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The Tradition, Book One

Chung Hwan Kwak



Chapter 14
Holy Days and Holidays

Holy Days

Significance

In the Unification Church, we traditionally celebrate five major Holy Days each year -- God's Day, Parents Day, Children's Day, the Day of All Things, and True Parents' Birthday. God's Day is celebrated on the first day of the year according to the solar calendar. However, the other Holy Days are observed according to the lunar calendar.

The four main Holy Days (excluding the True Parents' birthday) commemorate the fulfillment of the absolute conditions that our True Parents had to establish. Victory on the national or worldwide levels is not strictly essential to the fulfillment of their mission, because the establishment of the one True Family was the most important victory for them to achieve. From that central family, many blessed families, blessed tribes, blessed countries and a blessed world can emerge. Based on these internal celebration days, a new world can take shape, and a new history can begin.

Further Reference. Although excerpts from certain speeches will be shared in this chapter, much more can be learned about each of the Holy Days and other holidays of the Unification Church directly from Father's speeches.

For further reference members may consult the following: "A Birthday Tribute," Today's World, March 1982; "Children's Day Speech," Today's World, November 1980; "Commemoration of Washington Monument," September 18, 1980, Today's World, December 1980; "The World Seung Hwa Ceremony of Heung Jin Moon," Today's World, January/February 1984; "The Day of the Love of God," Today's World, July 1984.

Internal Preparation

It is essential that the members prepare their hearts, minds and bodies before these major Holy Days, and that they try to develop a longing for them. Through this longing, a tradition for celebrating the Holy Days is formed, one that can be readily inherited by our descendants. The most important thing is to offer Heavenly Father and True Parents a heart of attendance on these days, and not just to receive the benefit of the day.

Father is quoted on this subject in The Way of God's Will.

We must look forward to an official holiday. Only by establishing a good tradition in this way can we have our offspring establish the same tradition of life. On official holidays we must share everything with one another and live joyfully while God rejoices. On these official holidays we must establish the law of Heaven by making our families loyal.

Suggestions for Internal Preparation. A minimum of three days of internal preparation is necessary before each Holy Day. For three days after the celebration, too, we should continue offering Heavenly

Therefore, we give our purity and humility to God a total of seven days surrounding and including the Holy Day.

It is recommended that members read the information contained in this book or in speeches given by True Father pertaining to the meaning of an upcoming Holy Day. Pray strongly on the days before a Holy Day, focusing mainly on connecting in heart to the meaning of the day. During these days, it is best to curb anger and not become too involved in secular matters. Focus on cultivating internal purity and holiness.

Time of Celebration Service

The True Parents and elder couples usually begin the morning celebration prayer service at 7:00 a.m. on each of the Holy Days, although on occasion it has been held earlier or later. If desired, check with international headquarters before each Holy Day for the time the celebration service of True Parents will begin.

Pledge. Blessed members may wish to offer Pledge at 5:00 a.m. on the Holy Days, even though the contents of My Pledge are recited as part of the morning celebration prayer service.

It is acceptable, however, for all members to gather and recite the Pledge only at the main ceremony which begins at 7:00 a.m.

Gifts Holy Day Donation. Money offered as a Holy Day Donation should be gathered (by center, department, or nation) and sent or given to the Holy Day committee, c/o international headquarters.

Refer to chapter 13, Tithing: Holy Day Donation, for further details and directions.

Gifts Honoring True Parents. Members from centers, departments or nations sometimes present gifts to the church in honor of True Parents. The gift itself is important, but it is most essential that the motivation and heart of the giver be pure. It is also a good idea to send a greeting card to the True Parents (as a blessed family, center, department or nation), even if members cannot afford to send a gift.

In order to feel and receive the hearts of the members, Father usually does not open gifts or cards immediately, but rather waits several days before praying and opening them.

Gifts to National, Regional, or Center Leader. Members may wish to donate a certain amount of money or give a joint gift and greeting card to the national, regional, or center leader(s).

Gifts Among Members. Members may desire to give gifts and cards to each other on Holy Days (e.g., spiritual parents and children, close friends).

Format of True Parents' Holy Day Celebrations

Main Celebration Service. The True Parents have traditionally held a main celebration prayer service with the elder couples and other representative blessed couples. Attendance at this service is by invitation. For this occasion, everyone who attends wears white Holy Robes, white clothing under the robes, and white gloves, socks and undergarments. (Refer to chapter 18, Holy Robes: Standard of Holy Robes for details.)

Significance. We must remember how hard our True Parents worked and sacrificed in order to establish each of the Holy Days and in so doing keep a joyful, thankful mind. We should keep in mind the historical value of each Holy Day ceremony, especially when attending a celebration with True Parents. We should even feel that our bodies become historical when we attend the ceremony with them and understand how precious and valuable such an opportunity is.

Location of Holy Day Celebration Service. The celebration with the True Parents is always held in a room specifically prepared and decorated according to the particular theme of the Holy Day. The

celebration is held in a room other than the main hall in which the general membership gathers for prayer.

Offering Table. The offering table is placed on the left side of the room (see picture 14.1) and comprised of a providentially significant number of different kinds of foods, ranging from fresh fruits to candies, nuts, and cookies, as well as a celebration cake and traditional Korean rice cakes.

Required Articles. A white or light-colored cloth should cover the entire table and reach the floor. There are often seven but sometimes twelve Shimjung Candles in a candelabra on the right side of the offering table (although on occasion one or two in individual candle holders have been used).

If the cake is extraordinarily large, it may be placed on a separate table in front of the offering table. However, it is usually placed on one side of the offering table (refer to diagram 14.2), while the candles are placed on the opposite side. A sword should be placed near the cake and matches placed near the candles.

Meal for True Parents. A Korean meal of meat, fish, Korean vegetables, rice, soup, tempura, etc. should be prepared for True Parents and placed on the offering table according to picture 14.1. Two complete place settings should be placed on the table as well as glasses of water, sets of chopsticks, spoons and napkins. On the True Parents' birthday (other Holy Days as well, if desired), one dish that might be prepared is soup with noodles, which symbolizes long life.

