안녕하세요 Annyeonghaseyo! (Good evening!)
It is already the third day since Kyoshu-sama and his family have arrived and today, a meeting with Masaaki-sama and staff ministers took place at the Masan Johrei Center.
Under the lead of Masaaki-sama, everyone prayed the Amatsu Norito. After Masaaki-sama channeled Johrei, Rev. Kawatani (Vice-President of Izunome Group) gave a greeting and said, “As all of you know, Masaaki-sama is the one who will become Godai-Kyoshu, Fifth Spiritual Leader. I believe that being able to receive this kind of opportunity is the greatest treasure in our life…we only have a short time today, however, I pray that we may learn together, have a deep exchange with Masaaki-sama, and form a strong bond of brother and sisterhood.”
At the start of the meeting, Masaaki-sama said in his greeting, “Kyoshu-sama says, ‘If there is even one person who I am necessary to, I will go to them.’ I, too, should there be even one person who believes Kyoshu-sama is necessary, not just today, but from here on forever, I want to walk together with them.”
Afterwards, as Masaaki-sama talked about what the salvation is that Meishu-sama is truly wishing for and what Kyoshu-sama truly wants to convey to members, he answered questions from two members.
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Question 1:
“Masaaki-sama, could you tell us your thoughts and vision about the future of our church that fulfils Meishu-sama will in which he established World Church of Messiah?”
Excerpt from Masaaki-sama’s talk:
“I believe that we need to have the understanding that World Church of Messiah, the name of Messiah, is extremely important to Meishu-sama. However, in 1957, the name World Church of Messiah that Meishu-sama was left to us was changed to World Church of Salvation (Sekai Kyusei Kyo). In the same way, Hall of Messiah (Meshiya Kaikan) was changed to Hall of Salvation (aka Hall of Worship) in 1972. I believe there are various reasons why the name of Messiah disappeared. “Around the world, Jesus is known as the Messiah and so in putting out the name of Messiah, ‘World Church of Messiah’ and ‘Hall of Messiah,’ questions as to its relation to Christianity arise, who really is the Messiah. Is Meishu-sama the only Messiah, then where would that leave Jesus, is he not the Messiah, etc. Many questions arise. However, if those matters are not put out there, then there would be no problems and so I think that people were avoiding the name Messiah in order to avoid friction with other religions and such. However, at the time, I believe it was necessary to hide the name of Messiah from the surface temporarily. If not, should we have gone forward with Meishu-sama being the only Messiah, World Church of Messiah could have been crushed by society.
“In my understanding, God first entrusted Meishu-sama with the holy name of Messiah. However, until we fully understood the meaning why Meishu-sama used the name Messiah, Nidai-sama and Sandai-sama, through Meishu-sama, returned the name to God for a time. In that sense, Church of Messiah became Church of Salvation, Hall of Messiah become Hall of Salvation. I believe it was necessary in God’s plan.
“However, the time ripened. We could no longer continue to hide this name left by Meishu-sama. There, I believe that God once again through Meishu-sama, is now entrusting the name of Messiah to our current Kyoshu-sama. Now isn’t Kyoshu-sama asking each and every one of us, ‘Will you receive the name of Messiah?’ As Kyoshu-sama said yesterday, God is asking each and every one of this, ‘Will you become My child?’ This is the decision for each and every one of you to make.
“I would like to think about what it means to be born anew. Kyoshu-sama has been teaching about offering to God the various thoughts and feelings that arise in our daily lives. Through this practice of faith, I believe we mostly have the image that our thoughts and feelings are saved. I believe that even offering the trivial things that occur in our daily lives to God, directly connects to the path of becoming born anew as a true child of God. That is to say, Meishu-sama had a brain hemorrhage on April 19, 1954. At that time, I believe Meishu-sama thought that he may lose his life. But I believe Meishu-sama thought that ‘Ah, I thought I would either die or live. This life of mine was not mine in the first place. It is God’s life.’ “I believe that he thought that his life was his own until then. And with those thoughts, I believe he said, ‘I offer my life to God,’ and returned his life to God. But instead of taking Meishu-sama’s life then and there and ending his life on earth, God once again, gave him new life. On June 5, 1954, Meishu-sama said that he ‘was born anew,’ and at the same time, he was ‘a newly born baby.’ What was the name of this newly born life? What was the name given to this life? It was Messiah. I believe that is why Meishu-sama phrased it as ‘a Messiah was born.’
