Celebrating True Children’s Day
There are many faiths that celebrate and observe their holy days at this time of year. For Unificationists, True Children’s Day is a special holy day celebrated in the fall season. It is an opportunity for us to express our love and gratitude to our Heavenly Parent as sons and daughters of God. No matter who or where you are, this Saturday, November 22, 2014 you too can celebrate True Children’s Day!
Father Moon said that out of all the Holy Days that we can celebrate, Children’s Day is the most precious and “is a day for all people of the world to mark and celebrate forever and ever.” We call it True Children’s Day because it represents the return of God’s sons and daughters and the day that God can recover His position as our Heavenly Parent.
“The establishment of Children’s day signifies the appearance of sons and daughters who are able to rectify the fact that they lost God due to the wrongful actions of God’s children. Once those children emerge, they must find God by means of establishing Children’s Day. Then God can rise to His place of glory and rejoice. When God rejoices, God’s sons and daughters rejoice, and all things rejoice as well.”
—Rev. Sun Myung Moon, Cheon Seong Gyeong
God’s Hope Hinges on His Children
It’s an amazing fact of life that all the hope of a parent hinges on their children. It actually starts with God, the ultimate Parent. Think about it. God is eternal, God is permanent, and will never change, no matter what. Even after humankind became separated from our Heavenly Parent, God didn’t give up. Our Heavenly Parent still recognizes all of humanity as sons and daughters. God is everlasting, and each one of us is born into an eternal place in God’s heart.
If you think about your family, you might argue that the position of parents or even grandparents is the most important position, but ironically, the humblest position has the most power. A parent’s happiness is all wrapped up in their child and even the seemingly almighty God is held hostage to the love of His children. This is why Father Moon found it so important to celebrate our true identity as God’s sons and daughters. Celebrating True Children’s Day means putting God as the center of our families and the center of who we are. All of humanity can become one family under God as God’s sons and daughters, and what better reason to celebrate this day!
So how do we celebrate it?
In the best way you can – doing fun things with your family!
This is not just about celebrating children, as in, just kids; don’t worry, this is not cause for another birthday party. It is about recognizing that we are all God’s children. It is a day where we can thank God for our existence, our families, our relationships and our blessings. And we can see ourselves for the honorable, special sons and daughters of God we all know deep down we are.
You can celebrate True Children’s Day by taking a moment in the morning for meditation, inspirational reading or prayer with the entire family to set the tone of the holy day that it is. Then, you can let your hair down and pop open the sparkling cider! Be creative. Cook a special meal together. Bake a cake. Play fun games during the day – Yute (or Yut Nori) is a traditional Korean game that Father Moon played with his family on this holy day. Watch a family-favorite movie. Enjoy this special day to celebrate our awesomeness with God!
What does being God’s child mean for you? Discuss your thoughts here if you like. What are some unique things you like to do with your family?