Good morning. Buenos dias. It's wonderful, absolutely wonderful to come to see you. A full congregation, both rooms open. I used to be here and the center partition was closed. Now we have both rooms open and full.
It's amazing, but you never get old! Every one of you looks so good, bright, happy, and a little bit wiser. With a little grey up here.
I came to this service this morning, and I felt the atmosphere was entirely different from the past. Very, very uplifted, bright, happy, energetic. You responded beautifully, the whole congregation united into one and ready to go for big work.
I would like to welcome Rev. In Hoi Lee. He has been together with me for at least 30 years, working together. He is one of the dynamos I was speaking about. Father's assigning him to the nation's capital, to Washington, D.C. has a significant providential purpose. This year, 1999, there are three months before we enter a new millennium, the year 2000. I want to tell you that we are living three miracles now. First, we are living together in the same space and time with True Parents. When you think of it, this is not an ordinary time. There is only one True Parents in all human history, past and future. But our birth and life was timed in such a way that we are living together at the same time and space, breathing the same air, drinking the same water, traveling the same road. This is indeed a miracle. No question about it.
The precious glory we are receiving, the blessing, has no end. We are living together with True Parents. There are so many billions of people in the past, billions and billions who will live in the future, but none of them can say when they arrive in the spirit world, "We lived together with True Parents. We listened to his sermons. We heard his voice. We laughed together. We ate together." I want you to know that this alone makes our lives a million times worth living. It is one miracle.
The second miracle is this, that we all received the blessing from the True Parents. At this morning's pledge service I said, no matter how we think we realize the importance and greatness of the blessing of our True Parents, we really do not know its real value until we get to the spirit world. Still, we can reason together. The blessing of True Parents, the Lord of the Second Coming, the Messiah. You and I have had taken away from us original sin. We are given the power to give our children sinless birth. This is a revolution. Only one time in history will it take place, and particularly in our lifetime it is taking place.
The third miracle is this. We are living to see the year 2000. You won't see the year 4000, or the year 6000. A new millennium occurs every 1,000 years. But in Divine Principle history, every 2,000 years great things happen, earth-shaking events occur. After the fall of man, the first 2,000 years God was searching for one beacon of light on earth. Finally, after darkness for 2,000 years, God found Abraham, the father of faith, planted on earth. Then 2000 years later, Jesus came as the Messiah.
So the year 2,000 is a year of our True Parents really illuminating the entire world. The entire world will know the coming of the messiah, the True Parents. A new era actually begins from the year 2000. So far, all the work done by the Unification Church and the Family Federation and so forth is preparation to perfect Father's mission so that the day of declaration of the True Parents comes for the year 2000.
You and I are living witnesses of that day. We will all be here in the year 2000. This is the third miracle. This is the greatest era. Father is launching another major Inchon landing in the United States. The first Inchon landing occurred when Father moved headquarters from Korea to the United States, December 18, 1971, when he landed here in Washington. That was the beginning of a new ministry. Since then I toiled with Father for 25 years. I translated for Father in all 50 states. I was not worthy to translate his message. I was not good enough. All I could do was sweat. That condition at least has been set. At Madison Square Garden my clothes were soaking wet.
One day I said, "Father, I ask your forgiveness." He asked, "What are you talking about?" "In translating your message. The Bible says you cannot add one word or subtract one word. It's that strict. But Father, sometimes in my translation I added a word that you did not say. Sometimes I forgot words you had said. I feel as though I'm destined to go to hell. Have mercy upon me, because at least I sweated. Gallons and gallons. Because of that sweat, Father, would you forgive me?"
You know what Father said? Nothing. He just smiled. So even today I do not know whether I am going to heaven or hell. But I do not worry about that. I have no time. Why? For Unificationists there is no hell. Father always taught us that wherever you go, turn hell into heaven. So here on earth we are turning the kingdom of hell into the kingdom of heaven. When we go into hell in spirit world, you will have the power to turn hell into heaven. So I don't care where I end up.
Anyway, this is an important landing, with another Inchon landing. The Japanese sisters are coming, the Korean national messiahs coming. Washington is becoming the national headquarters. This is a national cathedral of the Unification Church. Here Father assigned Rev. Lee. Why? He is the perfect person for this time in history, to be in charge of national headquarters church and Washington, D.C.
