The Funeral of Hong Halmonim - Rev. Moon's Mother In Law

Grandmother Hong Soon Ae was born on February 22, 1914 in Jung Joo, Pyung An Buk-Do, Korea. She was the first child of Hong Yu Il and Jo Won Mo. She had one younger brother. She graduated from An Ju elementary school and moved to Sung Ju. There while attending Pyung Yang Bible School she joined the Sung Ju church, in Chulsan, with the encouragement of her mother. On March 5, 1943 she married Han Soong Un, the son of Mr. Han Joong Gil and Mrs. Lee. The marriage and the birth of her daughter, she believed, was her religious vocation. After her marriage, she gave up everything in her life in order to prepare for the coming of the Lord of the Second Advent. On January 6, 1943, her only child, a daughter, Han Hak Ja was born, On January 14, 1951, she and her daughter escaped from communism in North Korea, by crossing the heavily guarded boarder into South Korea. In November 1955, through the elder Jung Suk Chun, she joined the Unification Church. She dedicated her life to teaching her daughter a life correct in God's eyes, mainly the life of loving God. She fiercely fought with Satan, spending her life in prayer for the sake of True Parents and the True Children in Korea and later in America. On November 3, 1989 at 9:53 p.m., at the age of seventy-six, she ascended while True Mother was with her.

Loving Father, today 1989, November 6, 10:40 A.M., I visited the resting place of the body of Grandmother Hong. Through Grandmother's ascension there becomes a heartistic bridge between Heaven and Earth. Father, may this bridge allow for Judaism, Christianity and Unificationism to be one in heart. I am so grateful to you, Father, that Hong Soon Ae could pass through the age of persecution and tribulation and be triumphant. She is an example to all women, as one who could successfully fulfill her mission and through her as a mother, the third era of history has been victorious. Again, I am so grateful for True Mother and how far she has been able to come. This victory was paved with the long years of dedication and effort of Grandmother and the Unification Church members. I hope that Heaven can accept this blessing of Grandmother's ascension. I hope that through this blessing, and that of Heung Jin, and the former President of the Unification Church, the 36 couples and all of the Blessed Families in the Spiritual World, the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Completed Testament can become one in heart.

Please accept, Father, that she, who has a physical relationship with the True Parents, may pave the road for all people to receive God's Blessings, from the lowest parts of hell and on every level. In order that all people born through fallen parents into the hell on earth may be blessed. Please recognize my visit here today, also I am grateful that Ye Jin, In Jin, Jin Sung, the True Children could be here today.

In the secular world this would be a sad day. But for us it is a day to celebrate Grandmother's ascension into heaven. The Unification Church will never shed sad tears on such an occasion, but yet we will feel grateful, and remember Grandmother's life here. Please recognize that we are celebrating together with representatives from Korea, Japan, Europe, America, and 127 mission countries; the hearts of all those that they represent are celebrating with us. Please accept this, Father. Please take care of her from now as she is leaving us. Please guide her so that she may fulfill True Parent's desire, which is to organize and claim the spiritual world. Please give her your love and your blessing. Hold her in your bosom, so that she may stay with you, in love, forever. Please guide us as we go through the procedure of this ascension ceremony. I ask this of you again, again, again.

In True Parent's Name, Amen, Amen, Amen

As we send off Grandmother, if I have any request of you, it is that you take time to reflect on her life and how she never changed the direction of her dedication to God; even though she had to give up her position as a mother and a wife. Please, during the 100 days, look inwardly to yourselves. If you have thought of yourself before thinking of Father, if you have thought of your sorrow before thinking of God's sorrow, then please cleanse your mind and body and purify yourselves. As a Heavenly rain washes the earth, cleanse yourself, and cut out the unwanted parts of yourself. Make this a time of transition. Please understand that my tears are not sorrowful. Grandmother will be so happy when she goes to the spiritual world. She will be able to travel between Heaven and Earth freely. She can assist True Family and all of you in your work.

