Konkokyo Establishment Day Service was held on November 15, 2015. Reverend Toshimasa Okanari, the Chief Administrative Director, gave an address.
Welcome to the Konkokyo Headquarters, ladies and gentlemen!
On October 21st of 1859 according to the lunar calendar, on November 15th 1859 according to the Gregorian calendar, the Founder received the “Divine Call” from our Parent Kami. In this “Divine Call” or “Rikkyo Shinden,” Kami said to the Founder, “There are many people like yourself, who have sincere faith in kamis, but still have many problems. Help these people by performing toritsugi.” (Page 135 of Voice of the Universe -Selected Teachings of Konkokyo-)
By accepting Kami’s request humbly and respectfully, the Founder gave up his career as a farmer and started to devote himself to conducting Sacred Mediation. Through this, the Divine Parent of the Universe was introduced to people for the first time in the history of human beings, and people started to recognize the presence of this Deity and the Deity’s various, abundant blessings, also for the first time.
“Rikkyo Kinen-Sai” or Ceremony to Commemorate the “Birth” of the Konko Faith (in this world) is a ceremony for us to realize our Parent Kami’s wishes described in the Divine Call once more on the very date when the Founder received it. It is also a ceremony for us to pray to our Parent Kami so that we can learn our Founder’s faith well, practice it and let it be known to the people around us. Today, the “Rikkyo Kinen-Sai” ceremony was solemnly held with the Reverend Hiromichi Konko serving as the Chief Officiant, upon the wish (and instruction) of our Spiritual Leader, Kyoshu Konko-sama. Through attending this Ceremony, I am sure we are all being allowed to receive Kami-sama’s blessings, and I am fully appreciative about it.
As you know well, this year marks the 70th anniversary since the end of World War II. The Konkokyo Organization made a re-start as a religious group at the end of this war, and we have walked our path for the last 70 years. As a Konko minister, I have looked back at our organizational history or footsteps and studied our senior ministers’ faiths with hope to seek the important elements of our Faith. And I was allowed to discover one thing: Each of the senior Konko ministers paid good attention to and had full respect for Kami’s words, “There are many people like yourself, who have sincere faith in kamis, but still have many problems. Help these people by performing toritsugi” and they all worked extremely hard so that they could live up to fulfilling Kami’s request, as if they had received the divine request from Kami directly. What these senior Konko ministers did sincerely on a daily and nightly basis was to “engage in Sacred Toritsugi Mediation.” I felt as if they were telling me that engaging in Sacred Mediation IS the vital element of the Konko Faith. Through this discovery or even ‘awakening,’ I now fully believe that we all should deeply know and appreciate the importance of engaging in the goyo (selfless service for Kami) of Toritsugi-Mediation and asking for Mediation.
It goes without saying that the Konko Faith or Konkokyo emerged in this world when our Founder respectfully accepted the Divine Call. When we say that the Konko Faith “started,” what “started” in fact? What started with the emergence of the Konko Faith is that our Founder, Konko Daijin, began to perform Sacred Mediation for worshippers. And among numerous people saved by the Founder’s Toritsugi Mediation, some became Toritsugi Mediators and they began to perform Sacred Mediation for their worshippers in need. This is how Konko Daijin’s faith and our Parent Kami were known to a lot of people. And this is how our religion has expanded. Here come a couple of questions, and they are “What does ‘engaging in Sacred Mediation’ mean?” and “How has the goyo of Sacred Mediation been succeeded from one generation to another?”
Today, I would like to talk about Reverend Morio Sato of Konko Church of Hiroshima, introducing this minister to you as one of our senior Konko ministers who succeeded the goyo of conducting Toritsugi Mediation that was initially started by Konko Daijin, our dear Founder.
