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(Summary)

There are three things I would like to talk today.

The first is, “Don’t miss your opportunity.”

Are we missing our opportunities? I am sure that God must be giving us various opportunities in our everyday lives. I’d like you to think very carefully whether you might be missing them.

In our effort to spread our teachings and do salvation work, there must be many little opportunities. Are we missing them? I’d like us to be careful about that.

People often say that they can’t convince others to follow the teachings, or that you invited someone but they don’t come. But in actuality, you may be missing the chances that you are being given.

Time passes quickly. As we get older, it seems like the day goes by in the blink of an eye. This is called Janay’s Law.

Two years ago, the Shinbashira issued Instruction Four and we started the “three years, one thousand days” activity period toward the 140th Anniversary of Oyasama. Two years have already gone by. To me, it flew by in a flash.

When we received the Shinbashira’s Instuction Four two years ago, each church pledged to come up with their own goals by themselves, and we pledged that each individual would make our own goal and work diligently toward it every day. So, this anniversary is not one in which the Church Headquarters tells us, “This is what we are doing,” or “Let all of us do this together.” Each of us is making our own decisive resolve and each of us is putting it into action. This is our 140th Anniversary of Oyasama.

The reason for this is because there are these words in the Divine Directions, given on January 24, 1889:

Those who always rely on their parent’s care forever are hopeless. As children grow up, we cannot let go of their hands until the age of three. Similarly, in the path of single-heartedness with God, it will not do if you have to keep consulting forever and forever. A full-fledged adult in a distant place, it is the same truth as a three-year-old. To whatever kind of person, for single-hearted salvation, single-mindedness with the Sazuke, it has been given step by step. Osashizu, January 24, 1889 (Trial translation for this script)

What does this mean? It means that one should not be forever dependent on their parents. During the process of a child‘s growth, especially until about the age of three, parents must take good care of them because otherwise, there is no knowing what might happen. Parents apply much effort saying, “You must not go that way,” or “You must do it this way.”

However, as children grow up and become adults, if they continue to ask, “What should I do next?” or “How should I do this?” and “Mom, Dad, please teach me,” it would worry the parents. They must learn to take care of themselves. Only when this happens can parents feel at ease.

It is said that with this faith, it is the same. Years have gone by, and it has been over 130 years since Oyasama withdrew from Her physical life. As the years pass and generations come and go, it is no longer acceptable to keep asking, “What should I do? Please tell me.” One must learn to do things independently. If not, when engaging in missionary and salvation work, it would not be so easy to be heard. Even at that, aren’t we full-fledged Yoboku? It is the same as being three years old. We must not keep asking questions indefinitely. The truth of the Sazuke is given to anyone who is a Yoboku. We must reflect on the desire of the Parent, and what the Parent hopes for. I believe this is what it means.

It is only when one can make their own decisions and act independently that they can be considered a full-fledged Yoboku. I believe this state is what is referred to as spiritual maturity. While it is good to follow instructions, I feel that being able to act without being told is what will allow others to recognize and say, “that one has spiritually grown.”

When Instruction Four was announced, Church Headquarters conducted mission visits to the directly supervised churches. This was followed by coordinated “All Church Mission Visit.” The purpose of these mission visits was to encourage every member and every Yoboku, to read the Instruction, and make their own spiritual resolutions. The guidance did not come directly from Jiba but was meant to prompt individual decisions. The reason for this approach is that everyone’s roles, positions, ages, and environments differ, so not everyone can do the same thing.

Older individuals may not be able to get in action as energetically as younger people, while younger people might lack the experience that older people have. Each person’s role, position, and even differences between men and women, as well as their individual strengths, vary. Therefore, it is essential for each person to make their own decisions and put them into action. This self-determined approach is what truly matters.

Two years have passed and the Anniversary of Oyasama is now a year and a few months away. The Shinbashira teaches us that the day of the Anniversary is not the only day we observe, but rather the “three years, one thousand days” path that we follow is the actual performance. How you carry out yourselves every day is important.

Let’s look back on the last two years. It may be difficult to remember what resolution you may have made at the start, but please reflect on whether you were able to build on your resolution little by little.