A plate of cooked meat (such as bul gogi should be placed on the table. Two chickens should be cooked and set on a bed of leafy lettuce. A blue ribbon should be placed around the neck of one of the birds and a pink ribbon placed around the neck of the other bird. Paper crowns of either blue or pink should be placed on their heads. The chickens are positioned according to picture 14.1. A platter of three whole cooked fish (one stacked on top of the other two) should also be prepared and placed according to the diagram.

Diagram 14.2 shows a sample of the necessary types of foods to purchase (although fruits and other foods may be substituted according to the season or availability), as well as their correct placement on an offering table for the True Parents or True Family.

Fruit. There should be 21 kinds of fresh fruit. Most formations of fruit should be stacked 21 inches high. If the fruit is placed on dishes or pots, measure from the bottom layer of fruit. Some of the larger fruits may be placed on the floor directly below the offering

Figure 14-0

Figure 14-1

14.1 Holy Day offering table for True Parents

Figure 14-2 (Contained in the file TT1-1402.PCX)

14.2. Recommendations for set up of True Parents' offering table

table itself. The formations of watermelons, honeydew melons, etc., do not have to be 21 inches in height. It is important to use providentially significant numbers of these items.

Other foods. Also to be stacked 21 inches high are seven kinds of cookies and one stack each of the following: crackers, boxes of raisins, packages of gum and mints, and candies (in packages placed in plastic bags). One or two stacks of dried fruit (as well as a fruit such as strawberries) do not have to be stacked 21 inches high, but these particular foods should be of equal height. Both shelled and unshelled nuts should be placed in plastic bags. Two stacks of the shelled and one of the unshelled nuts should be the same height as the dried fruit.

Stacking the foods. The person(s) chosen to prepare the offering table should be artistic in the placement of all foods. For ease of stacking, cookies, packages of gum and mints, candies, dried fruits, etc., can be lightly stuck together with a glue made of flour. Fruits may be wired together horizontally (using a heavy tape if necessary),

and the stacks simply piled on top of one another. Bows with ribbons hanging down (refer to picture 14.1) should top each stack of food.

Flowers. Several bouquets of flowers should be placed on the ground level in front of the offering table.

Note. Offering tables used on the family, center, state or national level should not be this elaborate. Refer to diagram 14.3 and Recommendations for Holy Day Celebrations Held on the Center, Department, State, and National Levels for details of making such an offering table.

Celebration Prayer Service.

Entrance of the True Family. Shortly before the start of the ceremony, True Parents enter the room and check the offering table; True Father lights the candles. Many times True Mother assists him.

The True Children enter, offer a bow to the waist, and follow True Parents to the offering table. At this point, all other blessed couples participating in the ceremony wait outside the room.

Ceremony Format. Before True Father and True Mother stand and offer a preparatory prayer, the True Children line up (one step behind them), boys on the right side and girls on the left (facing the altar).

True Father and True Mother offer one full bow (representing the traditional three bows) to the position of the True Parents. True Father walks to his chair behind the offering table and sits down. True Mother offers one full bow to True Father, rises and sits beside him in her chair. (Author's Note: I believe that the traditional bow True Mother offers to True Father will not continue beyond a certain period of time.)

As a group the True Children bow once to the True Parents. The boys then sit on the right side and the girls on the left behind the offering table.

Entrance of the couples. The Master of Ceremonies directs the blessed couples to enter the room according to the order of Blessings. Each group that enters offers one full bow. In the early times in Korea, this traditionally was done in trinities according to Blessing order. However, in the United States, all Korean, Japanese and Western couples enter according to Blessing order and bow.

After the bow, men stand on the right side of the room and women on the left.

Representatives bow. Each Holy Day, several Blessed members chosen by the Master of Ceremonies to represent various positions according to the following order bow next: One member representing each of the four major dispensational nations: Korea, Japan, U.S.A. and Germany One representative for each of the six major continents One representative for each of the four major religions One member representing all of the 133 nations of the world in which we have church missions Three members representing the communist world Three members representing the spiritual world

These are not rigid categories; sometimes another category is added, such as on the True Parents' birthday. Two representatives of the True Parents' relatives are invited to attend this Holy Day.

Sometimes a representative offers a congratulatory poem; on occasion, important individual nations are also represented.

Recitation of My Pledge. After offering their bows, all participants stand and remain standing. After all representatives have bowed, everyone lines up according to Blessing order. True Parents and the True Children stand.

The Master of Ceremonies leads the recitation of the fifth point of My Pledge in Korean, representing the entire Pledge.

Benediction

The True Parents give the Benediction.

Closing. Our True Parents then cut the celebration cake together by using a special sword. Three cheers of Mansei are offered, usually by the Master of Ceremonies or a representative.

Sharing offering table food. After everyone sits down, our True Parents sample a bit of the food (e.g., soup or rice from the special meal), as well as rice cakes from the offering table. They serve food (generally rice cakes) to each True Child.

True Parents and True Children then pass food (usually rice cakes or fruit) to everyone in attendance.

After this service, each participant is able to take (an) additional item(s) from the offering table.

All foods on the offering table (including the celebration cake) are later divided and sent to (major) leaders to distribute among their members.

Speech. In Korea True Father always took this occasion to give speeches, or he (or another person) briefly reported on certain activities. In the United States he sometimes follows this tradition; however, usually the speeches or announcements are not lengthy as Father delivers a main Holy Day sermon (to the general membership) directly afterwards.

Recommendations for Holy Day Celebrations Held on the Center/Departmental/State/or National Level

External Preparation. It does not matter how simple or elaborate we make the Holy Day celebration. Everything possible should be done to create a beautiful and holy atmosphere. Decorating is not as important as cleaning the home or center.

Offering Table.

Significance.

The quantity of food is not significant. The heart and motivation invested is most important. Any Holy Day offering table should be assembled with a great deal of prayer.

A Holy Day offering table represents all things we share with a heart of attendance to God and True Parents on this glorious occasion.

Required articles.

