Reflection of Dr. C. S. Yong's Morning Devotion
Message: "Vertical Sorrow and Horizontal Sorrow
Message: "Vertical Sorrow and Horizontal Sorrow
Saturday, May 23, 2020 By Rafael E. Ablong
His message reminded me of:
1. The three laws in the Unification Thought Theory of History. Specifically, the Law of Separation, Law of Indemnity, and the Law of the Horizontal Reappearance of the Vertical.
We were separated from God by disobedience, sin, and Satan after the Fall. —This separation caused us to lose our original faith, original homeland, the original perspective of value, and the originally-intended family life with God. This separation caused humanity: to lose our original relationship with each other, caused us to lose our home, parents, brothers and sisters, our tribe and all. And, in my family, it caused my father to lose his mind: enter the house through the window, run after people, and start fighting with my mother especially when he was hungry or drunk.
— To restore my original value, state, and position, I need to do conditions of indemnity to build a strong foundation of faith and substance, receive the Messiah, and help in the restoration of this world. I thought I was paying indemnity for my ancestors' sins especially, chapter 2 problems, misuse of money, and more even before I started learning how to talk, walk, or count.
— In the law of the horizontal reappearance of the vertical, various unresolved problems will reappear at present so they could be resolved by the Lord of the Second Coming (True Parents, True Mother). God causes these events to reappear in the present time so the Fall's consequent confusion and conflict in the world would be fundamentally resolved by the Messiah. The horizontal sorrows of all humanity can only be resolved when it meets the vertical sorrow of God. In other words, when both kinds of sorrow have a "reunion" (sangbon) with God's Heart.
2. Vertical hunger, horizontal hunger, and various fights occurred when I was in elementary. The occasional slingshot wars and fistfights I had were a result of my desire for self-preservation, to have my friendships cover for whatever scarcity of emotional affection and normalcy I experienced, and the constant need for social acceptance. I looked for love and friendship outside my home because there was a lot of struggle and hardships at that time.
— Later on, I learned that even friendships can lead me to do the things I hate. Even to do the things that destroy my body. It was because of these friendships that I learned to drink alcohol, smoke tobacco, and marijuana for some time.
— My father was a good man and he was a victim of stress, hunger, alcohol, and ancestral problems. There were just too many children to feed, and there was little money from his stevedoring work at the shipyard. My mother had different jobs. She stayed religious and always leading the prayer meetings and organizing community prayer groups at the Catholic church.
— Yet, the frequent physical conflicts between my parents were real and heart-breaking; my mother would usually have a rock o a slingshot, and my father would have his usual long stick, squarely facing each other or trying to hit each other around the house. Sometimes, the children help in the fight, too. It was not because we wanted to hurt my father but because we were afraid. We were like dogs caught in the corner. We had to do it to keep him away from us. Sometimes, we would go out of the house running in the middle of the night to the house of my grandma and relatives who could help us stay away from the violence, and sleep a bit.
3. Our horizontal sorrows with the little things average people considered nothing was something for us. Such as a good place to sleep in the house when it rains. When it rains, the roof of our house would leak and we had to cover it with cardboard boxes so we won't get wet as we rest. There was always discomfort, scarcity, and hunger. Without our friends, neighbors and relatives help, we do not know where we are now. Thanks to all of them.
4. I attended Sunday Services in the different churches to feel God's love and comfort, have more friendships, and to have some food. We all had to have our own ways of food-raising and fundraising without losing our faith, sanity, and studies.
5. When I laid my life in front of God, just offering to Him everything, I was able to settle down my discomfort, insecurity, sorrow, and hunger. When I became a missionary of the church, the meaning of hunger became fasting for a greater purpose. Silence and prayers to avoid conflict by preferring peace and anger to resent Satan's accusations by doing good became part of daily life of faith and challenges.
6. To overcome my sorrows, i need to witness, undergo persecution. and continue to live for others even in my capacity now as a family man. Just connecting everything to God and True Parents in prayer, hoon dok hae and other church traditions is not enough. I have to go out and witness, and experience persecution to grow.
7. Reuniting our horizontal sorrows to God's vertical sorrows will need a lot of heart, time, and effort but this will not hinder us from continuing to substantialize our determination. Understanding the sorrows of God is about avoiding to insist on our way of thinking and disobedience, arrogance, and selfishness. Without God's love and the Divine Principle, we won't be seeing each other today.
Thanks Dr. Yong for your untiring sacrifice and commitment to share your knowledge, skills, and experience. I will do my best to take care of my family for the sake ofvthe higher purpose. On a brighter side, though we experience sorrow and understand the sorrows of God, we can still smile and be happy in the Providence of saving people from hell.
-Rafael "Raffy" Ablong
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