We of the Unification Church have in the past suffered a together with God

Sun Myung Moon June 30, 1979 Commencement Address - Third commencement of Unification Theological Seminary

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Distinguished guests, scholars, parents and brothers and sisters of those graduating; and professors and staff of the seminary, whose efforts have made today’s graduation possible: I extend my greeting to you and my heartfelt appreciation for your being here at these third commencement exercises of the Unification Theological Seminary.

During the few short years since the opening of the seminary, many well-known theologians and scholars from an over the world have visited us, and thirty-four of our graduates are now pursuing their Ph.D. degrees at eighteen universities throughout the United States. It is particularly significant and hope-giving that in the circumstances of today, where Christianity is sick and in steady decline, fifty-two ministers are being sent out to come to its aid. I pray that God will protect each of these graduates all throughout his career, and that all of them will become sound and heavenly soldiers.

We of the Unification Church have in the past suffered a great deal together with God. We have been called by Him to realize His ideal, namely, heaven on earth. Religions up to the present have only emphasized salvation in the hereafter, and have paid little attention to salvation here on earth. In contrast, our Unification Church has been fighting not only for salvation in the hereafter, but also to realize heaven here on earth.

Not only do we know for certain that this work is the very thing that God has desired, but we also know through experience that heaven always takes our side and helps us in doing God’s work. God cannot tolerate the righteous being treated as unrighteous. Thus, when true sons and daughters of heaven are treated as sons and daughters of the satanic side, God cannot put up with it. He takes the side of the righteous and helps them. All of you graduates are well aware of this fact through your own personal experience. Therefore, be strong and brave. As heaven rendered help to Joshua and Caleb when they stood strong against the seven tribes of Canaan, you must stand strong in confronting numerous evil powers and their domains. Be even stronger than Joshua and Caleb. Never be weak and cowardly. Instead, be strong and brave enough to cause controversies of the type that will promote goodness in this evil world.

When we are lonely and solitary, let us pray with tears, thinking of the world. Let us realize that the loneliness and solitariness we feel are of God, Himself, and that we are fully representing Him and feeling sadness in His place. When we shed tears for His sake, He will be sure to visit us.

In place of God, we should especially shed tears for the sake of America. Your families and relatives want you to cry for their salvation, too. Become ministers and clergymen who work with heavenly hearts and who know God’s tears.

The world longs for those whose words and actions are born of heavenly heart and tears. Heaven, the world and America are all yearning for such ministers to appear before them. As you work with tears and heavenly love in the most lowly positions, you will soon find that you are never defeated. Even though you may appear to be the losers, you will, instead, be the victors, because heaven will visit you and protect you.

In this world there are no true tears. This is especially so in America. When a man with heavenly tears appears in this satanic world, it will persecute him most severely, but men of righteousness will gather around him.

I pray that each of you will become a righteous minister that showers the warm rain of God’s grace on our frozen world-on this lifeless glacier devoid of love. I pray that you will enable all people to understand God truly and that you will make them His own sons and daughters and show them the true tradition of men.

I pray for the eternal blessings of God on the graduating members and on all who are present here today.