🇬🇧Tom Pritty

True Father, Rev. Moon, said that when he has to get up and speak, he feels like he's going to his execution. Usually I feel the same way when I have to give a sermon, but today I only found out half an hour before, so I didn't have time to worry. Maybe that's better. You mentioned legacy earlier, and that's what I want to speak about today.

If you go to the graveyard, you'll see things written on people's tombs. What kind of legacy do we want to leave behind when we leave this world? I'm a fan of St. Francis of Assisi — you know his beautiful prayer, "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace." That's one of my goals, and I'm sure many of you pray in the morning: "Dear God, please make me a channel of your peace this day," or "Dear God, who can I help today? Who needs my help?" By trying to live this way, we grow our hearts.

In life we meet many challenges, and it's not easy to love all people. Some people are quite difficult. If you're a teacher with a class full of children, or at work, or even sometimes in your own family, it's difficult. Learning to overcome these things is how we grow. We have an original mind — our true self, our soul given by God. But we also have a selfish side that wants everything for ourselves. That's why it's good to put ourselves into different situations as we grow.

When I was younger, I thought I knew everything. Then life put me through some trials. My father died, I went through many difficulties, and I was brought down to the bottom. I realised I didn't know anything. That's where I found God — when I realised I knew nothing. When I met the Family Federation, I gave everything up. I gave away my musical instruments, my car, my money. The older members here call ourselves first gen. Many of us lived like that for seven years. I worked as a missionary, and like the others, I had no money in my pocket. I didn't have any of my own money for seven years — just working as a missionary, doing community work, reaching out — like many of you here did.

I also went on a fundraising team. Three and a half years of fundraising every day. I recommend doing this at some point in your life. If you're young, go on STF — or whatever it's called now under its new name. Through going out, trying to reach people every day, and being rejected many times, you overcome difficulties, and your heart grows. We put down deep roots, and develop a parental heart.

Another good thing is to go to different countries — not just for a holiday, though holidays are fine too — but to help people there. Many of our young people have volunteered on service projects to Africa, South America, or Eastern Europe. It's good to plant your heart in several different places, and love the people there. Through Reverend Moon and True Mother, the founders of our Family Federation, I've had many experiences and come to feel very close. Through them I was, you could say, reborn. They showed me the true path, through which I could become a new and better person.

About legacy, or heavenly pension — a lot of my friends have a pension plan, saving up so they have plenty when they're old. It's not a bad idea. But I'd also suggest you make sure you have a heavenly pension plan, because by living for the sake of others, we build that up. I once spoke to a doctor who worked in a hospice — just as our dear brother Jonathan does. He told me the people coming close to death who'd led a good life caring for others were quite content, while those who'd led a selfish life really struggled. That's why we should develop a heavenly pension as we go through life.

I want to share a couple of experiences. Some of you have heard them before. In 2020 I went to Korea for my son Patrick's marriage Blessing — such a beautiful occasion. Rodrigo and Viola know all about it, and I hope some of you young people can do it one day. While I was there, True Mother came to speak. There were many thousands of people in a huge stadium. Just as I try to care for people in my community, Mother Moon — we call her True Mother — is caring for the whole world, and not only for the people in this world, but for those in the spiritual world too.

I looked at True Mother's eyes, and I could see the weight of the world she was carrying, the heart of compassion for all people. It touched me very deeply, and that experience helped change my life. At the same time, at the Cheongpyeong Heaven on Earth Training Center in Korea, there's a hill you climb and pray at the top. I struggled with my legs, but my son Patrick helped me up. I was wondering about my life — I have a lot of friends, I play music with them, I play bowls with them, this English game. Should I really be doing this, or should I go back to Africa as a missionary? Is what I'm doing the right thing? I prayed at the top of the hill, asking God what I should do. I got a very simple, clear answer — "Give them my love." So that's what we have to do — give people God's love.