Your Sacred Mission Is To Educate Others To Become Your Successors

I wish to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you 47 graduates on this joyful occasion of the 12th graduation ceremony of the Unification Theological Seminary. You are graduating in the providential year of 1988, ready to become, not simply graduates of a denominational seminary, but religious leaders willing to take responsibility for God’s will in solving the problems of humanity and the world.

Now, as we are gathered for this meaningful occasion, I would like to share some thoughts with you concerning your dispensational missions and the serious problems facing America today.

In Judeo-Christian history God planned to impart His mainstream ideology and thought through faithful individuals, societies and nations. Religious ideology is not just truth or moral teaching but expresses the desire of human beings to have something to depend and rely on absolutely. In God’s plan, America represents all the free nations of the world. A providential purpose has been given to this nation by God since its birth 200 years ago.

When we look at America today we can see that it is lacking a clear and unified ideology as well as unity of value perspectives centered on God. Religious commandments remain mostly unpracticed and much of the Judeo-Christian teaching of universal love is generally ignored or rejected.

This is a nation full of contradiction, great confusion, injustice and corruption. if the confusion gets worse this nation will face the danger of perishing.

The result of such a lack in ethical and wholesome ideals is moral decay. If a God-centered ideology, which is supposed to direct the spirit of humankind, loses its function, then a nation will turn completely to lawlessness and become a pool of violence and corruption. We can see this in American homes and schools as the proper order in relationships between parents and children and teachers and students breaks down.

Naturally, if there is no clear ideology and moral decay continues, there can be no clear direction to those who are lost, and to the future of this nation. This moral disintegration and decadent thinking has brought about the decline of ethical values in American life. Today America is a nation of sin, conflict, and disbelief, bringing about a cesspool of “free sex,” drugs,, homosexuality and promiscuity. We see this nation heading toward a society without religious values; thereby becoming a spiritual vacuum of materialism and secular “humanism” where there is no hope.

Where can we find the people and the organizations who are seriously concerned about the present sick and cancerous trend in this dying America? I dare say that, in the whole world, you graduates and the Unification movement are urgently concerned and vitally interested in doing something about it for this

nation. Thus, it is you people that are the hope for the future of America and the world.

What can we do to alleviate this alarming situation? it is an absolute necessity that we make extra effort based on a new attitude. We have to correct the lack of clear-cut ideals and moral values, thus changing our American position and attitude. How? You have to revive the “Original America* in the Founding Fathers’ spirit of the Judeo-Christian heritage in this country. You must be dedicated to the remaking of the individuals, communities, this nation and the world according to the original ideals of God.

We are at a crucial turning point in the history of this nation with the unfinished tasks which need to be solved. God expects dedicated young people like yourselves to be responsible for them.

First of all, in order to find the true love, happiness and peace desired by our original minds, you must plunge yourselves into this troubled world and work there for God. You do this by sacrificing yourselves through total investment and commitment. Perseverance, self-sacrifice and the road of suffering and pain is the only way to bring success in your responsibility as religious leaders.

Secondly, you not only give help and service to others in an unconditional way, but by this path of living sacrifice you will inherit the course of “messiahship,” becoming small messiahs in your homes and communities. If you ignite a new spiritual and religious environment then you will become the new hope for, this nation.

Thirdly, you must give education and guidance to people to not only believe in God’s will but to live it in their everyday lives. We must develop a “practical application” movement. Education should not only be ideology or theory, but should include the testing of theory in practical living and everyday experiences.

Your sacred mission is to educate others to become your successors. Careful leadership training and seminary education have been given to you at UTS in thought and theory, so your responsibility is to carry out your successful, practical mission. This means educating a second generation who will be heirs of the coming ideal world, thus ensuring God’s will continues after you. Your success will not be complete if you have no successors to take over your mission. Therefore, your special effort must be to guide and raise up a second generation in your lifetime.

To accomplish God’s will in this nation of America, with extra determination and a new attitude, a movement toward unifying all the different faiths of the world must be actively launched. How can we solve this urgent issue?

Through the spirit of ecumenism and continued fellowship among all denominations and religions, enhancing unity and harmony and eliminating dogmatic biases.

And through encouraging interfaith dialogue, cooperation and mutual assistance, helping one another discover ways to absorb differences and consider new direction toward higher purposes.

We have already been working toward developing interreligious and interdenominational harmony, through sharing common ideals and concerns about the future of humankind. You have to continue the effort, and to aggressively initiate further participation in ecumenism on the worldwide level.

In conclusion, since you have learned that success in your mission can be obtained by unconditional sacrifice and loving service, becoming small messiahs, and educating and training your successors with practical restoration work, I am sure you will be victorious in reaching goals in harmony with God’s will.

This nation of America should be renewed, not just through a spiritual revolution, but through action concerned with applying God’s will to the practical solution of its problems. If you accomplish this task you graduates will become the pride of both your Unification movement and your nation. You will not be simply ministers, leading secluded lives, but men and women who will save this nation and world according to God’s will and plan for restoration.

You are destined to fulfill the historical mission of becoming true leaders of tomorrow, establishing a new and higher tradition and future history for humankind and God. Have confidence and put all your energy into bringing about God’s ideal, never abandoning the heart of God who desires to accomplish His will through you.

God’s fundamental reason for blessing America during the last 200 years with material abundance, is so that this nation can help and serve other peoples of the world. So you must bear the burden of raising the moral standard of America, thus restoring the “Original America” in the ideal of the Founding Fathers of this nation.

Carry on God’s work with utmost faith and loyalty, and keep marching towards the goal of making God’s world of unity, peace, prosperity and happiness a substantial reality.

Thank you and God bless you.