If possible, a white cloth should be used on the offering table and one, two or seven Shimjung Candles placed on the offering table according to diagram 14.3. (If two Shimjung Candles are used, they may be placed on both sides of the offering table, i.e., on either side of the True Parents' picture.) The candles should be

Figure 14-3

14.3 Recommendations for set up of Holy Day offering table

new for each Holy Day; multiply them beforehand. (Refer to chapter 15, Shimjung Candles: Multiplying Shimjung Candles and Matches.)

If possible, cushions or chairs are placed behind the offering table (see diagram 14.3). No one should occupy the cushions or chairs during the Holy Day celebration; they are placed to honor our True Parents.

According to convenience, a picture of the True Parents or True Family should either be hung on the wall directly in back of the cushions or chairs or on the offering table in front of the meal prepared for True Parents (soup, rice, etc.). (Refer to diagram 14.3.)

Day of All Things offering table.

In Korea, the offering table prepared for the Day of All Things represents the harvest. A providentially significant number (usually 21) of different items such as corn, rice, barley, wheat, etc. are offered (only on the Day of All Things) in addition to the regular foods on the offering table.

If following this tradition, each of these items is put into a clean white bag and then placed on the back of (or behind) the offering table. Amount of offering table foods. Although basic guidelines for the types of food are shown in diagram 14.3, the amount of food placed on a Holy Day offering table may be a total of three or more (choose a providentially significant number) separate kinds of foods.

The height of the formation and/or the number of each kind of fruit, cookies, etc., should be a providentially significant number. The offering table represents all things; it is up to the individual center or family to decide how many of each kind of food is prepared.

Dishes.

If possible, dishes used in the preparation of the offering table should be kept separately and used each Holy Day.

Cake. It is suggested that a cake be made or purchased which can then be shared by all those who attend the Holy Day celebration. The cake is placed on the left side of the offering table (facing the offering table). (Refer to diagram 14.3).

Meal prepared for True Parents. Although it does not need to be elaborate, a meal should be prepared in honor of True Parents and placed on the offering table (refer to diagram 14.3). Chopsticks, water, etc., should also be set out.

Use of offering table foods. The meal prepared in honor of the True Parents should be consumed. Members may take foods from the offering table to eat as well. Fruits may also be used either in the Holy Day meal itself or other meals.

Entertainment or Outing. Some type of entertainment or outing should be planned when possible. It is a time when members have the chance to share with each other. Testimonies might be given. An extemporaneous speaking contest, a lecture contest, or a music competition are other possibilities. Family sports, evening performances, games (such as the traditional Korean game, yute), are other options.

It is not necessary to restrict a Holy Day celebration to the center; perhaps an outing (picnic, cookout, sightseeing trip, movie, etc.) could be planned as part of the day's activities.

What we do to celebrate is not important; we should be most conscious of inviting Heavenly Father and True Parents to participate in the celebration.

Decorations.

Decorations such as crepe paper streamers, balloons, or flowers can be placed in the room holding the main celebration service, if possible against a painted backdrop complementing the meaning of the day.

Banner.

In a national headquarters or large center, members may wish to paint a banner with such information as: (HAPPY) (NAME OF HOLY DAY, DATE, YEAR, NAME OF THE CITY, REGION, NATION).

Grooming and Dress Code.

Blessed members may wear their Holy Robes to attend a 5:00 a.m. Pledge service (if held). Blessed members celebrating in their homes or gathering with other blessed members in a center may also choose to wear Holy Robes for the prayer service held at 7:00 a.m.

All members should bathe and, if they are not wearing Holy Robes, they should wear their best clothing to the prayer service.

Format for Holy Day Celebration Service.

Blessed members should enter the service area according to Blessing order, if possible.

My Pledge (in its entirety) should be recited. If possible, recite at least point five of My Pledge in Korean as well.

One person should offer a representative prayer (usually the leader or an elder couple).

If the main celebration service will be held later in the morning/day, unison prayer and a closing song may follow.

The main celebration message may be delivered as part of this service or in the evening, depending on the circumstances.

Celebration Meal.

If possible, one special celebration meal should be planned. It may be served at any of the mealtimes, as desired. Special refreshments may also be shared at some time during the day.

If a cake is prepared, it should be cut and distributed to all those in attendance. Blessed Family Celebration. Guidance and education. If blessed families are celebrating Holy Days on the family level, it is advisable to use such opportunities to guide children by explaining the history of our church, Father's testimony, a personal testimony, and the like. Children's participation. Educate and encourage children to look forward to our Holy Days more than secular holidays. Even before the Holy Day, explain its meaning to them. Let them help in the preparations so they will feel it is truly a family event. Ceremony format. Follow the basic ceremony format given in Format for Holy Day Celebration Service. The Pledge of the Families may be said before My Pledge is recited. Gifts. If possible, give children a gift each Holy Day.

In The Way of God's Will, Father stressed the importance of establishing the Holy Days on the family level.

Each family must establish its own "Parents Day," "Children's Day," "Day of All Things, and "God's Day."

Prior to appearing at official meetings, we must go through the ceremonies in our own families of having become children of filial piety, loyal subjects and people of fidelity. Through these ceremonies God, True Parents, ourselves and all things become directly connected.

God's Day Midnight Ceremony Prayer Service.

Whether celebrating individually, as a blessed couple, blessed family, department, local church, or on the state, national or international level, all members should assemble December 31st for a prayer service to begin exactly at 12:00 midnight, January 1st. Significance. Father himself has established this pattern, praying in pledge to Heaven to fulfill his mission during the coming year. Father also proclaims a motto each year after he finishes the prayer; generally he also gives a talk.

Although it would be appropriate to do so, members not celebrating God's Day with True Parents do not need to read or give a speech at midnight.

Motto.

Each God's Day at midnight True Father proclaims a motto which he then paints with a brush in black ink on a large white banner.

If possible, each national headquarters should try to learn (and in turn inform all other centers of) the motto before its Holy Day celebration service and focus the God's Day sermon on that topic.

Significance of Each Holy Day

Parents Day

For 6,000 years God had been seeking the heavenly family and the restored foundation of His love on earth. The establishment of Parents Day signified that God had finally established His first son and daughter as the True Parents of humankind. Fallen humanity should rejoice because through the establishment of Parents Day it is finally possible for humanity to attend the True Parents.

