what the Bible teaches. The person who tries to go up higher will be brought lower. The one who tries to go lower will be brought up higher.

True Way of Life 7-1-84

When there is good food to eat, everybody wants to enjoy it and eat a lot. In such a situation, I am always the first to lay down my fork. This was a true even when I was in prison. I practice this principle wherever I go. When leaders come to East Garden to visit, I never tell them, "Please go away because I need my rest." Instead they are the ones who get tired and finally I pity them and let them go to bed. Then I stay up later than anybody else. Even though I may go to my room, I don't go to sleep.

This is sometimes very painful for Mother. Because my schedule is so arduous, it is impossible for her to keep up with me. Mother spends a lot of time alone, but she never complains because she knows what kind of person I am. She is always proud of me and she always speaks well of me. She has no complaint but rather gratitude and appreciation and support. Mother knows one thing: I do what I do for the sake of others and for the sake of God, not for myself.

True Way of Life 7-1-84

The entire world is watching the Unification Church and Reverend and Mrs. Moon. Many people are curious about Mrs. Moon and how she is taking the recent turn of events. Also they are wondering if the Unification Church is now shattered into pieces and destroyed. But on the contrary, under these difficult circumstances the Unification Church has found itself most powerful. If Mother sheds tears, they are not the tears of tragedy or defeat; they are the tears of unity, tears for bringing hope to the future.

Farewell Speech 7-20-84

I was born for this mission and I have persevered and suffered for this purpose. Now the couple has been created which is unique in all history because we won the victory for true love. For that reason, that couple is called the True Parents. True Parents are the ones who are victorious with true love.

The Way of the Children 11-12-85

Mother, through no fault of her own, has suffered because of me. What about prison? Nobody can be trusted there. It is like the wilderness, without any protection. Mother went to the prison virtually every other day, like clockwork, rain or shine.- The average woman would give up, saying, "Why should I do this? I am disgusted by my destiny." Without knowing the True Parents' ideal and the dispensation, she would have had an entirely different experience. Do you think that she shed a great deal of secret tears? Mother and the family had to go on and conduct five o'clock Pledge service each Sunday,painfully aware that I was in prison. I'm sure they shed a lot of tears.

I will tell you something that I experienced a couple of years ago. I visited one place where there was a member who had decided to leave the Church that very day. It happened that I was on the same airplane with that person. Up to that day, that member had felt that I was his Father, but on that day, he decided that I was nobody. He walked past my seat on the plane, and he didn't even look at me or have the common decency to greet me and say hello. I thought that, even supposing we had not shared a religion or teaching, at least in terms of human decency, is that any way to treat someone you know? Is that the product of individualism here in America? How can someone turn around so completely in one day and create a wall? I was really wondering about that. This is not only one instance -- there have been many in my life. These show the potential ugliness of the human heart.

True Parents and 1 6-15-86

Reverend Moon has been faithfully practicing this principle and because of it, a lot of sacrifices have been imposed upon the East Garden family. Mother has had a suffering course because I have very seldom paid her much attention. Likewise, my children have not received much attention from me. Mother's life has been very difficult. When she was only a tender young girl, she met with her giant husband. Can you imagine the suffering her heart has endured? She has had absolutely no freedom. Mother has been bearing within her heart so many pains; she could never even speak about them. She has felt that it was her responsibility to bear her cross and support me. Now that I have accomplished on the worldwide scale, Mother has matured and become truly a mother for the universe.

Road Toward the Ideal 9-7-86

There are laws for offering sacrifices. There are certain persons involved and certain conditions that have to be met in order for a sacrifice to become acceptable. There is a time period that should elapse. For forty years, Father was the person who offered the sacrifice and at the same time Father himself was that sacrifice. The satanic world was blocking everything, trying to make me fail. The satanic disturbances and obstacles have been almost insurmountable. Satan knows only too well that once Father succeeds in fulfilling human responsibility, it is final. For that reason, Satan has tried to block every stage of the game, and in the absolute final stage he pushed me into Danbury prison.

You have no idea how miserable and lonely Father has been all this time. Even Mother and the children don't know fully. Only God and Father know. I don't want you to be indebted to me. Let me be indebted to you. You can become such great men and women, the champions who will create a new history.

Ideal Home Church 12-27-86

Do you think Father and Mother are living in such a relationship of perfected love? Mother's role is absolute obedience and support toward Father. There is absolute trust and fidelity, as well as absolute purity; of course, those things are mutual. That absolute standard has been kept by both. All the children coming from such parents will be of extraordinary dimension on the worldwide scale. Do you follow?