I signed my books, Truth is My Sword, and brought them to present to Rev. Lee. It is inscribed, "A great wave of blessing is coming upon you." I'd like to take this opportunity to present these two volumes to Rev. Lee.
I have one more sets to present to the outgoing pastor of the Washington church, Rev. Phillip Schanker. I have worked with him for more than 25 years. He was in charge of the Washington church. Now he is elevated to national vice president of HSA-UWC. He is a wonderful, dear brother, bubbling with enthusiasm all the time. His nickname should be Mr. Bubbling Enthusiasm.
Yesterday Michael Smith, who gave this morning's sermon, was boasting, "I'm going to give the sermon at church tomorrow. Why don't you come?" I was supposed to leave for Korea yesterday, but he intimidated me. So I postponed my departure two more days (Applause) so I am attending service today and leaving tomorrow.
I don't know where he dug up my thirteen commandments. I don't remember writing such a thing. He must have created it himself. Anyway, there were the Ten Commandments, and Jesus' greatest commandment to love God and one's neighbor. The reason I wrote thirteen commandments during the AFC era, that was my working plan in the Unification Church. Why 13, instead of 10 or 5? I have some mysterious experiences with the number 13.
I was fighting Congressman Donald Fraser in the Congress. I was testifying for Father and the church. I never retreated, not one iota. I attacked and attacked. Finally he surrendered. God made him surrender. We never exchanged blows, of course, but it was a fight between lies and the truth, Satan's side and God's side. There were three bouts. At first there were many cameras from the television networks, a lot of media. The hearing room was jam-packed.
At the third hearing Congressman Fraser stated that the next hearing would be a closed hearing, without media present. We looked at that as his retreat. Why? Because he didn't want to publicize. By attacking and accusing Rev. Moon and the Unification Church he wanted to enhance his reputation in order to be elected as senator from his state of Minnesota. I just exploded with the truth in three confrontations. The fourth was a closed-door meeting, where he didn't want the media to see him at all. What happened? He was not interested any more in going after Bo Hi Pak because he didn't even show up for the meeting. There is a video of all these events, on the Truth is My Sword tape.
On an historical day, September 13, 1978 in Minnesota, an impossible thing happened. Donald M. Fraser, congressman for 16 years, most senior legislator in a heavily Democratic state like Minnesota, lost in the primary election. He was defeated by 3,000 votes. If he had not been defeated in that campaign, today's Unification Church would have an entirely different status. He was very ambitious and was absolutely determined to go after Father. His intention was to summon Father to Congress to testify. But I desperately worked hard and blocked him. On September 13 he was defeated.
Ever since, the number 13 has become my lucky number. Wonderful things usually happen to me on the 13th day of a month. In hotels I prefer the 13th floor. At the sauna I get locker number 13. Americans don't like 13, but I say I have restored it as a heavenly number. That is the reason why I wrote thirteen commandments. Whether Michael Smith knows that or not, that is the background to 13. He read five today, but I have eight more. They are like my guiding light to be a model Unification Church member for the rest of my life.
It was a great sermon, wasn't it? Give him a big hand. I'm glad I gave him my two books so he could use them for this morning.
I'm very, very happy to have Rev. Lee here, and to see all of you so uplifted, bright, happy, energetic, ready to go. Like I said, Father is launching a second Inchon landing. Our first whirlwind, the IOWC and Father's speaking tour in 50 states, that was the first Inchon landing. This month, starting October 1, begins Father's second Inchon landing. I'd like you to be part of that landing and renew the spirit of America, not only Washington but all of America. You have a great leader like Rev. Yang, my comrade in arms, brilliant, energetic. Mrs. Erikawa is a Japanese lady commander-in-chief. When I was serving as national director in Japan, she was an amazing lady.
We have about 1,000 Japanese brothers and sisters here in America. They have become completely accustomed to American culture and English language. Blending together with the 4,000 and more coming from Japan as the first wave, I think you can really turn this country upside down and right-side up. That's your job.
God bless you all, your family, second generation children. Keep it up and I'll come back sooner to Washington. This is my home church. I laid the foundation of Washington church. This is where Father stayed for 30 days in one small church in 1965. Father never stayed in one church for 30 days at a time except the Seoul headquarters church. He worshiped with us in our center in Virginia, in the basement. Together with Father we worshiped for three months. That was the beginning point of Washington Church.
This is a wonderful church to come to, always my home. I'm always welcomed by you. It is my glorious honor. God bless you. Thank you.