Even if it is a little at time, you are still spiritually growing. I believe that is fine to grow even just a little. You may grow spiritually if you can look back on yourself and say, “Aw, look at how I have changed here.”

In the Ofudesaki, the phrase “day by day” is used 62 times. I think that is a lot. A few examples,

Day after day, the concern of the Parent
is only about the means to save you.
Ofudesaki XIV:35

Day by day, your innermost heart will be purified and understanding
will come. You will come to see the truth as you mature.
Ofudesaki VI:15

Day by day, hasten to begin the Service.
You will escape any danger whatever.
Ofudesaki X:19

We receive the daily workings of God the Parent. To be responsive to this, it is important for us to do something small each day. We are now on the second point.

The second point is “every day is important.”

In each day, we are able to see many opportunities.

In the Divine Directions, we are taught:

If you meet someone to whom the fragrance must be spread, tell it to him even on a street corner. This will be your work from now on.
Osashizu, April 7, 1907

As you walk down the street, if you run into someone, think to yourself, “Oh! Let me call upon this person!” and just call out to them. It will not do to think, “Maybe tomorrow.” This is the season to do this now. We are being told to not let this chance go by.

Because you are just meeting on the street, it does not have to be that big of a deal. You can say, “Would you join me at church next time?” or “What do you think about returning to Jiba with me?” Some words like that. I am not saying to do something massive. It is totally fine just to call out to someone on the street. Every day is the actual performance.

Let us resolve our hearts to follow the path of Divine Model, showing Oyasama the results of our spiritual growth. This is spiritual maturity. I would like for all of us to follow this path with each other, in the remaining year and a few months.

Last year, at the Autumn Grand Service, the Shinbashira stated:

“Oyasama patiently conveyed through spoken or written words and walked on the path Herself in accord with the intention of God the Parent without ever giving up and demonstrated the Divine Model to help humans live the Joyous Life.”

I believe the painstaking efforts Oyasama made were something unimaginable for us. It was only Oyasama who knew God the Parent’s desires, and She wanted to somehow teach us God’s desires. But how do you make humans understand God’s desires and lead the Joyous Life? This is what Oyasama spent Her enormous efforts on. Now, there must be a few things Oyasama wanted us to understand in order to guide us towards the Joyous Life.

The first point was the fact that God the Parent exists. That is why She said, “I am God of Origin, God in Truth,” when She became the Shrine of Tsukihi in the very beginning to teach us the presence of God, I believe. The first thing Oyasama wanted us to understand was the existence of God of Origin, God in Truth.

The second point She wanted us to understand was that this God of Origin, God in Truth, is the God who has been providing us with the boundless blessings ever since this world was a muddy ocean until today.

Thirdly, She wanted us to understand that God the Parent’s desire was to see us lead the Joyous Life. That is why the first words spoken through Her on October 26, 1838 was, “I am God of Origin, God in Truth. There is causality in this Residence. At this time I have descended here to save all humankind. I wish to receive Miki as the Shrine of God.” The effort Oyasama made, to have everyone understand the meaning of the first words of God, is the path of the Divine Model.

How can people understand the existence of God the Parent? What can She do for everyone to lead the life in a way God the Parent desires? What can She do to guide everyone to work to change the world the way God the Parent desires? To accomplish that, I think, with the determination to convey and help people understand the divine intention of God the Parent, Oyasama went through the hardships of falling into the depth of poverty, strong oppositions by the family and relatives and the village neighbors, and severe interference by the authorities.

The path of the Divine Model of Oyasama is to go through whatever challenges there may be to convey and help people understand the existence of God the Parent, God’s blessings, and the divine intention. This is the path we are to go through.

In the Divine Directions given on December 23, 1897, we are taught:

Think of Oyasama. . . Look at the life Oyasama led while physically alive—neither did She enjoy any pleasure nor receive any deserved result. While you are working, if there is sincerity in each of your minds, you will never go astray from the path. This much said, surely you understand. Henceforth, if you work, you will be able to see the result of your efforts. You must bear this in mind.

This Divine Direction teaches us to think of Oyasama, while going through 50 years of the Divine Model, who had no truth of so-called pleasure during Her lifetime and who withdrew without enjoying such truth. To the degree that you work, you will, to that degree, see the truth. You will see the blessings.

