God’s Will and the Ocean: Episode 31

God’s Will and the Ocean
True Father Speaks on: Ocean Church and America, page 92-95
August 28, 1982, Provincetown

The Ocean and A New Way of Life

In ten years, you will see why I am doing this program, why I am putting so much effort into it now. The Ocean Church movement then, that's what we are talking about today. Is it a good movement? You are shouting that it is a "great movement," but why is it a great movement? What we are doing is great, that's true. Think about the meaning of "great" in history. What has it usually meant? It meant to control everything. But no one likes that, so why is this Ocean Church movement great? If you look at the fishing towns in America, most of the young people are leaving, they are even cursing their hometown. However, you young people are coming to these towns and creating a new movement. You don't even know that yet. People will see this new movement in each Ocean Church city and they will begin to think, "Reverend Moon is a great man."

Let me ask you something. Since you came here, did you like the strong winds or did you hate them? Did you feel on a windy day just like you do when you are meeting your fiancé or wife? No? Why are you laughing? At the start of the morning when you see a windy day, did you say, "Today there will be something great out there waiting for me!" Did you feel like that? You have to cultivate your interest in life, even beyond the windy day. You have to see through it. Every young man is afraid of a storm. Have you ever studied why? Do you really feel stimulated and interested when some big wave comes over the bow into your boat? Do you see any hope there? Are you interested in that big wave? A man of the sea really tries to find hope in something like that. A small boat going through the waves is so dramatic. When you see your boat going through a wave, crashing over onto the other side, you really have to think, "Ah, here is hope for the future."

Don't hate the waves. You will only become like them. We have to accept everything, cold water and stormy skies. Always welcome the water with your hands, your feet, everything of your body. Do you do that every day? On a flat calm day look at yourself in the mirror of the ocean and realize the power of the water. On a calm day that flat mirror looks so peaceful, but the next day it could tower above you like a twenty foot mountain. It is only taking a rest on those calm days, but its power remains constant. 

Man is the same as well. You can be highly excited and stimulated, but then you calm down and your heart maintains a humble, quiet, appreciative standard. It is also the same within women. You can see your face reflected in the peaceful water, even so, the ocean is always moving. It has to for the sake of the fish. The wind moves the water and this movement allows for the oxygen that the fish need to live. God gave life to the ocean and this is how they live.

If you look at a drop of water, it has no color. But if you gather more water, a beautiful color begins to emerge. How beautiful it is. In the water are so many species of fish; the ocean contains all kinds of fish and life. Water is life-giving; more than 70% of man's body is made of water. When the water hits your face, it scratches your eyes because it's so salty. How do you feel at that moment? You spit it out, don't you, and try to shut your eyes? Ocean water has a basic taste, it is the natural taste of life. So when you go out again, you will feel and taste the water differently won't you?

After working all day your hands will be dry and salty. Then you can taste them. That is a wonderful moment. That is the beauty of the sea. You can even write a poem about the salt of the ocean. Any great art and literature comes from this kind of intimate exchange with life. Those who hate all the natural things of life cannot create such art and literature, but those who really love life to its bottom core can create such beautiful and inspiring art and literature. You look out there on a calm day and suddenly a fish jumps up out of the water, just like a man would. The whale makes a huge leap and then it looks around. It seems as if he is looking for the future. Just look at yourself. When your mind and body are calm, your spirit wants to jump up and look for something good. So look upon the ocean in this way, and then life itself will be revealed to you.

When you express something in literature about the sun and the moon it is too simple, but if you talk about the moving waves, the dancing waves, it is more beautiful. If you look at the sun, you can talk about the smiling face of your father and the sun is more beautiful than just a shining ball. You have to experience the sun in that way. You have to experience everything more deeply like that. From that kind of deep experience you gain unlimited inspiration for your conscience.

One time we caught a lot of rotten, dark fish. The smell was like ammonia. I seldom feel seasick, but when I smelled that my stomach began to turn. I first thought, "I'm no good, because I'm feeling so bad over this fish." Then I began to think differently and said, "I have to pay indemnity." When I realized that, the sickness disappeared, because I could love that smell. It meant I could pay indemnity for something, for someone. I could have a sense of gratitude for that smell and with that, I overcame any feeling of sickness.

When I come back with that fish smell, that chum smell, Mother sometimes says something about my clothes, but I tell her, "You don't have to do the laundry for these yet, they are still good." Mother does them anyway. Some of you wear the same fish smelling clothes for the entire month. You shouldn't apologize. We have to learn how to digest things like this in our life, every day of our life. We do this for the sake of the future. Look at me. I am going out every day and certainly I am tired, but I never say, "I am so tired; I cannot go out." When I think of the fisherman who has to go out every day and takes care of his family, I cannot think of being tired. I have often said to Mother, over and over, "today I'll get the striper," but it's very difficult to actually do that. I think of the fisherman who promises his wife and family every day that he will make the catch. He has got to catch those fish. I think about that kind of life very seriously.

Who is more desperate? Am I, who promises Mother I will catch the striped bass, or the fisherman who has to catch fish in order to feed his family? Which is the more difficult feeling? Is it me when I have to apologize to Mother for not catching the fish, or the fisherman whose family will starve if he doesn't catch something, anything? When I think about those fishermen, I don't ever feel tired and going out is no problem. We need to develop that kind of thinking. We must believe, "I am doing this for the sake of all mankind, I am leaving something behind for mankind."

With that kind of spirit we have to go out. Through this activity, I can see that mankind will someday have hope. In the future what we do here will bring great benefit to all of mankind. I want to really make you men and women of the sea. If you men grow a beard, I want you to touch your beard and say, "I am a man and I must always work harder for the sake of mankind." Do you have that spirit? You should say, "since I have a beard, I want to get to the fishing grounds faster than anyone else." You have to prepare to go out. You have to have a good engine, bait, gasoline, everything. This is basic. I am always prepared before leaving. Yesterday I received a report that the eel bait we were going to use was ready the night before. However, in the morning, I found out that the eel wasn't fixed right. That's no good. You shouldn't wait until the morning to find out these things. Everything should be ready and finished the night before.

When I look at you in this basic area, you are still almost at zero. Is your spirit looking forward, always getting ready for tomorrow? If your spirit isn't like that, then you will be accused by the fisherman of not working hard. I may look humble now, but my vision is crystal clear for the future. I am preparing the foundation now for a great future. How about you?