God's Day 1-1-87

Now you have to inherit my mission. The only difference between you and the True Parents is that when Mother and I began our work, there was no path ahead. We had to pioneer on every level and encounter opposition everywhere. But in your case, you have no opposition and the highway has already been laid by True Parents.

Parents' Day and Our Path 3-29-87

(Blackboard.) This represents all the things of creation in the universe. In the center is the human being. In the center of the human being is the family and the center of the family is True Parents. The Old Testament era is represented by the creation; the New Testament era is the era of human beings. The family centered upon true love and the True Parents is the Completed Testament Age. Your family is the microcosm, where the universe is unfolded. The center core is the blessed couple, husband and wife. The children and family form a circle. The tribe, your home church, becomes your world. This represents the whole universe.

You must be capable of offering all things. That position belongs to you; your life is a sacrifice. You are able to dedicate your relationship with your spouse and children for the sake of the higher cause of true love. I have been walking the same path and setting the example. First of all, I don't keep any material possessions that come to me. I give them away for the benefit of others. My own family has suffered more than anyone else. My elder children suffered the most because I almost totally neglected them for the sake of the world cause. I also sacrificed my relationship with Mother. Her suffering behind the scenes is incredible. Why is that? It is only because of true love.

My goal is not just the True Parents' family; my goal is to foster true love that will be prosperous in the world. In order to reach that worldwide target, I am willing to sacrifice anything I have on earth. Of course, I sacrificed myself a long time ago. I have been working according to this rule and my efforts have not been in vain. I have laid the worldwide human foundation so that now even the United States will inevitably listen to my message.

Let Us Go Over the Original Boundary 4-1-87

I know only one way to prosper -- that of giving totally, absolutely, to perfection. That is why my "business" has been booming all over the world, ever since I opened up shop.

We Shall Live in the Original Homeland 7-1-87

Before I went to Alaska, I prepared for three days. I went to the Delaware River and fished in order to condition myself, thinking, "I am going to compete with all 130 professors, and I cannot be outdone. Even though I am the oldest, I should win over them." It was very difficult, but I stayed out later than anyone. Every professor was knocked out when he got back, but I never was. Afterwards, however, I went back to the Delaware and kind of "deconditioned" myself from the intensity and the heat. That kind of fishing is less intense than in Alaska and is good to unwind with.

When I get very tired from fishing, I don't think about taking a rest. I rest, yes, but only by fishing. That's the best way to rest. I do everything as l work for the dispensation. When I feel, "Oh, I must rest now," then I speak in a less intense way. Nevertheless, I continue to speak. That's my idea of resting, not going on a vacation and taking a few days off. That's one thing you have to learn also.

It would be difficult for you American women to live with that kind of husband, wouldn't it? But Mother is different from the American women. Mother doesn't mind her husband working this way. When I don't rest, Mother cannot rest either. When you live this public way of life, nothing will ever bother you. Nor is there ever a truly sad moment. You almost never experience sadness.

Sometimes I apologize to my own limbs, my own hands, saying, "I'm sorry that I overworked you. I know I should let you rest, but I'm not doing that. I know, and I'm sorry." Then I apologize to my feet, saying, "Feet, I know how tired you are standing here for so many hours. You are swollen and I should really put you to rest once in a while, but I'm sorry, I can't. You know why." I apologize to every part of my body. Who can hate such a person? How can those limbs, that torso, that body to which a person apologizes all the time blame him? Do you understand?

If you want to criticize somebody, you should do so only after many hours of tears for him. Then you might say, "You could do better in this way." But not before shedding tears for him. If each of us begins to live like that, our life will immediately turn into a valuable one.

Precious Existence 7-19-97

I have had a miserable course on this earth, but God will appreciate it forever. God will make me welcome in the center point of love. I only want to give you my true love. I don't want money; I don't want fame. I don't want all of America following me. I just want to be completely on God's side.

Original Homeland and the Realm of Heart 8-23-87

Years ago, when I first set foot at Kennedy Airport, I thought about this land's history. I recalled the Indians and the many immigrants who came here. I recalled the many people who have loved this country and sacrificed for its sake. I wanted to love it more than any other person. I vowed to invest more energy, to sacrifice more for this country than any patriot ever did, including any of its original inhabitants, the Indians. I resolved to pour myself out until the whole country overflows. I made that pledge before heaven and earth, and for the past fifteen years I have been carrying it out.

I thought about the War of Independence and placed myself in the position of George Washington. George Washington's situation was sometimes desperate, but I resolved to place myself in the same kind of situation and do better than he did. I keenly felt that if I did not do so, I could not restore this country.

