A Tribute to My Father

September 4, 2012

My heart grieves as a son for the passing of my father, but I am comforted in knowing that his indomitable spirit and enduring legacy will live on in the memories of the countless people he has touched through his visionary ministry. He lived a remarkable life, and it is important for us to honor that life in the proper way.

My father was first and foremost a filial son to God, committing his entire life to the substantial realization of His will on earth. And by doing so, he sought to comfort God's agonizing heart. His deep, personal relationship with God fueled his passionate desire to bring God's blessing to all of His children, regardless of the pretensions -- be they racial, ethnic, national, or even religious -- that so often divide and alienate the human family.

He committed himself and his entire foundation to the providential mission of building a world of peace and reconciliation, centered upon the vision of One Family under God. His aspiration was for a global God-centered family rooted in universal principles and the value system of True Love, a selfless love manifested as "living for the sake of others."

My father believed that this vision has been the yearning of mankind throughout our tumultuous history and, most of all, has been the dream of God ever since human creation. It is God's dream, but my father took ownership of it and lived to fulfill it through his ministry and works.

I know that his greatest desire was to set the precedent of devotion and service to that will and, thereby, inspire others to work with the same passionate commitment and sense of ownership to make God's dream into a substantial reality.

Therefore, the most fitting tribute to my father is to create a living monument to the dream which inspired his life. His visionary and pioneering life is like a foundation stone upon which others must now build, continuing the efforts he began with the same passion, commitment and zeal. That is the best way, I believe, to honor his life and consecrate a fitting legacy to a life which has given so much.

As a son, who has taken to heart the meaning of my father's life and teaching, I dedicate myself to continue this work together with all those who have been inspired by the vision of "One Family under God" and the ideals my father lived for.