The Words The Kwak Family

Father's condition of sacrifice

Chung Hwan Kwak
November 1985

Father's condition of sacrifice in Danbury was like the crucifixion of the modern era. This period was spiritually and physically extremely difficult for him. On the spiritual side, the general environment of Danbury was painful for him because of his sensitivity and purity. Even though Father didn't share with us about all the bad experiences he had there, his first couple of months were probably especially difficult because of the inmates' attitude toward him. Most of them were completely ignorant of who he was. No doubt many terrible things happened. Also his physical duties and the jobs he did voluntarily were very hard on him.

Under these adverse conditions, Father never asked God for an easier way, but instead he prayed for America and laid indemnity conditions for the sake of Christian churches and ministers. By laying these precious, historical spiritual and physical indemnity conditions, he achieved a victory over his crucifixion.

We Unification Church members are individually either indirectly or directly involved in Father's crucifixion of the modern era. We cannot shrug off our responsibility. True Parents want to pass on this victory foundation to us, but we have to make at least a minimal condition for this on our side.

To give an example, after Jesus' resurrection the first person who met Jesus was Mary Magdalene. Before the crucifixion, Mary had been the person heartistically closest to Jesus. She stayed with Jesus until he breathed his last. Later, when she met the resurrected Jesus she wanted to embrace him and continue the close relationship she had had with him, but he forbade her to do so. It didn't matter how close she had been to him before; Jesus was now elevated to a higher stage, a resurrected level. She had to make a condition to join Jesus on his new level.

Likewise, Father is now, after his crucifixion, on a new resurrected level. It doesn't matter how close we were to Father before he went to Danbury, or whether we were leaders or not. We all are now spiritually responsible to lay a condition to be able to join Father and stand on his victorious foundation of resurrection.

From a spiritual point of view, we Unification members did not fulfill our responsibility, but most members ignore that. August 20 is like a borderline: after August 20, the Unification movement, as well as Father himself, is on a different, elevated, resurrected level. Many members and leaders, however, still cling to their past concepts about their relationship with Father, not perceiving the different stage that Father is standing on now.

When the resurrected Jesus appeared to his disciples in a closed room, he commissioned them, "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you:' Through fulfilling this commission the disciples could meet the new, resurrected Jesus, inherit his victory, and come to embody his spirit and authority. Now, having prevailed over his crucifixion and having achieved resurrection, Father has given us a similar commission: to participate in the mobilization. Through doing this we can become truly close to Father, inherit his resurrection level, and lay a foundation to fulfill the children's course as "second Sun Myung Moons!'

Some people may ask, "Father has been to prison many times before. Were these times less important? What is so special about this time and this mobilization?"

As you know, Father had his own responsibility to lay indemnity conditions on the individual, family, national, and world levels. From 1960 to 1981, during his 21-year sacrificial course, he laid indemnity conditions for all those levels. He then proclaimed that his course was finished. Meanwhile, we had not fulfilled our responsibility. After 1981, he assisted us by paying indemnity in our place. His time in Danbury was a sacrificial condition through which he paid indemnity for us to be able to embark upon the children's course, without being steeped in debt. But in order for us to inherit the grace from his payment, we have to set a condition.

This time is unique. A new era has begun. We want to join Father and become elevated along with him. This marks a new stage for the Unification movement. From now on we all have to lay conditions to inherit Father's victorious foundation, which he accomplished through his sacrificial life in Danbury. Generally speaking, we have to restore the 13 months of Father's imprisonment by 1988. According to one's mission and position each member will go through a different type and length of period to do this, depending also on how much he or she concentrates and invests in sincerely laying indemnity conditions.

Especially these four months of mobilization, from September 1 to January 1, 1986, are the most precious. American members, of course, have been asked to mobilize. But the worldwide membership as well should set the same standard by focusing on field work with a mobilizing spirit.

And what should be our attitude and method during this period? Exactly this: We have to think about Father, about what he did in prison. Even though he was put in an environment that was entirely foreign, even repugnant, to him, Father first of all was completely thankful to God. He never made any excuses and never complained, but offered his full gratitude to God. Secondly, he completely dedicated himself and put all his effort into serving his Cain. He served his fellow inmates, he served American Christianity, he served the world. While in prison he also started many historical projects.

In order to inherit Father's victory, all Unification Church members should first give full thanks to God. This four-month period is not so much one of indemnity as of grace. During this period we can receive the grace of God and True Parents; they have paid the price for us to begin work on a whole new level. Secondly, we should put all our effort into the mobilization outreach. The first is the Sung Sang aspect, the second is the Hyung Sang aspect. The Hyung Sang aspect entails mobilizing for four months, dedicating ourselves to taking care of our Cain, and loving Christianity, our country, and the world through our activities. The Sung Sang aspect is recognizing how important this precious four-month period is, giving thanks for this historical opportunity, and keeping the memory of Father's imprisonment in our minds every day.

We should embark upon this time of mobilization with two things in mind. First, our attitude should be that of repentance for the past. Father said that his imprisonment was worse than Jesus' crucifixion. Yet he gave us this precious opportunity to join him in his victory. Secondly, therefore, we need to have a grateful heart and make a pure determination for the future.

In conclusion, if we fulfill these Sung Sang and Hyung Sang aspects, our movement will take a great leap forward, because Father is resurrected, and a new level has been achieved. 

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