The Way to Grow 8-30-87

Look at this humble horse stable here at Belvedere. Why do you suppose we haven't replaced it with a great temple? This is the starting point for our great prosperity. This humble stable could not be exchanged for the Versailles palace in France. In the future, millions of people will come here to sit and pray and shed tears because this is where true love was taught by the True Parents.

Children's Day 1988 11-09-88

I have suffered and established the course of indemnity throughout my life. Am I attractive or not? My wife has to suffer more than any wife. Mother is so small, yet she has worked so hard and suffered because of me. Who has suffered the most in history to find just one true woman?

The Tribal Messiah 2-5-89

Father left his physical hometown many decades ago. He has lived in many prisons. But when he saw the sunlight come through the prison bars It was the same sunlight in Japan, America or Korea and he always felt great joy. In prison he met his enemies. In Japan, he met Japanese people and thought, "Even though they are my enemies they are close to me." Through his prison experiences Father learned to love the people of that nation.

In spring the mountains were full of flowers. It was so beautiful. Just sitting against a tree in the mountains in spring, dozing, was an unforgettable memory. The basic things we learn are in our hometown. As a child you played and fell down and your nose bled and you came home and got told off by your mother. Then she would wipe your nose and comfort you. When my mother comforted me and I said, "Thank you, mother," it was a great feeling. I could feel that she was proud of me.

I had many brothers and sisters and lots of relatives. We had many beautiful customs. For example, when one relative married and brought his bride to the village, for many days the family members would take turns according to their closeness to the relative to give feasts. So for many days I could go around without feeling hungry. The hospitality and happiness people displayed was beautiful.

When my mother sent one of her daughters to marry, it was like a thief stole the daughter. She would cry for days before she had to send her daughter away to join her husband's family. It was as if she were losing her daughter forever. Today's Unification Church parents have it good. You can be reassured about letting daughters go with the husband that Father chooses. Another thing I cannot forget is watching my mother working. She worked so hard her legs swelled. When I grabbed her legs I could feel how swollen they were. When I pressed my hands against her leg the mark remained for a long time. But she still kept on running around. I was deeply moved by her devotion.

In your hometown you learn the basic things of life, how to put on your clothes and so on. I remember when my mother scolded me, for example when I climbed up a tree. Once she hit me very hard but afterwards she cried and said to my brothers and sisters she was sorry. But I think she did well. I think when parents hit you they feel even more hurt than the child. These incidents of being spanked or hurting yourself become strong, fond memories and make you feel so sentimental about your childhood.

I can see now that the things I learned with my family and my relatives and neighbors gave me the education and strength to build up the Unification movement. You cannot imagine how much I long to return to my hometown. This desire was very strong in me even from very early on when I went to school in Seoul. In my first summer vacation I naturally longed to go home but I didn't. I denied the longing and purposely did not go home.

When I was in school I never ate lunch. I felt I couldn't because there were so many who couldn't afford it. At that time I was teaching Sunday school in Sobingodong in Seoul where they used to have ice houses for the collection of ice from the Han river. (Sobingo means "east ice house.") In those days when I was a high school student teaching Sunday school, my speeches were much more interesting than now. When I cried in front of them, they cried and when I said something funny, they exploded in laughter.

I didn't eat lunch but brought food to the poor people in order to share their suffering. I didn't return to my hometown in order that I could share the loneliness of people and of God.

Hometown 2-12-89

Are you going to become models of God's love? All the women in the Unification Church are so attracted to Father because he is the model of an individual. Many young members are attracted by Father's sons. Members hope that some day their children will marry with Father's children so that they can be connected. Some day you will all be connected through your descendants to Father's lineage. You have to work and prepare for that time.

Our Church and Korea as Seen from the Providence of God 2-19-89

What is the relationship between God and True Parents? I am talking about this with you now but it has taken me all my life to work this out. I have wrestled with God, asking, "What are You, who are You?" and have invested all of my energy in this.

Where is God? I found that God is in true love. The home of God is true love. God needs to establish True Parents who are connected to Him by true love and who become ancestors of a true lineage which is able to pass on true love to their descendants.

Satan has conquered more than 75 percent of the world. Materialism and humanistic philosophy have conquered more than 75 percent of the mind of man. True Parents are investing the absolute standard of love without holding anything back in order to naturally subjugate Satan.

Let Us Liberate God 2-26-89

Love is the reason why God exists, creates and does everything. People who do not know this about God have no real idea who God is. To establish God as the master of the world, the messiah has to fight. Father has been fighting all his life but what is the nature of that fight? I have fought by first taking a beating and then taking the blessing. That has always been the principle of Father's fighting -- take the beating and then take the victory.

Unite, The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand 3-5-89