On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped onto the City of Hiroshima. It was the first ever use of nuclear weapons in human history. Konko Church of Hiroshima, along with many other buildings, was damaged by the bomb. In those days, Rev. Morio Sato (30), the church’s head minister, his wife, Rev. Noriko Sato (22) and Rev. Fumiko Ninomiya (39), the wife of the former head minister of the church, were serving our Parent Kami at Konko Church of Hiroshima. The Revs. Morio and Noriko Sato respected and adored Rev. Fumiko Ninomiya as if she were their real mother. This young couple was blessed with a (then) 16-month-old daughter. On the morning of August 6, 1945, Noriko sensei (Japanese for ‘minister’) was advised by Fumiko sensei, her mother-in-law, to take her little daughter to a nearby barber shop. According to Fumiko sensei, the little girl had heat rashes and she needed shorter hair on her head. Nodding yes, Noriko sensei took her daughter to the barber shop. As soon as Noriko sensei entered the hairdresser’s shop, there was a sudden gleam of light that was soon followed by a bomb blast. Noriko sensei noticed that she was caught under the destroyed building, and she managed to get herself and her baby girl out of the rubbles and rushed back to her church. It was already in blazing fire and there was nothing Noriko sensei could do. The church family had no choice but to move to a believer’s home in the Miyajima Island. They were kindly accommodated by the believer’s family.
Reverend Morio Sato, by the way, was working for his homeland as a soldier at that time. Rev. Sato suffered the atomic bomb attack at his barrack, but he was fortunate enough to get injured just a little. Rev. Sato worked hard, trying to rescue other bomb victims. When he had time to do so, Rev. Sato went back to his church only to find that the church building was totally burned down to the ground. He knew where the worship hall (hiromae) was, and right over there, Rev. Sato found his mother-in-law in her skeletons. Fumiko sensei was sitting at the worship hall and praying to Kami-sama when she was struck by the deadly bomb. Rev. Morio Sato picked up each bone of Fumiko sensei, prayed to Kami all by himself and went to the believer’s home in the Miyajima Island with Fumiko sensei’s bones, which he had long decided that would be their “shelter.” In the believer’s home, Rev. Morio Sato confirmed that his wife and daughter were fine. Rev. Sato knew that he and his family could not bother their believer by staying at their house too long. Morio sensei therefore took his wife and little daughter to Konko Church of Geibi, his birth home. As soon as it was done, Rev. Morio Sato went back to Hiroshima City to resume participating in rescue activities for the victims. On August 20, five days after the end of World War II, Morio sensei was discharged and he was no longer a soldier. For the next ten days, Rev. Sato continued to engage in rescuing activities in the city. And he finally went back to Konko Church of Geibi at the end of August. Rev. Morio Sato later commented on his wife, Noriko sensei as follows: “My wife, Noriko, was originally a very healthy person. She, however, has suffered from so-called after-effects of atomic bombing since she was attacked by the deadly bomb. Because of the influence of radiation, she was bald for a while, had frequent internal bleedings and Noriko was soon put in critical conditions. It was about half a month after she was attacked by the bomb. The doctor who saw Noriko said that she would not last. Under such an extremely severe circumstance, however, the Third Konko-sama and the Head Minister of Konko Church of Geibi prayed to Kami for my wife’s survival. Noriko was not only prayed by them but also was taken good care of by the people at the Geibi church. If there is a miracle, my wife, Noriko, was miraculously allowed to survive her life-threatening situations.”
According to Rev. Morio Sato’s statements, his wife, Noriko sensei, was in critical conditions around August 21. Morio sensei returned to his birth home, Konko Church of Geibi at the end of that month. By the time he was there for his wife, Noriko sensei had already received Kami’s blessings. However, she must have still been quite fragile when Rev. Morio Sato saw her. Rev. Sato himself must have been quite exhausted due to the physically draining work as a rescuer in Hiroshima City. He probably wanted to rest himself for a while and take his time in planning his and his family’s future. But the Reverend Teru Sato, the wife of the founding minister of Konko Church of Geibi, the Reverend Norio Sato, had a different idea. At the Mediation Seat, Teru sensei spoke to Morio sensei, “If there is at least one survivor among your church members in Hiroshima City, you must rebuild and restart your church. Why? Because it is a place where the member can make requests to and thank Kami. Besides, the fact that the new bomb took so many lives means there are numerous new mitama-sama or deceased spirits in your city. You cannot but hold memorial services for them, can you? Go back to Hiroshima City as soon as possible.”