Grandmother never compromised with anyone in dealing with matters of God and True Parent's will. For her there was only God. With that mind and heart she was able to give God such a brilliant daughter. I felt that Grandmother's life was truly, truly of pure faith. She was sick for the past 10 years and suffered greatly. Often she became so weak, but she would still try to get up out of her bed. she would try to stand and fall down and try again and fall again and continue like that. She had such a strong will. The reason she was desperate to get up was to clean the only thing she had in her bare room, her picture of True Parents. She kept no furniture or other pictures in her room. As I took care of her during the last 10 years of her sickness, people said that I took care of her will so that she could continue to live even though she was very sick. I feel, however, that her will power to serve True Parents kept her alive. Eating well, alone, doesn't keep one alive.

In the presence of True Mother, Grandmother felt the kind of uneasiness and deep respect that we all feel in front of True Parents; not relaxed, as a mother with her daughter. When she visited True Parents' house she felt so uneasy that she never spoke one word. I don't think you all will understand this about her. As soon as she would leave the house she would tell me all that she had wanted to say. Then, later, I would tell True Mother and True Mother would be very surprised. I felt that it would have been good if Grandmother spoke freely, but she didn't.

Usually I gave Grandmother a short bath in the mornings. On the day of her ascension I felt that I should wash her very well. So I warmed the room and washed her well. In the past 10 years of bathing Grandmother, this was the best bath that I ever gave her. I had wanted to prepare for her ascension but since I didn't feel she would go so soon I didn't prepare anything. Only last night she was well, but this morning her jaw was tightly shut. So I looked at her closely and felt that she looked very different and saw that she was having trouble breathing. I called True Mother and she came quickly so that they were together at Grandmother's last moment.

Grandmother Sleeps Softly
The rain falls from heaven as Grandmother sleeps yesterday and today, she looks as though she is in Heaven's land.
The pretty Grandma with the soft features is looking down from Heaven.
From the True Parents' eyes flows a rainbow of tears but the pretty Grandmother smiles
From Heaven tears are flowing down and Mother jumps into the fantasy to see Grandma.
Grandma has a silent smile while Mother is shedding tears of love.

We gather together to glorify Grandmother Hong Soon Ae's passing into Heaven. I'm so grateful all of you came here. The life of Hong Soon Ae was honorable as she accomplished much. I have absolute confidence that there are millions of people in the spirit world lined up to usher her in gloriously. At the same time I'd like to offer condolence. to True Parents, especially to True Mother, and the True Children as they send Grandmother off.

We face this time with both an emptiness as Grandmother leaves, and a mind of infinite honor and respect for her. Even though we are often very insensitive we could always feel that Grandmother was living a lonely life totally dedicated to God and to True Parents. We know what a life of suffering and pain she led.

Grandmother, we know you never had anyone with whom you could freely talk to and express yourself. How greatly you suffered in silenced. Father himself wanted to comfort her suffering path so he gave her the Chinese calligraphy saying "Loyal Mind and Dedicated Body". This was a great comfort to Grandmother.

Grandmother Hong was born on February 22, 1914 in Jung Joo, Pyung An Buk-Do. She was the first child of Hong You Il and Jo Won Mo, she had one younger brother. On May 5, 1934 she married Han Soong Un, the son of Mr. Han Jung Gil and Mrs Lee, after receiving revelation to do so. On January 6, 1943 she gave birth to her only child Han Hak Ja. She raised her daughter to love and respect God and taught her how to live as an excellent person. She suddenly passed away on November 3, 1989 at 9:53 P.M.

For seventy-six years, Grandmother won over all of the struggles and went to the spiritual world as a daughter of God. Grandmother fulfilled her responsibility through giving birth to True Parents who could fulfill the ideal world by planting God's lineage and love and cleansing this world's sinful history. Grandmother devoted her entire life to attending True Parents and sharing in their suffering. Grandmother chose to live that life in order that True Parents could be successful and victorious.

Grandmother, we can say, represented the position of four parents as one person. If Grandmother Hong didn't exist what would have happened? Grandmother Hong comforted the bad feelings Father had from missing his physical parents. No one else could fulfill that role. I find the correct value of Grandmother in comparing her to a Bible figure. In Catholicism the most glorious persons are Holy Mary and her Mother Anna. From the principle point of view they fulfilled their role of giving birth to Jesus, but they did not raise Jesus according to the will of God. Furthermore we know that they became obstacles to Jesus and eventually they were largely responsible for the events that led to his crucifixion.