The Spiritual Development Course at the Church Headquarters is celebrating its 1000th term this year. Those who have enrolled in this October are exactly the 1,000th term. The current Spiritual Development Course started in 1941, and many students have entered the program since then. I have the opportunity to talk with instructors when they finish their three months of service. I tell them, “Thank you for your hard work during the past three months.” Then I ask, “How have your three months been?” Most instructors say, “It was a great learning experience.”

Most instructors who come to teach the Course are local church head ministers, and they are the lecturers. They are in the position to teach. However, when I asked them how the program was after three months, they said, “It was a learning experience.” That is to say “I learned something, and I was able to deepen my understanding.” In other words, they were able to deepen their understanding of the teachings by exerting efforts to help students understand.

Being able to deepen the understanding means that you have grown spiritually a little more than before. The effort to trying to convey and help them understand, and work diligently to somehow assist them attain understanding. Through these efforts, you will be able to grow spiritually.

Toward the Anniversary of Oyasama, by following the Divine Model, we strive to show Oyasama our state of spiritual growth. To grow spiritually, we can strive to convey and help them understand. By doing so, we can grow spiritually. This is the important point.

It does not matter if it is just a few words. The way you try to help someone understand; the way you try to convince him/her return to Jiba; the way you try to help this person learn about Oyasama; in your own words and in your own way, making such effort is to attain spiritual growth.

Please be thorough in this regard for the remaining one year and few months.

To grow spiritually, it is also important to simply do hinokishin. It is also important to return to Jiba alone. But spiritual growth is to make an effort to convey. It is about making effort to help people understand. The most important part of spiritual growth is to bring people back to Jiba.

In the Divine Directions, we are taught:

If you set about spiritedly, God will become spirited. If God becomes spirited, God will make the entire world spirited.
Osashizu: May 30, 1907

Oyasama anniversary is a very special occasion. Let us strive together for the remaining year and few months in good spirits.

Thank you very much for your kind attention.

(Summary)

Next month, on October 22, our church counselor, Rev. Yoichiro Miyamori, will be visiting Honjima.

On this occasion, I would like to read a part of his sermon given during last year’s autumn grand service here at Honjima. Please listen carefully as it contains an important lesson.

“This was when I was still in my early 30s. I was a vice chairman of the Young Men’s Association Headquarters back then, and because of my duty, I visited Rev. Toshitsugu at Honjima followers dormitory to ask him a favor.

Rev. Yoshie was already serving as the head minister at that time.

The reason for the visit was that I wanted to ask him if he could assign someone from Honjima to serve as a dorm counselor for Tenri high school boys’ dormitory.

Normally, you would need to ask the grand church head minister first to obtain an approval, but since it was rather an urgent matter, and I had to find a counselor and report to the president of the Young Men’s Association as soon as possible

Rev. Yoshie was at the grand church at that time. I thought, “What should I do?” and decided to go see Rev. Toshitsugu to ask him for his help.

While I was making the request regarding this matter, Rev. Toshitsugu listened to me in silence for a while, and then said, ‘Understood. I will ask Rev. Yoshie and make sure that this will be taken care of.’

Then, he said just one thing. Those words have stayed with me to this day. What he said was, ‘Don’t be an office clerk.’

At that time, Rev. Toshitsugu was already a Honbu-in. I was still a young seinen. Making a request to a Honbu-in from my position as a young seinen was something that one would normally not able to do easily, but he readily agreed and said, ‘Don't become a clerical worker.’ I still remember this now after all this time, but what did he mean? I didn’t understand at the time. Now that I think about it, these words of the Divine Direction come to mind:

There is no need for human righteousness. If you think in terms of human righteousness, you will be lacking in truth of God’s path.
(Osashizu, October 5, 1888 / Trial translation for this script)

There is another Divine Direction that says:

Without upholding God’s path at all and looking at the face of that one and the face of this one, upholding human righteousness. This cannot be called God’s path.”
(Osashizu, April 3, 1894 / Trial translation for this script)

Since I was only in my 30s at that time, I would make a plan thinking, “If I do this, it will turn out in like this.” I thought it would work out just fine as planned if I asked Honbu-in Rev. Toshitsugu. Also, I contemplated and came up with a strategy so that things would go smoothly. I think I was doing something from a sense of human reasoning, which is also called human thoughts.