Don’t you think Teru sensei is being quite tough on Morio sensei? Rev. Morio Sato is one of the grandchildren of Rev. Teru Sato. It is needless to say that Teru sensei loves her grandchildren. She must have been tremendously happy when Morio sensei, her grandson, came back home safely from the deadly bomb attack. Besides, her grandson’s wife was still not quite in shape. For these reasons, deep down in her heart, Teru sensei must have wanted to let these two young people stay relaxingly at her church for a long time. Nevertheless, Teru sensei said to Morio sensei that he “had to” go back to Hiroshima City and “rebuild his church as soon as possible.”
What on earth do all these things mean? I suppose that Rev. Teru Sato firmly believed in answering for Kami’s wish: serving Kami as a Toritsugi-Mediator and performing Sacred Mediation for worshippers at any cost, because Kami said to the Founder, “There are many people like yourself, who have sincere faith in kamis, but still have many problems. Help these people by performing toritsugi.”
I suppose so because of the following facts about the Rev. Teru Sato herself: When Teru sensei was still young, she went to the Founder’s Hiromae or Worship Hall and asked him for Sacred Mediation. Teru sensei spoke to the Founder, “I am still very young, and I do not have any virtue and wisdom. How could I ever serve Kami as a Toritsugi Mediator? This notion worries me very much.” The Founder gently replied, “Even if you do not have enough ability to be a Mediator, Kami will bless you as long as you constantly pray to Kami single-heartedly.” For Teru sensei, the Founder’s words were Kami’s words. Although she was still much worried, Rev. Teru Sato began to “engage in the service of Sacred Mediation” with an attitude of “Yes, Kami-sama. I will follow Your words.” Just as the Founder had instructed, Teru sensei was allowed to fulfill her duty as a Toritsugi Mediator, being given blessings from Kami. Through this first-hand experience, Teru sensei must spontaneously have had a notion/feeling, “Morio, if you do not do goyo (service for Kami) and serve people’s needs now, when on earth will you do so?”
For Rev. Morio Sato, however, accepting Teru sensei’s words with a positive mind must have been extremely difficult when he heard them at Geibi Church’s Mediation Seat. To back up my assumption, Rev. Morio Sato frankly commented later on, “Although Teru sensei told me to go (back) to Hiroshima, I just had nothing; I had no money, I had no ability and I had no faith that people can easily look up to. Besides, it was said in those days that no creatures would be able to live in Hiroshima City for the next 75 years. I saw no reason why I could work well as a Toritsugi Mediator there.”
To escape from the City of Hiroshima as an atomic bomb victim is a natural action for a person. And it is also natural Rev. Morio Sato at the age of 30 thinks, “I just have nothing with me to get by in the total wilderness heavily damaged by the atomic bomb.” It must be quite normal for one to feel he or she can do nothing. Moreover, it can even be somewhat natural that one takes offense, saying “What a nonsense someone tells me to go to Hiroshima NOW! It is totally ridiculous!!”
Rev. Morio Sato, nonetheless, assembled all the courage and might he could and encouraged himself, “Teru sensei said those words but they represent not only the wish of Teru sensei herself but also that of Kami-sama. And innumerable deceased spirits in the City must be waiting for my return.” Morio sensei was in fact still somewhat hesitant to follow Rev. Teru Sato’s instruction, yet he bravely continued to say to himself, “Even if I have nothing, even if I do not enough ability, I know I will follow Kami’s wish.” And Rev. Morio Sato finally made up his mind to return. He again asked Rev. Teru Sato for Sacred Mediation. On September 3 (1945), Rev. Morio Sato headed for Hirosima City with nothing but a few things to satisfy his immediate needs.