Father is the first person in history ever able to proclaim Parents Day. Based on the victory of installing Parents Day, Father and Mother were able to build on earth the eternal family unit.

Imagine, if you will, the whole earth covered with water, water often being used as a symbol of fallen humankind. Thousands of years ago, one rock (representing the sacrifice of saints and righteous people) was laid in the ocean depths. Far down on the ocean floor, one rock was piled upon another, slowly and painfully building the providence of restoration. From the surface, nothing was apparent. In the course of 6,000 years, more rocks were gradually added to the pile. Finally, in 1960, the first glimpse of this massive labor of restoration emerged.

Parents Day, established March 1, 1960 (according to the lunar calendar), signifies the origin or source of life for all humankind and the root of our tradition in the sense that we receive life from our parents. People use the same language as their parents and follow their parents' cultural mores, as well as learn and inherit their tradition.

The only way fallen people can be restored is through True Parents. We must return to God. In this sense, restoration is the hope of all humanity.

Through the restoration process, human beings can climb from the position of God's enemy, through the stages of servant of servant, servant, adopted son or daughter, and stepson or stepdaughter, to finally become true sons or daughters of God, receive God's grace, and eventually become true parents. True Father himself went

through such a hard personal indemnity (tang gam) course. On this foundation, he could establish Parents Day.

Father spoke on Parents Day 1980 about the necessity of following the True Parents' tradition in "The Completion of the Providence and Parents Day," printed in Today's World, June-July 1980.

The True Parents set the tradition, and now you are to follow and set the same tradition and standard on your own. Then you shall be at the same level as True Parents in God's sight. This next seven years is the time for you to demonstrate what you are and what you can do. I cut all the satanic ties and overcame this world, returning to the beginning point and setting the pattern of the heavenly four position foundation. Now you are taking over and it is your turn to build up your own tribe, nation and world. You inherit my tradition now and make it your tradition. Erect your own family, tribe, nation and world tradition.

An excerpt from the speech "True Ownership" given by Father on June 11, 1963, on The Day of All Things was published in Today's World, July 1983:

Parents Day has this significance: Parents Day is the first time since God created all things and humankind that there is one balanced man, one balanced woman, balanced in love, to whom God can descend and with whom He can truly be. For the first time in human history this original state of matrimony, the original trinity, has come into existence upon the earth. To find this perfect man and woman is the beginning of all of God's ideals, and God can descend to them. Now here are the True Parents who love according to how God wants them to love. They bring God's love. With this advance of God's right love, those who choose to follow the True Man and True Woman, discarding everything else, must be taken by God because they come to belong to this new state of correct love. Since this is the original realm of love which is very principled, not even Satan can interfere. No matter who the children may be, Satan can never claim them back again as long as they choose True Parents, because God has that power.

In "Parents Day and This Age," given April 5, 1981, Father spoke about the importance of this Holy Day. Today is the 22nd Parents Day. Parents Day was established on April 10, 1960 (author's note: according to the solar calendar). After that came Children's Day, Day of All Things and God's Day. According to the Principle, if Adam and Eve had not fallen, centering on Parents Day and Children's Day, the Day of All Things and God's Day would have all come into being at the same time. Then, of course, the history of restoration would not have been necessary. As a result of the fall, children have no connection with parents, and the things of creation

have no connection with either parents or children or God. Certainly, no true parents have been found in the world.

Salvation actually means saving the four heavenly days also. They should have no origin other than God. The first Parents Day marks the beginning of the transition from the old world to a new world. This transition is not a concept; in the 21 years since the first Parents Day, the world has really changed in dramatic ways. There has been no comparable period in all history, and now the completion of that transition is inevitable.

Children's Day

On October 1, 1960 (lunar calendar), Father established Children's Day. The True Parents' Holy Blessing was an event which opened up the gate for resurrection of all people in the spirit world and on earth We who have found the gate, who have located the True Parents here on earth, are fortunate people indeed.

On the foundation of Parents Day, God and True Parents established Children's Day. It signifies that God and True Parents had their own true children and on this basis, all humanity has the potential to become engrafted to the True Family.

True Parents stand spiritually as the source of life. The world will be reorganized into God's lineage by being grafted into the True Father and True Mother and True Children of this universe. The establishment of the True Family was the prerequisite for the establishment of Children's Day. Before anyone can declare them self to be a true child, they need the assent of three persons -- God, True Father, and True Mother. To become true children, one must become engrafted to the True Parents.

After the establishment of Parents' Day in 1960, April 17 was pro- claimed as the Day of the Resurrection of Shimjung, (see this chapter), signifying that a fallen person can comfort the heart of God by becoming His son or daughter. True Father established Children's Day on this basis. On the foundation of Children's Day, all humankind can make an eternal relationship with True Parents.

The day we make our covenant with God is Children's Day.

The excerpt which follows is from the Day of All Things speech given by Father on June 11, 1983, entitled "True Ownership," which was printed in the July 1983 issue of Today's World.

Children's Day is the day of declaration on the part of children. Unless this declaration exists, there is no way to enter the realm of True Children. They all belong to Satan; he possesses all things. Ever since

man fell, all things have been occupied by the false owner. Therefore, we need a day through which all things will find their way to true ownership again. All things naturally want to belong to a righteous owner.

Below, Father is quoted on the significance of Children's Day from his speech given on November 5, 1983. The speech was printed in the December 1983 issue of Today's World.

Today is Children's Day, but what kind of children are we talking about? We are talking about true children. Are you true children? True children must be born in the realm of God's love, grow up there and marry there, becoming perfected children of God. You have already been born and you are a reality on this earth; since you cannot ever go back and be physically born again, we must create a way to achieve the same goal. The Unification Church follows the process of indemnity. The True Father and Mother have given physical birth to thirteen children. While those children were growing within their mother's womb, the members of the Unification Church took the position of spiritual twins. Although they could not actually be inside the mother's womb, they could feel that they were a twin to those True Children. To the Western world such a concept is difficult to accept, but it is feasible to Orientals.