However, the important thing is the spirit of single-heartedness with God. Did I put God’s intention first above anything else? Rev. Toshitsugu taught me in a few words by saying, ‘Don’t be an office clerk.’

There is a story about Oyasama handed over four cups of rice that She obtained, after working hard for it, without any hesitation to a visitor who just happened to stop by even though Oyasama was at the depths of poverty

Oyasama did not have calculations as to ‘What will happen in the future?’ or ‘What would happen if we had this rice?’ When humans use their strength of wisdom to think, “’f I do this, this will happen,’ or ‘If I do that, that will happen,’ or ‘If I save this, it will lead to such and such in the future,’ these are considered human thoughts.

Yesterday, while listening to an audio of Rev. Toshitsugu, I saw for the first time how this sanctuary was built. It was truly wonderful to learn about the splendid faith of the predecessors of Honjima, who followed the path with no human reasoning, and complete single-heartedness with God. I am really glad that I was able to understand this for the first time yesterday. I also felt a bit relieved yesterday, thinking that the people of Honjima, who follow in their footsteps, are surely walking the same single-heartedness with God, in a way that is no less than that of the predecessors.”

Again, the second year of the “three years, one thousand days” of the pre-anniversary activity period will be coming to an end in about three months.

I have heard various voices from Jiba, and I am sure that each of you are diligently carrying out your own resolution.

I would like us to keep in mind that it is only through the work of God the Parent and let God take care of our worries. I would also like us to do our best to help others be saved with a cheerful heart.

In the Ofudesaki, we read:

However difficult you think matters to be, you need not worry.
Tsukihi takes charge.
Ofudesaki XII: 71

God the Parent says, “Tsukihi takes charge.” I strongly believe that we should move forward toward the realization of the Joyous Life world while doing missionary and salvation work.

Thank you very much.

(Summary)

Our church is welcoming its 95th year since it was established.

Last month marked the 79th year after the end of World War II. Even before the War, they performed many activities, under the name of Tacoma Church. However, due to the war, it became an inactive church. After that, through various circumstances, Rev. Ei Shibata became the third head minister, and later, the head minister Rev. Ei Tsujimoto was able to guide many to join the faith in Seattle, Tacoma, and in Vancouver and Toronto in Canada.

However, after the church was successfully relocated, Rev. Tsujimoto suddenly passed away for rebirth. Although it was difficult for those connected to the church who were on that path, they remembered how they were saved by their spiritual parent so they looked after the church. Before the 100th Anniversary of Oyasama, my husband, Rev. Yukio Nagao, received the assignment from the grand church minister to become the 5th head minister of the church. It was in December 1984, a little less than year before the 100th Anniversary of Oyasama.

At that time, the church was located in Seattle. We changed the name of the church from Tacoma Church to SeaTac Church and with our 3 year old and 1 year old children, we made our way to America. We were later blessed with our third child who was born in America. Our children, while receiving their education in America, also learned the Japanese language as they performed their duties within the church, as well as participating in activities for the Fife and Drum Corps and Children’s Pilgrimage to Jiba.

Fifteen years later, in 1999, although we were shown some knots of hardships, we were able to relocate the church to its present location near the city of Tacoma, and we were able to conduct the dedication service.

After that, through illnesses experienced by my husband one after another and many problems from people around us, we were shown divine guidance from God.

Ten years after we moved the church, we were shown the knot of the passing of my husband in 2010. Even though I couldn’t organize my thoughts at that time, I found direction from God to find the joy in the truth of arising occurrences. For our three children, it has been 14 years since their father’s passing, and each of them have their own families now and are blessed with children. I am grateful that they have moved forward with their faith as a family, not forgetting the life lessons they learned from their father.

With the support of the followers, I moved forward as well, becoming the head minister of the church. Two years later, I was suddenly stricken with pains throughout my body, and with my life in jeopardy, I had the Sazuke administered on me and was saved by God. Being shown this knot, I cannot forget these blessings for the rest of my life.