I wonder why all these things are possible. I suppose that it is because Rev. Morio Sato had had a lot of opportunities, until he received the severe words from Rev. Teru Sato at the Mediation Seat, to look at and/or listen to how much blessed Teru sensei was as she served Kami as a Toritsugi Mediator through her earnest prayers to Kami. The importance to realize one’s own limitations and to pray earnestly to Kami because of it, and the fact that Kami really gives blessings to people who pray to Kami sincerely without doubts and/or hesitations…Rev. Morio Sato had probably learned these important lessons from Rev. Teru Sato very well before he received Teru sensei’s strict words at the Mediation Seat of Geibi. This is why Morio sensei was able to remember Teru sensei’s (past) words and say to himself, ““Teru sensei told me to immediately go back to Hiroshima, but it represents not only the wish of Teru sensei herself but also that of Kami-sama. And innumerable deceased spirits in the City, such as Rev. Fumiko Ninomiya’s, must be waiting for my return.”
Here, please allow me to go over the historical facts. Rev. Morio Sato was discharged and he was no longer a soldier on August 20, 1945. Rev. Sato participated in rescuing activities in Hiroshima for the next ten days. He finally returned to his birth home, Konko Church of Geibi, on August 31. Rev. Sato was thinking of staying there for a while for a good rest. He thought, after taking a good rest at Geibi, he would start to plan his family’s future. Rev. Teru Sato, his grandmother, however, told Morio sensei to “go to Hiroshima at once.” While he was quite hesitant for a while at first, Rev. Morio Sato thought about Teru sensei’s words over and over again and he finally was able to believe, “Teru sensei’s words do not only reflect her own wish but also Kami’s wish.” Rev. Morio Sato then thought, “Since it is Kami’s wish, it doesn’t really matter whether or not I can do. I am supposed to follow Kami’s guidance. And if I faithfully follow Kami’s guidance, taking myself to the City of Hiroshima, Kami will definitely bless me all along the way. This is all I believe and this is all I should believe.” And Rev. Morio Sato left for Hiroshima on September 3. This fact means that Rev. Morio Sato stayed at Konko Church of Geibi only for a few days, literally.
Now that Rev. Morio Sato was back in Hiroshima. He lay down on the ground on the night of September 3, where Konko Church of Hiroshima used to stand. Lying down on the damaged-by-the-new-bomb wilderness, Rev. Morio Sato looked up to the night sky. He gazed at countless sparkling stars. As he gazed at them, totally despite himself, Rev. Morio Sato suddenly had a notion, “The Universe is alive. Why don’t I also live with the Universe?”
Looking at the shining stars, Rev. Morio Sato thought this way. In fact, since I heard this story about Morio sensei, I have often looked up at the night sky. One night, I was driving with my wife sitting beside me on our way home after we took part in an event of our local league of Konko churches. We were driving on a mountain road. We decided to stop for a while to enjoy looking up at the sky. Up in the mountain, there were no artificial lights around us. We were in complete darkness. What we saw as soon as we got out of our car was a set of bright stars covering the whole sky above us. Numerous stars covered the entire night sky and each of the stars sparkled. Besides, I felt as if those shining stars were falling down at us. I still remember so well how much moved both my wife and I were at that time.
This is just my assumption, but there must have been no streetlights after the massive explosion on Hiroshima City back in those days. When Rev. Morio Sato lay down on the total wilderness, he must have been in complete darkness. The weather was clear on September 3, 1945 and Morio sensei was probably deeply moved to see those twinkling stars above him. In each of those bright stars, Rev. Morio Sato must have recognized the positive power of “life.” He realized that the whole universe is alive and that the divine virtue of Kami fills the entire universe. Morio sensei must have thought “I and many others are being allowed to be alive in this universe as Kami’s beloved children. We are all soaked in Kami’s virtue. If this is true, and I know this is true, I am sure I will be able to get over any sorts of difficulties that may lie ahead of me, together with Kami.” Rev. Morio Sato must have felt this conviction arising from the bottom of his heart.