“God’s light is shining upon all of humanity, isn’t it? When light is shone, a shadow appears. Isn’t that the reason why we here on earth start resenting each other, have feelings of worry and jealousy? That is, so to speak, the ‘shadow.’ Things exposed to God’s light creates a shadow and so we feel this shadow as a part of us within our hearts. In this way, since God is trying to make everything a world of light, isn’t He trying to let us know the parts that we must better?
“In his later years, Meishu-sama often said, ‘From now on, it is the world of sonen. Johrei is now secondary, first comes sonen [our minds].’ I think we have reached today without really understanding the meaning of Meishu-sama’s words, the meaning of this teaching. But Kyoshu-sama is now teaching us that sonen and Johrei are one and is guiding us that the true meaning of the workings of Johrei has not disappeared. Rather, I believe that divine work of Johrei, the purifying work of God, will only become stronger.
“The question is, is the hand we raise to Johrei a human hand or the hand of God? Which one is it? If it is the hand of God, then there is not a moment that God is not filling the world and all humanity with his light. Within us, God is always enveloping our spirits with His own love by the light of Johrei. I believe He is pouring down His light upon us.
“And so the shadow in our hearts, our own shadow would appear. Human relations are not going well, work is not going well—with these, various thoughts and feelings well up from within our hearts. It would be good if you could think that ‘this is God channeling Johrei to me, purifying me with his light. He is guiding me, as one who is pure, to a magnificent world, the source of the light.’
“When we actually channel Johrei too, it would be good if we could think that ‘this hand of mine I raise to Johrei is God’s hand. God’s hand is within me and is within the person in front of me. He has purified our entire self and He is wanting to welcome us into His heaven, God’s magnificent world of light!’
“‘A world without disease, poverty and conflict’ exists in heaven. If we say, ‘I will return to heaven, the world of light,’ and return, I believe that by the law of the spiritual preceding the physical, this ‘world without disease, poverty and conflict’ will be projected onto the earth, and it is possible to actually heal illness. However, with only human effort, using just the power we have on earth to build a ‘world without disease, poverty and conflict,’ it will never be completed. This is because the ‘world without disease, poverty and conflict’ already exists in heaven and as long as the power that exists there does not appear, that world will not appear on this earth. “While we say the work of Johrei, it is God who is wanting to welcome us into His heaven. I believe that is why it is necessary for us to realize that we must return to heaven with everyone. But, perhaps, first, if we rise to heaven and that magnificent light takes form on this earth, for a moment a ‘world without disease, poverty and conflict’ could be accomplished on this earth. This, actually, I believe is not so difficult to do. And so to the second question about my thoughts on the vision for the future from here on, I believe in our future, in the not so far future, a magnificent world filled with light will appear. I am certain that we carry this magnificent future.”
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At the end, Masaaki-sama exchanged handshakes with the participants and took a commemorative photograph with everyone. The meeting came to an end in a harmonious atmosphere.
Participants shared their impressions on their experience and said such things like “Regarding purification, his talk about when light is shone, a shadow appears left a strong impression on me,” and “Listening to his talk, if this is the path, if we can do as he said, I really feel that missionary work will change.”
Tomorrow, the Grand Ancestor Service in combination with the 30-Year Anniversary of the Korea Headquarters Membership Meeting will be held at the Korea Headquarters in Miryang, under the presence of Kyoshu-sama. More than 100 members from Japan will be gathering.
One spirit with Kyoshu-sama!