At that time, it made me think of my birth mother who died in pain, when I was two years and 5 months old. I felt like I was protected, as I became well aware of my causality (innen).

I later learned that this illness was fibromyalgia. I’m thankful that the intense pain and cough have since decreased.

One morning, I was reading from the Anecdotes of Oyasama, #147 True Salvation: “Isa, wife of Yohei Yamamoto, received such marvelous salvation that she was completely healed of a leg ailment. As she rose to her feet, her leg and hip joints gave out cracking sounds. Yet the trembling of her hands did not cease. When she asked Oyasama to help her, Oyasama instructed her, ‘Rather than being cured completely, it is better that you have some trouble left to be healed; then you will understand the causality of your previous lives and be continually reminded of it. This will lead to your true salvation. People tend to wish nothing but to be completely cured. But what is most important is to gain virtue that will lead to true salvation.’”

Through this, I am humbly shown by God the Parent true salvation by engaging in helping others be saved.

This year marks 40 years since we first came to America. We have met many people with various experiences and have seen through many hardships. Throughout this, I have learned how important it is to help others with a big smile while listening to their stories attentively.

In the last few years, while having discussions led by the next generations, our church activities have been centered on the younger generation and developing activities for the Boys and Girls Association.

When I think of last 40 years in America, it reminds me of the day before we were to leave for America, when then head minister Rev. Noboru Katayama told my husband and I two things. First, take care of God to the end. The other thing was to take good care of those who are connected with the church and those who do not have anyone to care for them until their final moment. Those words were shocking to us, who were in our 20s.

But as 10 years, 20 years passed, we started to really understand his words. Rev. Noboru, with his parental heart, had understood what was to come and I really feel such gratitude every time I am faced with a challenge.

We are about one year and three months away from the 140th Anniversary of Oyasama. With a resolve to do what I can in my daily life, I am moving forward one step a time with those who are around me, which is to pray for others attain salvation through the performance of the service.

This year, we have been shown God’s workings through various church visits, prayer services for those who suffer from illness, and engaging in salvation work.

Together with younger generation, I hope that we all call upon each other to heighten our awareness as we renew our efforts toward the Anniversary.

We had previously received the words from Rev. Miyamori, “Explain it to someone who doesn’t understand, until they understand. Bring them along on the path. This hardship is what the path of Oyasama’s Divine Model is for.” I hope we all move forward in this way, striving to bring joy to Oyasama.

In the last part of Instruction Four, “Our predecessors earnestly followed the path that had begun with Oyasama alone by using Her Divine Model as their dependable guide and maintained the path for us to walk on. The efforts to learn and pass down the faith from parents to children, from children to grandchildren, and so on, will allow this path to continue for endless generations.”

This overseas mission started with the two of us, my husband and I, and now there are 14 in our family. My two daughters each have home shrines in their houses and my son and his family are living with me at the church. I feel truly grateful for this. In just one generation, we have become an International Family.

Along with the next generation and with those who are associated with our church, I hope to spend each day, step by step, moving forward with our sights set on the Divine Model, as we walk along this path full of enjoyment. Always keeping in mind the filial piety, being dutiful to the parents, and perform the service, connecting our hearts to the Jiba.

Before I conclude, this month is designated to vigorously engage in missionary work. Let us take action in high spirits.

Thank you for your kind attention.

(Summary)

I was on a mission tour to Hawaii in August to attend the installation service.

I had opportunities to speak with various people, and one of them was a male in his 80s who is still working actively as a full-time employee. He has always been loved and trusted by his company president, who asks him to continue working to this day.

As I continue to listen to him, there is one thing that he has been continuing to do for decades. That is to come to the office, before others do, and clean up the office. He has also been cleaning the bathroom for decades.

When I said to him “You are accumulating virtue.” But he replied to me, “I’m not cleaning the toilet for the benefit of myself. I’m doing it for those who use the bathroom, and I'm just trying to make the bathroom as clean as possible.”

After talking to him, I remembered the Anecdotes of Oyasama, number 144, “The Virtue Which Reaches Heaven.”

