The Future Favors Faith
“There is a limit to what can be done with human efforts alone,” said True Mother. “The time has come for the people of Korea to embrace heaven’s providence... This is how Korea can truly become a beacon of freedom, peace, unity, and happiness — a nation that truly attends our Heavenly Parent and leads the charge to realize the heavenly unified world. Your prayers, your heartfelt calls to heaven, will move people around the world.”
True Mother urged people to fulfill their personal responsibility of creating peace and unity in their own lives, their families, and their communities during the second virtual Prayer Rally for Peace on the Korean Peninsula: One Million Prayers for Peace, which streamed live from Seoul on Jan. 9 (KST) and aired in 157 nations with diplomatic ties to North and South Korea.
In her keynote remarks, True Mother said God’s providence was manifested through the emergence of various religions, but the ultimate goal of religion is to connect humanity with God — and Korea plays a central role. “In particular, the Korean Peninsula, which has the task of becoming the homeland of the providence, should become the heavenly unified Korea and lead the providence to realize a heavenly unified world,” she said. “Let us multiply heaven’s blessings this year and become heaven’s true sons and daughters. Let us become the vanguard of heaven and become the eternal blessed families of heaven.”
True Mother was joined by various religious leaders who shared messages during the online interfaith event, as well as former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence who stated, “Faith holds the hope for peace for the people of the Korean Peninsula and the rest of the world... The future favors faith.”
Mr. Pence, a devout Christian, delivered a keynote address in which he recalled throughout his vice presidential term, domestically and abroad, he saw “firsthand that truly great nations embrace the principles of freedom — beginning with religious liberty, freedom of speech, democracy, and free enterprise.”
“Our societies share a common foundation in the values we hold dear,” he said. “It’s this belief in religious liberty, and the strength we draw from there, that gives me my greatest confidence and hope. It’s faith that gives us the courage and conviction to stand for what’s good and right and true — for people everywhere. And as the Bible says, ‘Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.’”
Mr. Pence thanked True Mother for hosting the prayer rally and for “the shining example you’ve set for the world” as she faithfully continues the work she began with True Father more than five decades ago to reunify their homeland. Mr. Pence outlined strong families, education, equal treatment under the law, and “the recognition of the dignity and worth of every human life, born and unborn” as the “foundation of true national greatness.” He said these values, defended in the Korean War, have “united the people of Korea and the United States for nearly 70 years.”
Mr. Pence also condemned the oppression of faith practitioners and called for the end of religious persecution in North Korea and China while urging free nations to “work together openly and in good faith” to build new frameworks for peace. Noting that peace follows strength, Mr. Pence said “a renewed and unwavering commitment to our common defense and our shared values” is the “surest pathway to a final and fully verified denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and to its peaceful reunification — and now, more than ever, we need to have faith,” he said. “We know nothing is impossible with God.”
The event featured a peace ceremony, traditional Korean music and entertainment, as well as messages from faith leaders representing different religions including Rev. Jonathan Falwell, senior pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church; Prophet Samuel Radebe, founder of The Revelation Church of God; Dr. Young-ho Yun, international director general of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification; Dr. Young-gil Choi, member of the Supreme Islamic Council of Korea; Ven. Taishu Nara, Shinto priest and president of the Japanese Civilization Institute; Ven. Maitipe Wimalasara, president of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace; H.H Swami Hari Chaitanya Puri Ji Maharaj, Hindu monk, saint and spiritual leader; Hon. Young-hwan Kim, vice president of the Christian Council of Korea; Monseigneur Nicolas, patriarch of Orthodox Patriarch of the Nations; Hon. Young-jin Won, grand priest of Daejonyo; and Ven. Dae-woo, senior monk of the Nejan Temple and Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, among others.
“The time has come to welcome and put into practice the words of True Parents,” said True Mother before the global audience. “That is how this nation, this peninsula, can truly become the heavenly unified Korea... As long as heaven is with us, without fail, we will be victorious. Let us usher in a dynamic and hopeful year and realize this hope in substance.”
You can watch the full prayer rally event here.