The true celebration of Children's Day is to rededicate ourselves to this common purpose and age-old goal. Beyond race and creed, we want to bring together as many children as possible who can accept True Parents. We are proud to be here to celebrate on Children's Day and proud to pledge ourselves to this common goal.

Day of All Things

God created all things for the human environment even before He created man and woman. Yet after the fall, humans had to be restored before all things. Therefore, until the establishment of both Parents Day and Children's Day, Heavenly Father's restoration process could not include the environment. However, on the victorious foundation of True Parents' establishment of Parents Day and Children's Day, they were able to begin restoration of the environment and established The Day of All Things on May 1, 1963 (lunar calendar).

Romans 8:19-23 explains:

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but

we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for the adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

The desire of all things is to see the day when we can receive the true love of God through human beings. All things of the creation are looking forward to the fulfillment of the three basic loves: the love of God, the parental love from true parents, and the love of the children who receive this perfect love of God and parents.

Because of this day, the entire cosmos has become harmonized: God, humanity, and all things. All things can find their real owner and all humankind can give glory to God because we have the freedom to embrace and love all things. Following our Father's example we should fulfill our position as God's representatives and children and truly love all things.

Excerpted below is The Day of All Things speech, "True Ownership," given by Father on June 11, 1983. It appeared in the July 1983 Today's World.

In order to restore things from false to true ownership, we have been doing fund raising in which we invest all our heart and love. By Principle, we helped all things be restored into the realm of true love. So, after Parents Day and Children's Day could be announced, the Day of All Things could be proclaimed.

As we know from the book of Romans, all things are in lamentation, sighing that they are in the hands of the wrong ownership. So for ownership to come into the hands of God or the country of God's dominion, it has to become dominated by true love. True love is what all things want. They are really disappointed and sighing because they are the prisoner and slave of unrighteous ownership. In order for them to go back to the true love dominion -- to the godly nation, tribe, clan, and ultimately to the godly parents and children -- the only way is for all things to be returned to the ownership of God.

God's Day

Because of the fall, human beings could not realize God's three blessings. Humankind also could not realize the perfection and ideal of the individual, couple, parents, children, and ownership; True Parents restored all this. On the foundation of Parents Day, Children's Day, and The Day of All Things, True Parents established God's Day on January 1, 1968. If Adam and Eve had achieved perfection, they would have received God's Blessing. That day would have been a joyful day for God; it would have been God's Day. God had been longing for His own sons and daughters, and God's Day became a day

of exultation, because He could rejoice at having found His son and daughter.

If they had achieved the position of perfected true parents, Adam and Eve would have established Parents Day. That day would also have been the first Children's Day. Perfected Adam and Eve would have been true owners, as well, and could have proclaimed The Day of All Things. In this sense, their Blessing day would have been a combination of God's Day, Parents' Day, Children's Day, and The Day of All Things. In restoration, however, the four days had to be established one by one, ending with God's Day.

Each country has its own holidays. For example, in the West many days such as Father's Day and Mother's Day are celebrated. Yet no one had ever proclaimed or celebrated a day for God. Religious leaders have made many proclamations, but none mentioned this obvious omission, which should be the most important holiday -- God's Day.

In the God's Day 1980 Midnight Speech, "Home Church Is the Base of the Kingdom of Heaven," Father spoke about the significance of God's Day.

As you know, the human fall came in the perfection level of the growth stage. Therefore the seven years Mother and I went through together was the period to cross the growth stage to the perfection stage, the period in which I would restore and install Parents Day, Children's Day, and the Day of All Things.

Father is quoted below on the subject of God's Day from his untitled God's Day morning speech given January 1, 1984.

The citizenship of this new nation will come from the youth of the. whole world. True Father has called young people from all over the world and blessed them as the new breed, so that they can inherit a new blood lineage, the lineage of Heaven. They will become new men and women, new couples and then citizens of this new nation. So far we have God on the level of the individual, family, and tribe. Thus we can celebrate God's Day on the individual, family, and tribal level. But we must be able to celebrate a national and worldwide God's Day! That is the goal we are marching toward. Amen!

In the untitled God's Day morning speech given January 1, 1983, Father expressed more thoughts about God's Day.

What kind of day is God's Day? For God, it is a joyful day and a good day. He wants to encounter good people on this day. He wants to bless you and celebrate this day with you, but actually, He has no one qualified to receive that blessing. All around the world people are celebrating this first day of the year, but only members of the Unification

Church celebrate it as God's Day. Therefore, God wants to be with you this day. We must celebrate God's Day with a solid content. Never before has God had the chance to fully manifest His love throughout history. God's Day gives Him the opportunity to show His love to His children. God has been suffering for so long, awaiting this opportunity. Love, which was supposed to be God's property, was stained and stolen by Satan; ever since, it has been misused and perverted by Satan for his own purposes. God has been desperately seeking the day when that love would be purified and returned to Him. Finally, that moment of restoration has come.

In order to make an offering, you need an altar. People frequently fluctuate in spirit, sometimes up, sometimes down. But once an offering is placed upon the altar, it remains there forever. So you must have some offering in order to be really acceptable to God. The offering will have value according to the depth of heart and soul you invest in it; only in that way can God acknowledge your sincerity and integrity, and accept your offering. Long in advance, you must begin to prepare for each new God's Day, planning what to offer from the depths of your heart. In this Completed Testament era, you make offerings which combine all three levels. Your material gift is offered as the fulfillment of the Old Testament era; your spiritual children consummate the New Testament era; and when you offer yourselves in the parental position, representing the Completed Testament era, your offering becomes complete. Your children make a better offering than things; but you yourselves are the best offering. An offering is not limited to the time in which it is made. It becomes the gift of all things of creation, the gift of the children, and the gift of one's self.

Before you come to God's Day, repent of all your ungodliness and sweep it away. If you have had quarrels in your family, cleanse them and create harmony, before attending the celebration. You should be able to offer your children; if they are not worthy, they cannot come to celebrate God's Day. The Bible teaches that before a person makes an offering before God, he or she must first go and settle differences with others; otherwise he or she is unworthy of making an offering.

