Long Distance Blessing -- The Greatest International Blessing

John Andrew Sonneborn
November 1982

Having been a life-long bachelor -- and I am by no means as young as I look -- I am now a happily married man. But the circumstances of my wedding were highly unusual, to say the least.

When Father announced the date of the Holy Wedding in Korea, I was shocked. It fell exactly on the third day of the Interdenominational Conference for Clergy in California, of which I (as director of our church's Interfaith Department) was the organizer -- in fact, the very day on which I was scheduled to speak on "The Unification Theology of the Family." Rev. Kwak called me to his office. "You had better go to Korea," he told me.

I replied, "Here is my photograph. Please take it to Korea with you, and Father will do the rest."

"I will sincerely ask him," was his response.

The day before the American participants left for Korea, a message reached me from Rev. Kwak: "Father says your picture will be sufficient for both the matching and Blessing." Later came a sequel: "Father has matched you with a Korean sister who has been studying in a Korean seminary; she will carry your picture in the Holy Wine ceremony and the Blessing ceremony." I was told the hours of the ceremonies, but I was so occupied with the conference that I could only briefly pray at those moments.

The week after the Holy Wedding, I finally went to Korea and met my wife, a person of great faith, righteousness, purity and spiritual beauty -- and I could relive the sacred moments of our betrothal and wedding. Now, thanks to the miracle of our True Parents and also to my wife's faith, we can make a new start in a new life -- eternal.