The Words of the Hentrich Family |
Dear all,
I realize that not a lot has been said in explaining the meaning and value of the Blessing we are being asked to participate in next Tuesday (October 14, 2009). This leaves room in our minds for many self-interpretations. I just wanted to point out some things that I think may be helpful in putting this new Blessing in perspective.
Father said many years ago that we would need to be blessed on several levels before it is all said and done, namely the Family Level, National Level, and World Level. He may have even added the Cosmic Level, but my memory is not certain about it, but I think I recall it. So, we should have been anticipating this “world-level” blessing from the beginning. That is what this Blessing is. It is Father’s World-Level Blessing. He is lamenting, especially in recent months, that he was not able to literally bless all 6 billion people in the world in his lifetime. That was his (incredible) goal, somehow. So, Father has said that not only do WE need the blessing on the World Level, but we will represent all six billion people in the world by participating.
We know that when Father talks about a “new era” opening up for mankind, or a “new age” in providential history, it is not because WE did anything to make that happen. It is only because Father, or True Parents, or the True Family reached a new providential level in God’s Providence, and Father then extends that new victory to all mankind, including us. When Father and Mother were blessed in 1960, it opened up a whole new era for all mankind. When mother went out on her world speaking tours, it opened up the “era of women” for ALL women.
When Father accomplished the last of the eight stages of historical indemnity in his own course, he declared that the historical “age of indemnity” was over, because HE accomplished it, not us. But, he extends his victories to all of us through nothing but grace. We have been saturated by all the grace we have thus received over the course of Father’s victorious life. Now, as three generations of the True Family are providentially active, Father has declared the Coronation of God and declared now that the door is open for the blessing of all mankind.
That is what we are being asked to participate in next week. It has nothing to do with the fact that we participated in a previous blessing. It is a new stage of God’s providence as it has unfolded in Father’s family, which is where the major providential milestones have been achieved anyway. It also has nothing to do with money. The required donation is a condition. Father is not going to hold a blessing every time there is a need for money, like a garage sale or something. The total amount of money these donations represent would not last a week at the Washington Times. The donation is a small condition for us to join with the True Family in this historic world-level blessing. The REAL condition that Father always wants us to have in terms of the Blessing is not money but rather purging ourselves of fallen nature, perfecting our hearts in true love, and winning Cain back to God through outreach and building our tribe of disciples.
When I think back on the past 20-30 years in the Church, where is this real condition that Father wants to see? I don’t think we can hold our heads up and say that we have it to offer. So, Father extends more grace to us again, telling us to donate a certain amount of money and he will accept that in place of what is really important, since money represents our life, love and lineage, and blood, sweat and tears. What other substitute would we come up with that would be universal? I don’t know. Anyway, in the end, even if we don’t have the means to make the requested donation, we are asked to participate anyway because the most important condition, as explained by In Jin Nim, is our “participation”, not our donation.
In my own mind, knowing that I have not lived the kind of life that Father was expecting when he blessed me, and knowing that I still don’t have the condition of real substance that Father would like to see and needs from me, I just see it as another wave of grace, covering me and enabling me to ride on Father’s back as he proceeds in creating the future Cheon Il Guk culture and world. We are so fortunate to keep receiving so much love and grace. The very least we can do is appreciate it with the most sincere heart. The donation is far less than it should be, from that perspective. If the Blessing were based on our own accomplishment and merit, we might need a hundred blessings. Fortunately, it is based on Father’s accomplishment and merit. Let us participate with a heart of sincere gratitude and humility. It is for us -- not for True Parents or anyone else, that we are invited to the banquet. We are so fortunate.
Rev. Michael Hentrich
Families of
Peace Church
3418 W. 14th Ave.
Denver, CO 80204