Book Fourteen - A Life Of True Filial Piety
Chapter Two - True Loyalty and Filial Piety
Section 1. True Loyalty and Filial Piety Means Taking Initiative in Difficulty

Those responsible people who are equal to the task of fulfilling the way of filial piety when they are in a difficult situation, rather than those who want to fulfill the way of filial piety in an easy situation, are the sons and daughters that we can say are truly walking along the path of filial piety. From this perspective, because God worries over global problems, then, if there is a person who wants to take responsibility for global problems, it goes without saying that this person can be recognized by God before any other race or anyone else in the world.

We can therefore conclude that a filial son or daughter is a person who, representing others, wants to bear responsibility for the wretched situation of his or her parents. The way of putting aside the good things, if there's something good, and always wanting to bear responsibility for the bad things, is the way a devoted child must go. (62-23, 1972.9.10)

It is not difficult to lead a life of filial piety in attendance to one's parents when those around you are doing so. But when many people are turning away from their parents and avoid choosing this way, should you stand in a position where you try to live for your parents even if it means giving up your precious life, then you will have fulfilled your filial duty transcending your circumstances. We know very well that in this situation you cannot help but achieve the position of children of filial piety. (42-182, 1971.3.7)

Relatively speaking, is a truly devoted son one who fulfills his filial duty when he is well-off or one who truly fulfills his filial duty even though he is poor? If you are brought up in a family in which you are only able to eat one meal a day, but you sell even your flesh and blood in order to let your mother and father eat three meals a day, is this being filial? Or is it being filial when you eat three meals a day, and there is so much left that you cannot finish it all, so that you give your parents the leftovers? Truly devoted children do not come from wealthy families. You must know this.

If your mother, father and younger sibling are starving, your mother will give her food to your younger sibling. Children who watch their mother all night feel this in their bones. They say to themselves, "Mom loves my sibling so much, and so I am going to do as she does and give even one more grain of rice to my sibling." Then when this child gives the mother that rice, the realm of filial piety, the environment of filial piety, is created. People who live only for themselves will be kicked out. From this point of view, a life of filial piety is a life lived for others. The way to become a truly devoted child requires that you have to live your life for others. Yet this does not mean that you live for others only under favorable circumstances. (286-282, 1997.8.13)

There is nothing we can boast about. All we have done is destroy God's sovereignty, citizenry and territory. Now is the time that you must change your heart to one which understands the heart of loyalty and filial piety; to the heart which understands how much you have violated God's sovereignty, territory and citizenry. You must return to the right way -- you who have betrayed heaven. You must have the clear conviction that, even in sadness and hardship, you will recover God's sovereignty, citizenry and territory for Him. You must eat, live and even die for this purpose alone.

Then what must you live for? You must be loyal and fulfill your filial duty toward the earth, your people, all humankind, and God's sovereignty. When you realize your failures, this is the time God can forget your disloyalty, filial impiety and betrayal. So you have to repent on behalf of the people, the nation and the sovereignty. The time when you repent before the Father is passing.

You must repent for the earth. Millions of believers are still waiting eagerly. We must repent for the recovery of God's land and sovereignty. You were chosen in order to recover God's people, territory and sovereignty. So, if you make a mistake, you will go the same way Adam and Eve went. If you do well, then you will be able to welcome the day of victory. (11-150, 1961.5.13)

Do not become like your ancestors throughout history and go to the spirit world with regret, saying, "Oh dear, what have I done?" In order to finish everything in our lifetime, and not leave such a legacy to our descendants, we have the responsibility to unite and become one, and, in fulfilling these things, make the foundation of loyalty and filial piety on the national level. You should know that this is the way that the Unification Church must go at this present time.

What a blessing it is to be in a position to become filial sons and daughters without being told what to do, to bear responsibility for taking revenge on the enemy Satan, and to indemnify everything yourselves without receiving God's directions or command!

I want to ask you, who know such things and care about your responsibility in this age and for this generation, to go forward to fight with a grateful heart for being in such a position, and from now on as you go forward, when you come across the question, "What shall I do?" do not give up until you can say, "I have become a patriot and a child of filial piety." Do not collapse, but absolutely win the victory and move forward. (153-110, 1963.10.24)