The fact tells us that Rev. Morio Sato began to build a hut on the very next day. He built a little shack with three-tatami-mat size; one tatami mat for altars, one tatami mat for worshippers’ space and one tatami mat for the kitchen. Right next to the tiny self-built “worship hall,” Morio sensei placed a wooden flagpole so that the church’s flag with the Konkokyo’s eight-petal crest would be proudly shown in the air. With that, Rev. Morio Sato made a giant first step towards his church’s revival.
In this way, Rev. Morio Sato made one step forward after another each passing day, always holing fast to his belief, “The Universe is alive. And I will live with the Universe as well.” Rev. Morio Sato later commented as follows: “Fortunately enough, my family and I were led to salvation because of the strong, earnest prayers of my grandmother (Rev. Teru Sato). When the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima City, not only a great number of people but also Kami suffered a great deal. When we suffer, Kami never leaves us alone. Kami jumps into our sufferings. And now, each passing second and minute, Kami is suffering together with all of us, and, just as we are striving for rising up from the ashes, Kami is also trying to stand up together with us. I was allowed to fully realize that Kami protects us always, not even with a second’s interval. Since I went back to Hiroshima, I cannot but wonder how we could ever be allowed to survive to this day. I often said to myself, ‘I am always with Kami. When I am suffering, Kami is suffering together with me too.” I mentally backed up myself in this way.”
This is the true story of Rev. Morio Sato from Konko Church of Hiroshima. It is the story about Morio sensei’s “engaging in his goyo as a Toritsugi Mediator.” And this is the story about Morio sensei’s firm belief about the relationship between the Divine Parent of the Universe and people and that between Kami and himself that he obtained through his commitment to his Mediation goyo. I understand that Rev. Morio Sato is teaching to us that we are all in the strong prayers of Kyoshu Konko-sama (the Spiritual Leader of the Konko Faith) and the head ministers of our respective Konko churches, and because it is so, Kami will definitely save us no matter what sorts of sufferings we may encounter, as long as we pray to Kami wholeheartedly. His teaching continues, “Since I went back to the heavily devastated city of Hiroshima, various facts of divine blessings were there for us; people were saved and we were allowed to revive our church. This is the Konko Faith, and this is the manifestation of Toritsugi-Mediation.”
After learning the words of Rev. Teru Sato at the Geibi’s Mediation Seat and Rev. Morio Sato’s revival from the enormous ordeal as an atomic-bomb victim after he received Teru sensei’s Sacred Mediation, I again cannot but think about a Konko minister’s tremendous self-conflict right before he or she starts his/her goyo as a Toritsugi Mediator, following our Parent Kami’s wish, “There are many people like yourself, who have sincere faith in kamis, but still have many problems. Help these people by performing toritsugi.” The bigger and deeper the hesitation is, the more venerable a minister becomes, once he or she assumes the duty as a Mediator for Kami and people. Just as we observed, Rev. Teru Sato in her younger days openly hesitated before the Founder, saying “I am young. Besides, I do not have virtue and wisdom.” Rev. Morio Sato was quite hesitant too, saying to himself, “I just have nothing; I have no money, I have no ability and I have no faith that people can easily look up to.” However, both Teru sensei and Morio sensei were allowed to recognize Kami’s wish strongly through the Sacred Mediations they received respectively. And they then stopped caring about whether they could do or not. And they decided to follow Kami’s wish and began performing Sacred Mediation for worshippers, just as their predecessors did. And through their earnest dedication as Mediators, Kami was rejoiced: “Facts of blessings” were there. The Mediators, as they continued to serve Kami, deepened their perception that Kami was suffering when they were suffering and that Kami was walking just beside them. And their deeper understanding of this truth enriched and enhanced the quality of their Mediation goyo even more.
I believe that many other senior ministers traced similar paths and succeeded the important goyo of mediating between Kami and people. And their respective Mediation must also have seen its own enrichment and enhancement as years went by. We are directly connected to such a venerable line of Toritsugi-Mediation. And this is why we are so much blessed today.
I sincerely pray that we all will ask for and receive Sacred Mediation from now on too. Why? Because we all know that we would like to be blessed by our Parent Kami even more than ever.
This is all for my greeting. Thank you very much.