Consider Grandmother Hong, she over came all the difficulties of giving birth to her daughter and dedicating her to God. She attended her daughter as True Parents and fulfilled all indemnity successfully. She ascended after she went through the Age of Liberation of the Birthright, Foundation Day, and the Age of the Heavenly Parents on Earth.

We should know that her value is many times greater than the combination of all the past Saints. She fulled the roles of Grandmother to the True Children. If there had not been this Grandmother who fulfilled her role, how could the True Children experience love of Grandparents? When we reflect on her life we see how she gave up her personal life and family life for God's will. When she was a Bible school student she joined the Sung Joo Church, which was absolutely dedicated to the preparation for the Second Coming of the Messiah. Her life was like the 5 brides in the Bible who prepared lanterns waiting for their grooms. Father prayed yesterday that as a physical relative of Father she may travel freely to mediate between the highest and the lowest parts of the spiritual world. Therefore she can happily join with God and Heung Jin Nim and she can make order in the spiritual world. Please, Grandmother, assist in True Parents will being fulfilled on earth. We all want to send you off with a joyful mind and we hope that your journey can be peaceful and that your will may be done.

Grandmother you did a great job! You accomplished a great deed for human salvation. I remember a time when you talked to us about your life. You said that as soon as Mother was born, Satan tried to kill her so you determined that you would raise her purely, and not in a secular way and then you would give her to God. You fulfilled that determination. Also you said that a month after Mother's birth the Lord appeared to you in a dream, He was in a white robe and came in on the clouds. The Lord said, "Soon Ae, you are worried about the baby, but you must not worry. This baby is the daughter of the Lord and you are her caretaker. Feed her your milk well, and raise her well." That also you fulfilled.

Mother is the bride of the Perfected Adam. Grandmother, you said you never felt that Mother was your daughter, you only felt yourself to be another member with strong faith. That is the reason True Mother is an exemplary person. Grandmother, you always asked other members to not treat you differently. Grandmother, you never wasted time during the past ten years of your sickness. Those ten years were filled with battles with Satan who tried to take dominion over True Parents.

Grandmother always wanted to accept all of the indemnity arrows which were directed at True Parents. At your final moment you prayed that you could pay indemnity for True Parents. I heard that you were always ready and had the mind of a front line soldier. You always slept on your side in a position from which, you thought, you could get up from quickly. For that reason one of your ears became flattened from your laying on it. In your eagerness you always slept in your clothes. Even in the hospital you refused to wear the hospital gown. Your actions were an example of God's tradition to us.

While Father was praying for you, you passed, this is a great blessing. Grandmother Hong Soon Ae, please take care of True Parents from Heaven. Please watch their victory from Heaven and please offer mansei to cheer them on.

Grandmother is the Flag bearer and warrior and pillar of faith who kept the tradition of the modern providence.
The providence which is centered on the country of the rising sun.
She is the owner of faith and the gate keeper of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth and the messenger to carry the Heavenly Seal.
We want to do our best to live according to your loyal and fruitful lifestyle.
You suffered greatly, from now on live with blessing while you attend God and True Parents.

Loving Father, Today, 1989, November 7, please accept this burial ceremony which is Grandmother's last day on earth. So many women have sacrificed themselves. Grandmother faced so many obstacles in her life as a representative of Heaven and Earth and she gave herself as a sacrifice. Father we know that while we suffered through the Japanese occupation of Korea and after our liberation, for the past forty years, the Unification church has been persecuted. Grandmother lived through all of these years devoted to raising and serving True Mother.

Father, watch this moment which is beyond imagination, as we close all of the chapters in the story of her life. The moment is sad, and comforting, and glorious as we want to make it one with God's will. I know that this daughter fills you with pride as she goes to Heaven to accomplish your will. I'd like to send this daughter to you as an example of motherly love, and daughterly love.

I am very proud of her accomplishments on earth. From your viewpoint what she did on earth was done in order to serve the whole of mankind. Please take care of her and let this echo your victory throughout Korea. I know that until her last moment she prayed for your victory, please accept this and liberate North Korea. Grandmother can visit her home town in North Korea and pray towards the south. She can be a mediator in heaven, please give your blessing to her. Through her victory on earth she can assist good ancestors that they may assist their descendants on earth. Please let her life be an example to our members and let blessing go to each one our members.

Grandmother Go In Peace
Grandmother Go In Peace
Grandmother Go In Peace