Today, Saturday June 25th, 2005, is a special day. People are traveling throughout our nation to hear the Rev. Billy Graham in New York. Thousand and thousand of people are expected for the next three days to attend this last revival. I think it is good. Rev. Billy Graham has preached his whole life about God's love and he did it in such a fashion that he was able to convince many of us that the love of God is genuine. He has given advice and encouragement about how to live our lives and how to behave. He is a beloved preacher who will be remembered for a very long time. Even the media is giving him praise and are not afraid to speak about him, to speak to him and to spread his words and pictures all over the TV screens. It is safe. No one is going to argue about it. No special classes or special groups within our society are going to complain.
I know another preacher who is also going to talk today in New York, tomorrow in DC, Monday in Chicago, and Tuesday in Los Angeles. He will gather many people but not as many of Rev. Billy Graham. For one thing, he will not be talked about on TV. His pictures will not flash across our screens. He is an old man just like Rev. Billy Graham. He has preached about God all his life, just like Rev. Billy Graham has. He has motivated young and old people alike, just like Billy Graham. He has met the most influential religious and political people of the past three decades. He has made more effort for world peace than any other human being that I know off. His words will not be known by the masses for a while longer. Most likely only after his death will mankind and historian realized how important this man is today. Today his is still too controversial in his presentation and his delivery of God's will and God's love. No media are going to touch him, they are too afraid of the many classes and special groups. It is not safe for them. So, it is much better to ignore him.
I am lucky and blessed to know the Rev. Sun Myung Moon for the past 34 years of my life. I am lucky that I was able to attend many of his Sunday preaching while I lived in New York. I had not had the need to rely on hear-say to make my own opinion. I have never heard of any one else speaking with so much depth about God's will, God's plan for mankind, God's purpose for the creation, God's desire for the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. I have never seen someone with so many tears during prayers.
Our country, with all its permissiveness and evilness, has another side that can be seen when people like Rev. Billy Graham calls and we respond. We have many young and old people alike who want to have a great meaningful and purposeful life. People who truly and sincerely want to participate in the building of great world societies where decency, respect, trust, and true love are the norm.
I wish that soon there will be such a need for a revival that people will seek truths where ever it might be published or spoken. I wish that soon no one will be afraid to lose their own faith and will research any thing and every thing that speaks of God. I wish that soon our young people will be so tired of the world they live in, so tired of their boredom and self centeredness that they will go beyond themselves and finally learn what is already out there for them. I wish that they will have the strength, the compassion, and the love needed to do what we and the people before us failed to do. I wish that the words of my Rev. Sun Myung Moon could be listened and studies on their own merit before that are judged.
That is my prayer for today. Amen.