Father spoke about what the original God's Day could have been like in his speech, "Concerning the Significance of Four Major Ceremonies," given on January 1, 1973.

But for the human fall, if Adam and Eve had been perfected without having anything to do with the fall or sin, the day they reached their maturity would have been the day of utmost joy, both for God and men. On that happiest day of their lives, God could have blessed them in matrimony. That day could have been the commencement of a

beautiful family life. In that case, their family would have represented all future families of the earth, as a triumphant one composed of two opposite sexes, matured to perfection. So that day could have been the day of joy for God and for all the creation. This could have been God's Day. God would have been overjoyed at the matrimony, and all together, the archangels could have been joyful too. All creatures, centered on God, could have enjoyed all the happiness there. This could have been God's Day, on which God would have been delightfully happy. It is because on the day they would have been blessed in holy matrimony, our first human ancestors could have played the role of True Parents to later humankind. God could have been proud of His children in that position; and the whole creation could have accepted and welcomed the men and women of perfection to take dominion over it. According to the Principle of Creation, that day could have simultaneously become God's Day, Children's Day, and the Day of All Things.

True Parents' Birthday

The True Parents celebrate their mutual birthday, January 6, according to the lunar calendar. It is considered one of the five major Holy Days celebrated by our church worldwide.

Holidays of the Unification Church

In addition to the official Holy Days, church members should observe several other landmark days.

Celebrations

A commemorative prayer service should be held on each of the following days, all observed according to the solar calendar.

Landmark Days

January 3 Day of Victory of Love May 1 Establishment of HSA-UWC May 20 Day of the Love of God September 18 Foundation Day October 4 Day of the Victory of Heaven

Pledge may be recited as part of the service, but it is not mandatory. If possible, a later morning or (early) evening service should be held, including a speech or sermon explaining the significance of the day.

Small offering tables may be made; a modest celebration meal, some type of entertainment, or an outing may be planned. However, generally these days are noted with less elaborate celebrations.

National Church Anniversary.

The day the church was established in each particular country should also be celebrated by the members working there.

Christmas.

We celebrate Christmas on the same day as most Christians, December 25, even though this is not the actual date of Jesus' birth.

Non-religious Holidays.

The observation of secular holidays, patriotic national holidays, Thanksgiving, etc., is a matter of choice.

Significance of Each Holiday

Anniversary of the Establishment of HSA-UWC in Korea

On May 1, 1954, Father, with several early followers, established the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (HSA-UWC) in Seoul at 391 Puk hak dong, Sung dong ku.

An article by Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak entitled "A Meaningful 30 Years," from Today's World, May 1984, explains the significance of the founding of our movement.

The Unification movement was established not by Father but by God Himself, to liberate God's agony and to fulfill His purpose of creation on earth and in spirit world. The Unification movement has a threefold purpose: to restore the past, solve the problems of the present, and establish the ideal world. We must embrace Christianity, Judaism, all other religions and all ideologies. We must take on the responsibility to restore all past events, and solve present world problems by laying indemnity (tang gam) conditions.

Father did not establish a church or a denomination. He started a movement. Originally God did not expect a denomination or a church to emerge from Father's work. Thus the original name of our movement is the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity.

The June 1984 Today's World printed the partial text of "Entering into the True Unification Era," a message given on May 1, 1984, by Father, commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of HSA-UWC. Excerpts from that speech follow.

I want you to understand that I was supposed to have united the Christians of Korea by the time I was thirty years old. Thus the national level of unity would have been established by then. However, because

of the opposition and resistance of Korean Christianity, that was not possible. Today we are celebrating the day that the Unification Church reaches the age of thirty. After reaching this age, we shall establish the worldwide foundation.

Today on this thirtieth anniversary of the Unification Church, we are entering into the true unification era. So far, we have been in the era of persecution. From this time on, we will experience what it would have been like if Jesus had been totally welcomed and accepted by the Israelites. By the same token, the acceptance of the Unification Church by the world will begin from this day forward. This is the turning point and beginning of the new era of unification.

The Day of Resurrection of Shimjung and the Day of Resurrection of Substance

In the history of our church there are two important ceremonies which may not be so well known to Western members. One is the Resurrection of Shimjung and the other is the Resurrection of Substance.

It is not necessary to hold a commemorative service on April 17. It is important, however, to understand the internal significance of these days for our lives of faith. Just after Parents Day was established in 1960, True Parents proclaimed the Resurrection of Shimjung on April 17. This is an extremely significant day for us. It was the day on which all Unification Church members who had accepted True Parents inherited the potential to be restored as sons and daughters of the True Parents on the shimjung level. "If you believe in me," Father told-us that day, "spiritually you become my sons and daughters on the shimjung level."

Although members may not be aware of it at the time, they generally pass through the stage of Resurrection of Shimjung before the Blessing. All of us must begin life again through True Parents who are the source of our life. We have been living a false life; therefore, before we enter True Parents' womb, we must relate to them with absolute love, not through a ceremony or external ritual.

How is it possible to become a child of the True Parents? The first stage of developing our relationship with True Parents is to align our hearts with theirs. A foundation for True Parents on the earth has already been established; therefore, all people have the hope of participating in resurrection. Since the Day of the Resurrection of Shimjung, if a member does his or her absolute best, loving and completely uniting with the True Parents in heart, he or she can build a relationship of love with them, as their child.

All Unification Church members benefit from the proclamation of the Day of the Resurrection of Shimjung whether or not they recognize it. After the matching and engagement, we substantially enter the position of adopted child and are (symbolically) in the womb of True Mother. People pass through the stage of Resurrection of Substance as they naturally become closer to True Parents in heart.

After the Resurrection of Shimjung, True Mother became pregnant with Ye Jin Nim. Through the grace of the True Children each of us can in heart enter True Mother's womb, i.e., the Resurrection of Substance. Under this condition, we can resurrect substantially through the change of blood lineage at our Blessing ceremony. Our personal resurrection is completed through the Blessing on the foundation of the True Parents' substantial resurrection proclamation.

