Pray

   
Meishu-sama
From the diaries/records of Meishu-sama’s close assistants

   
April 28, 1954

Meishu-sama practices Johrei every day. He does not raise his hand; he does it through sonen. Meishu-sama said to me: “There have been things that made me happy up until today, but they did not bring me true joy. This time, the happiness I feel is beyond words. This purification is related to Christianity in particular.” Meishu-sama said to me: “From now on, I will do everything with words and sonen.” “From now on, apology will not be enough—you need to repent. Repent and express this to God through your sonen. Then, you will be forgiven.”

   
May 13, 1954

Meishu-sama said, “I have discovered a new Johrei through sonen.”

   
Right after his purification

Soon after his purification began, he said, “From now on, we enter the world of sonen. Johrei is not so important anymore. Sonen comes first, so pray in your hearts.” He said this repeatedly. (This account was officially published in Paradise on Earth, no. 68, March 15, 1955.)

Kyoshu-sama

Meishu-sama composed the following hymn:

“I am not even worthy to be numbered among Your servants. / But I pray to You, O God: / ‘Call me and use me as You wish!’”

You see, everyone, Meishu-sama himself is praying. He prays: “O God, use me as You wish. Please, welcome me into Your heart.”

Meeting with Kyoshu-sama and Directors
March 12, 2017

We are Meishu-sama’s hands and feet. Without the head, that is, without Meishu-sama, we cannot communicate with God. Everything is connected to the head. In our body, the brain controls the hands and feet, doesn’t it? We cannot take this order lightly.

Just now, someone said, “I start everything with a prayer to God.” Well, that is all fine, but we must not forget that just like surrendering, we can pray only because Meishu-sama is always praying. He is praying for us always, and that is why we can pray together with him. God allows us to pray—this is key.

Don’t misunderstand and think that you have the power to pray and do the practice of surrendering, taking all the credit. It is only because God is calling us that we are able to respond to Him, even if just a little. Responding to God—this is an important practice.

When we hear the word “practice,” we think of various physical practices using our body. Yes, true, there are those kinds of practices, but there is also this practice of using our mind and thoughts, of responding to God through our mind and thoughts. I want you to understand that this kind of practice is also important.

Luncheon with Kyoshu-sama and Executives Directors
March 10, 2013

When we pray for something, we tend to visualize a future that is convenient for us and wait until it comes true. Our mind gets fixated on our own wishes. But what we should actually seek is the wish of God and of Meishu-sama, shouldn’t we? We should pray for the wish of God and Meishu-sama to come true, right? That kind of prayer is a true prayer, arising from a peaceful mind. But our prayers are human-centered, aren’t they?

I don’t think these prayers are worthy to be called prayers.

They assume a God who is partial and biased. If God tells you, “Your prayers dishonor Me. You are using Me for your own sake,” what can we possibly say to Him in return?

Spring Arts Service
April 1–2, 2007

  
Masaaki-sama

What does it mean for God to carry out His work of salvation through our hearts?

In our everyday lives, through many things—like through our relationships with our family, friends or neighbors—many emotions come to our hearts, don’t they?

Those emotions come to you because the light of God is illuminating your hearts. Imagine: when light shines on something, it creates a shadow, doesn’t it? It is exactly like this. All the negative thoughts and feelings you have are like the shadows. God is illuminating your hearts, and He is showing you the shadows so that He can save them.

Our task is to obediently surrender what we feel into the hand of God, because He is always raising His hand of Johrei to us. He is always illuminating our hearts.

Meishu-sama said that from now on we need to pray in our hearts. He is saying that from now on, that is the task of his followers. So let us pray in our hearts and surrender whatever we feel into the hand of God, because that is how we can truly serve in the work of Johrei in the era of sonen.

“A new era,” September 2020

  
Glory, no. 29, June 1, 2022