Hello everyone. Thank you very much for attending the Tenchi Kane No Kami Grand Ceremony of our Konko Church of Chicago. I trust that you are all enjoying the best of health and good spirits this wonderful morning. It is a great pleasure to stand before you & see so many friendly faces. My heart is filled with gratitude in welcoming all of you to today's ceremony.
Rev. Takao Kishii, head-minister of KC Toronto came all the way from Toronto to officiate and deliver his sermon for this ceremony. Thank you very much, Kishii Sensei!
I just would like to tell you one thing today. This Kami, Tenchi Kane No Kami eagerly wishes us human beings to practice faith and receive divine blessings. It is truly urgent that this Kami seeks for those who develop true faith. That is because it greatly depends on how deeply we change or renew ourselves to change the world better.
Though it is my interpretation of one of Konko Daijin's teachings, he said, "If people have their belief in, 'On this very day pray with a single heart. Divine blessings are within your peaceful and joyful heart,' Kami's glory will appear and the world peace will be attained." Therefore the most serious matter in life is to deepen peace and joy in our heart through everything that happens in our daily life.
All of us just listened to the brilliant sermon of Kishii Sensei. Let us put any part of his sermon into practice and deepen our heart everyday to change ourselves and the world. Let us deepen our peaceful and joyful hearts together to serve Kami and people in the world.
Thank you very much!