On April 17, 1961, Father proclaimed the Day of Resurrection of Substance. "If you obey Principle," he promised us that day, "you become my true Cain-type sons and daughters." This means True Parents become our true olive tree and we can engraft ourselves to them.

The 36 Couple Blessing was held on May 15, 1961, directly following the proclamation of the Day of Resurrection of Substance.

Foundation Day

Two important dates in the establishment of our worldwide foundation were September 18, 1974, and September 18, 1976 -- the days we held the Madison Square Garden and Washington Monument rallies, respectively. June 1, 1976, witnessed the rally at Yankee Stadium. We do not celebrate the anniversaries of these landmark days separately. True Father proclaimed September 18 as "Foundation Day" and announced that members should hold a special commemorative service on that day, marking the victories of all three days.

In a speech printed in the December 1980 issue of Today's World entitled "Commemoration of Washington Monument Rally," Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak explains the significance of this day.

How could the Washington Monument rally connect to the worldwide level indemnity (tang gam) condition? First of all, from the viewpoint of God's dispensation, America has been prepared by God as the country which represents the entire world at the time of the Second Coming. Secondly, the bicentennial movement in America forgot to mention God's ideal and true purpose. However, in the midst of such circumstances, our True Parents were able to organize and hold a meeting of

worldwide representatives. Centering on God, our meeting had the theme "God Bless America": therefore, it had special significance among all the bicentennial meetings. In 1976, America celebrated her 200th anniversary as a nation.

These 200 years came symbolically at the end of the 2,000 years of Christian history. The year 1976 is symbolically important in God's dispensation not only because it was a culminating point of the 2,000 years of Christian history and the 200 years of American history, but also because True Father was able to shorten his first 21 year course that same year. As we remember, True Father proclaimed Year One beginning in February of 1977 and was able to shorten the last seven year course. That is the meaning of this moment in God's providential history.

After the victory of Washington Monument, anyone who believes in True Parents -- no matter what their nationality -- is able to stand on the eternal foundation of victory.

Secondly, from that point, Satan's destiny declined and Heavenly Father's destiny increased. There is one thing I want to remind you of concerning Heavenly Father's destiny. In the viewpoint of the dispensation, God's power and influence may be increasing while Satan's may be decreasing, but don't wait and hope for miracles to happen at once, simply because we recognize that Heavenly Father's destiny is now on the increase. These kinds of miracles will not come quickly or easily.

Thirdly, True Parents want us to be able to inherit the foundation of victory. Actually, our destiny of home church is one of the most important results of the victory achieved at Washington Monument. Each of us as a leader of our home church is in the tribal messiah's position. Therefore, we need to recognize how fortunate we are to be able to stand on this victorious foundation.

Day of the Victory of Heaven

On October 14, 1950, Father was released from prison in North Korea and on October 4, 1955, from prison in South Korea. After the Washington Monument victory, Father said the incredible suffering he endured during his years in prison should no longer be emphasized. Therefore, the Day of the Victory of Heaven (combining these two significant days) should be celebrated jointly on October 4th.

The total of all conditions on the individual, family, national, and worldwide levels to make a victorious foundation, not only the suffering True Father had to undergo in North or South Korea, was fulfilled at Washington Monument. Therefore, based on the accumulation of his past sacrifice, Father established the Day of Victory of Heaven on October 4, 1976.

On October 4, 1983, Father gave a speech entitled, "Day of Heavenly Victory," which was printed in Today's World, November 1983.

The day when the persecution started to turn around was the day when True Parents could put down their marker on the earth. We could take the offensive against Satan and begin to work positively for God, instead of passively taking persecution. That was the first time True Parents' settlement could be established and the possibility of your settlement came into being. Fighting against Satan, the Parents established their eternal settlement on the earth, and that was the Day of the Victory of Heaven. When that happened, God was no longer limited to working only with the vertical level, but was able to work horizontally as well. You must realize that this Day of the Victory of Heaven is the day when Heaven has the minimum foundation here on earth by which God, the original plus being, and the original man and woman could get together and realize God's ideal of creation. From that small foundation onward, it can grow in strength. That is the tremendous significance of this day. I want you to know that all the work I have done was for the sake of this victorious day. The victorious result of all my life is what I am about to give to you by letting you work for the next three years. It is a tremendous privilege for you to be able to inherit so much in such a short time. Please understand that you, too, must achieve your own-Day of Victory of Heaven before you can achieve your perfect unity as a couple with God. Unless you do that, you will not rise above the situation you are in, and you will not be able to settle but will live like gypsies.

Day of the Victory of Love Day of Unification. The Day of the Victory of Love was established on the foundation of True Parent's worldwide victory and the sacrificial dedication of Heung Jin Nim's life. The Day of Unification was proclaimed on December 31, 1983.

Father's spoke about his installation of this ceremony in his midnight address on January 1, 1984, "Creation of the Fatherland." This morning I held a special service, called a Unification Ceremony, in the hospital chapel. On the foundation of this precious sacrifice, we called for the unity of the first, second and third Israels -- Judaism, Christianity, and the Unification Church. Also we called for the unity of Adam, Eve, and the archangel nations, the unification of True Parents and their family, the members of the Unification Church, as well as all the races of the world. We called for total unification.

Day of the Victory of Love.

True Parents won victory in December 1983 through the VOC rally in Korea as welt as through offering Heung Jin Nim's life and proclaiming the Ceremony of Unification.

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On this foundation, True Father proclaimed the Day of the Victory of Love on January 3, 1984. We know that our True Parents have offered their whole lives to God's will and are dedicated to the salvation of humankind. Furthermore, True Parents offered Heung Jin Nim, their son in the position of Abel who displayed the greatest loyalty and filial piety. This was far more painful than offering their own lives, but it was done centered on true love for the sake of all humankind.

True Parents ultimately shared everything with God and humanity. Because of the true love of our True Parents and Heung Jin Nim's condition of sacrifice, Satan has absolutely no basis on which to accuse True Parents. Now the power of love can dominate the power of death.