Chusaburo Koda was ordered by a jailor to clean the toilets when he was detained with Oyasama in Nara prison. When Koda said to Oyasama “I think I am serving God whatever I do. So, I am very happy.” Then Oyasama told him, “You are right. If you do something with gratitude, no matter how hard or unpleasant it may be, your virtue will reach heaven. Virtue which is accepted by God will be turned into joy. But no matter how hard or trying the work that you do may be, if you do it complaining, ‘How hard it is, How I hate it,’ the complaints will also reach heaven and be returned to you in kind.”

In your daily lives, you may be shown various ways to perform in service of others with thoughts beginning to appear, “Let me do this here” or “Let me do that this way,” to accumulate virture.

As you sow seeds of sincerity in helping save others, this may be God the Parent guiding you to be in service of others, saying, “How about you try it?” If it is something that will help save others, you can accept God’s direction with a positive attitude and this will progress you on the path toward spiritual maturity.

Let us all strive to spiritually mature as Yoboku who cheerfully accept these calls from God to be of service of others.

(Summary)

We are now walking the path, united in minds, toward the 140th Anniversary of Oyasama. I am sure each Yoboku or church is working hard by setting goals or making spiritual resolutions.

In the Honjima Grand Church Goals for Spiritual Maturity, it says, “Let us be thankful for our daily blessings.”

Also, in Ofudesaki, we read,

This universe is the body of God.
Ponder this in all matters.
(Ofudesaki III:40, 135)

All human bodies are things lent by God.
With what thought are you using them?
(Ofudesaki III:41)

According to the Ofudesaki commentary, “Everything in this world is made by God, and this whole universe is the body of God. Thus, the human beings were not created by our own power. We borrow the things made by God the Parent, and with God’s blessings, we live in this world between the earth and the sky, which is the bosom of God the Parent.”

Further, we read in Ofudesaki:

So long as you remain unknowing that the body is
a thing borrowed, you can understand nothing at all.
(Ofudesaki III:137)

This verse teaches us that unless we do not start off by knowing that we borrow our bodies from God the Parent, we will not be able to understand the truth of the human creation or realize how thankful we are to be able to live in the bosom of God the Parent.

When we are sick or in trouble, we ask God the Parent for help, and when the problem is resolved, we give thanks to God. Such visible blessings are easy to feel and understand.　

However, when things are going as usual, or when things are going smoothly, it is easy to forget “God’s blessings.” In other words, it is easy to forget the blessings we are constantly receiving and that we need to repay God for them.

Therefore, since the teachings of “a thing lent, a thing borrowed” is the foundation of the teachings of the path, we should reconfirm it in our mind many times, not only in times of illness and troubles, but also in everyday life when nothing is going on, so that we can always be grateful for the blessing that we are allowed to use our bodies as we wish. I think it is important to make regular efforts to recognize blessings as blessings so that we can always have a thankful mind for all that we are blessed with.

In his book “Nevertheless, I am grateful,” Rev. Zentaro Fukaya, the head minister of Kawaramachi Grand Church, mentions an anecdote about their first head minister, Rev. Genjiro Fukaya, and writes about the importance of “reframing.”

When Rev. Genjiro Fukaya was a blacksmith, he fell and hit his head so hard that a bump developed on his forehead. At that time, Rev. Genjiro said, “Ouch, ouch, I’m grateful.” When the people around him asked him what he was grateful for, he replied, “I am grateful that I can feel pain.

Because we are human, whether we have faith or not, painful things are painful, and an anguishing experience brings us anguish. We are saddened by something sad. However, the important thing is to reframe the experience and be able to think, “nevertheless, I’m grateful.”

So first and foremost, let us think that it can be “grateful.” I think it is okay to think what we can be grateful for. What can we be thankful for? In the end, after thinking about the divine intention of God the Parent and Oyasama, we will always reach at vast “parental love” to “save humankind.” I think we can truly feel grateful for it.

In our daily lives, many things occur from something big to something small. When it is something in favor for you, you don’t really think too much about it but if not, many feelings such as complaints and dissatisfaction, come up.

Whatever occurrences there is, there is the divine intention of God the Parent to “save children.” If you think about it, I am pretty sure you will be able to find something you can be grateful for, and you will be able to advance one day at a time. By doing so, I think we will be able to bring joy to Oyasama.