Father spoke about establishing the Day of the Victory of Love on January 3, 1984:

Today we are establishing the Day of the Victory of Love. It was on October 4, 1976 that I declared the Day of Victory of Heaven at Belvedere. God has been victorious, bul God has never yet declared the Victory of Love.

Before, the realm of death controlled the realm of love, and the power of death was stronger and reigned over the realm of love, so that all those deaths were more powerful than love. The direction they were headed for was hell. However, from now on, love will control the realm of death. That means we will bring back the people with love, and bring them back to heaven. This is an incredible turning point.

All the tragic events of the satanic world shall be conquered by love, and enter into the realm of love. No power under the sun can infiltrate the power of love. Therefore, this morning Mother and I offered that ceremony.

Heung Jin Nim's death is not an ordinary death at all; he transformed himself into the victory of love. So it cannot be treated as death in the ordinary secular fashion. Heung Jin Nim is like a door-opener. He is conquering death. The time has now come. I see that enough indemnity has been paid. Upon that foundation, we can declare the Day of Victory of Love. When you say this, think of Heung Jin Nim's spirit.

The following is excerpted from Col Bo Hi Pak's speech at Heung Jin Nim's Seung Hwa Ceremony in Seoul, Korea, on January 8, 1984:

The Day of the Victory of Love announced at this time is to commemorate the victory of God's love. Up to this point, the power of death has reigned the world. But Heung Jin Nim's innocent and sacrificial victory of love has enabled the power of love to conquer the power of

death. Now the physical and spiritual worlds have perfectly become one. This body is not to die but to "Seung hwa" and to win a victory with love. True Parents overcame the power of death through the power of love, and Heung Jin Nim has opened a gate for us to go the way of the victory of love through realizing Father's teachings himself.

In his speech on January 15, 1984, Father spoke on the topic "The Necessity for the Day of Victory of Love." Excerpts of that speech follow. Because Heung Jin Nim paved the way, we now have a wide open door to save the communist and the free worlds. He sacrificed himself on the national foundation level for the sake of the forthcoming unity between the democratic and communist worlds. The accident occurred in the Western world but he was buried in Korea; thus his body is linked to both worlds. His body returned to his homeland, which was the national foundation, and he died for the sake of the world. Since he was living on the victorious national foundation and he died on that foundation, he will be able to travel back and forth from spirit world. He will be able to work here on the national level and move on to the worldwide level.

There is a far greater foundation made for the land of settlement than in the time of Jesus. Now the door towards the salvation of humanity has been opened far wider because of Heung Jin Nim's sacrifice. Even Jesus could not establish the national level because he could not establish the position of True Parents. But Heung Jin Nim had True Parents, who laid the national foundation for him to inherit.

The spirit world, the physical world, and the True Parents are loving Heung Jin Nim. Upon the total sacrifice of Heung Jin Nim for the sake of those two passengers in his car, which symbolize the free and communist worlds, I am proclaiming that he obtained the victory of love. I will now physically save the free world and the communist world. Furthermore, I am declaring the resurrection of love. In this way, the realm of death has no more power.

That is why I declared that the funeral of Heung Jin Nim should be entirely different from any others. It was to be a joyful celebration, even like a wedding day. Furthermore, I declared the Day of the Victory of Love. I never had the time to think in terms of my own son dying but rather how this victory would benefit God and hurt Satan's realm. Thus I concentrated upon making many conditions to lead into making the declaration of that Day of the Victory of Love.

The Day of the Victory of Love is that day in which the True Parents have reached a new level and are marching forward upon the foundation of Heung Jin Nim's sacrifice.

At 4:00 a.m. on January 3, 1984, I declared the Day of the Victory of Love. The number represented by that time is significant -- 4 plus I (the 1st month) plus 3 equals 8, the number for renewal. Heung Jin Nim has been given a new mission. He is a truly free man now, able to travel between the spirit world and the physical world. So his mission is to lead young people in both realms, cleansing them by the power of love.

The Day of the Victory of Love is the most significant day in our movement. You too must manifest the true love of God in your deeds. Without a truly loving spirit, you cannot be worthy of this special day. Through this event, the Unification Church will never be weakened but will leap forward. This greatest sacrifice will bring about greater victories. From now on, centering on the True Parents and upon the declaration of the Day of the Victory of Love, vindication will come to us. The power of love will be your vindication because Heung Jin Nim died for all of us and he opened the door so that everyone can be entitled to the privilege of love. Now your duty is to love the True Parents even more than Heung Jin Nim did. If you have that as your criterion, the power of death will be no more and Satan will retreat. Up until now, Satan was able to conquer and control love but from now on, love shall be governed by God. This is a great, great day.

If you listen again to these points, you will understand these profound truths which I am telling you. Basically I am telling you that the power of love is now able to conquer the power of death. Upon this foundation, I declared the Day of the Victory of Love. The satanic world will crumble faster now, but the speed will be determined by you -- the faster you move, the faster it will crumble. That is your responsibility.

Due to the Day of the Victory of Love, Esau is freed to love Jacob; Cain can love Abel. Previously, great indemnity had to be paid by Abel in order to love Cain. Cain was never in a position to love Abel even though he might have wanted to because satanic forces were always dictating to Cain whom he could love. But now the love of God has come down and Cain can freely love Abel. In other words, Satan's power over love has been greatly diminished.

Day of the Love of God

The Day of the Love of God was proclaimed on May 16, 1984, at 12:54 am. In Father's prayer on Sunday, May 20, 1984 (the official announcement of this day to the membership), he expressed the significance of this day:

Through the unity on the family level expressed then (May 16) at East Garden, today can be connected with that day of historical declaration.

Because of the unity between True Parents on earth and Heavenly Father, Heung Jin, and Jesus in the spirit world, all 120 nations in the spirit world and all 120 nations on earth now have the right to resurrection.

Due to satanic love, we lost the sovereignty of God. But now, at this historical peak of tang gam, centering on the love of True Parents and the love of God, we restore this lost historical heritage and are able to declare the Day of the Love of God.

I proclaim that we stand united in the shimjung territory, with one mind and one ideal.

May God, True Parents, True Children and all Blessed Families be united centered on the sovereignty of God's love. Let us form one heritage and march forward together.


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