February 2024 Service

Risshun & National Service

February 4, 2024

10 A.M. PST

2068 San Marino Street

Los Angeles, CA 90006

Amatsu Norito (Prayer of Heaven)

Taka-amahara ni kamzumari masu

Kamurogi Kamuromi no Mikoto mochite

Sume-mioya kamu Izanagi no mikoto

Tsukushi no Himuka no Tachihana no

Odo no Ahagi-hara ni

Misogi harai tamou toki ni nari maseru

Haraido no okami-tachi

Moro-moro no magagoto tsumi kegare o

Harai tama-e kiyome tama-e to

maosu koto no yoshi o

Amatsu-kami kunitsu-kami

ya-o yorozu no kami-tachi tomo ni

Ame no fuchi-koma no mimi furitate-te

kikoshi-mese to

Kashikomi kashikomi mo maosu

Miroku Omikami

mamori tama-e sakiha-e tama-e

Miroku Omikami

mamori tama-e sakiha-e tama-e

Oshi-e-mioya nushino-kami

mamori tama-e sakiha-e tama-e

Oshi-e-mioya nushino-kami

mamori tama-e sakiha-e tama-e

(pause for silent prayer)

Kan-nagara tamachi ha-e mase

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, Who art in heaven,

Hallowed by Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil:

For Thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory, forever.

(Amen)

Prayer for Paradise on Earth

Great God of Light,

We behold Your plan unfolding

Whereby all spiritual clouds are dispelled,

Impurity and error cleansed

From the realms of spirit and matter.

The age of light and joy is being born;

Through Your infinite compassion

Misguided forces waken unto truth,

And negative practices cease,

While forces of light unhindered

Restore the world to peace.

All of nature receives

Your loving influence

And finds its rightful place.

Peaceful clouds move across

Brilliant skies,

And the fragrance of countless flowers

Floats upon the air.

Abundant harvests glorify the earth,

Every corner filled with happy voices.

Boundaries between countries vanish

And ancient conflicts disappear as if dreams.

All people are united,

Encircled by Your Light

And guided by Your Wisdom.

Through service to humanity,

All are blessed

With health, peace and prosperity.

Great God of Light,

Strengthen us with courage and wisdom

To follow Your will

And realize Paradise on Earth.

Poems

RISSHUN

Each year on this auspicious day

Do we celebrate,

The beginning of Spring

Here before the altar,

Where God is enshrined.

It is the power of the

Oneness of spirit and body

God has concealed

In the floret,

That is divine spirit.

The light from the

East day in and day out

Rises to finally

Shine on and

Envelop the world.

Waka (poem) 1 - From: "Poems for Risshun" in Record for Enlightening Talks, Supplement, February 5, 1948

Waka 2, 3 - From a set of poems titled “Poems for the Beginning of Spring Service” in Chijôtengoku, Issue 58, March 25, 1954

Teachings

Significance of Risshun

(Meishu-sama)

I have told you about the meaning of Risshun every year for some time, so perhaps it is not necessary to speak of it again. However, this is an exceedingly important time for God's plan and its importance becomes greater each year.

I cannot go into this too deeply, but all members will notice the fact that purification becomes more severe and stronger at this time. This happens both on Risshun and on June 15th, which are the two big turning points of the year. By this, I mean that changes become more noticeable at these turning points.

However, there is a difference between the way the spiritual vibration changes in February and the way it changes in June. The change that comes with the turning point in February is that God's action takes a new major direction.

The change in June is different from that, for it is then that the spiritual realm becomes brighter, that kaso, the spirit of fire, increases. I may say that the turning in February is God's time of reckoning, the time when we pay off our spiritual debts (the sins and clouds accumulated during the Age of Night), whereas June 15 is the time when the spiritual realm in general becomes brighter and this reflects on our lives.

February 5, 1952

On Risshun

(Rev. Higuchi)

In Japan, from the ancient days, people celebrated February 4th as Risshun, the beginning of spring. People today give little attention. In our fellowship's history, many important events have taken place on and around this date.

Meishu-sama passed on to the spiritual realm on February 10, 1955, on a Thursday, if I remember correctly. I was in Hilo, Hawaii, at the time. I could not believe it. It was such a great shock that I trembled all over. I could not sleep that night and knelt on the floor to pray. After some time my heartbeat gradually calmed down, and I began to feel some inexpressible warmth surrounding me, as if I were enveloped in Light.

Then I began to sense Meishu-sama very close to me, and I remembered what he had said about a year before. "When I pass on to the spiritual realm, released from physical limitations, I will be able to channel God's Light more freely, so you will experience still greater Light." I said to myself, it is God's plan that Meishu-sama should pass on to the spiritual realm to continue his work on a larger scale. I began to realize it more and more clearly, and my determination to dedicate myself to Meishu-sama's movement became stronger than ever.

I returned to Honolulu on Saturday, and by the time we held the Sunday service at the Hawaii Center, my conviction was firm that Meishu-sama was still with us in spirit, still helping and guiding us. When I told the congregation about Meishu-sama's passing and its spiritual significance, inwardly I was almost radiant with joy because I felt this must have meant a great turning point for the way of Light.

Soon after the service was over, one of the members came up to me almost running, and with eyes full of tears, told me that, while I was telling about Meishu-sama's passing, she had seen Meishu-sama standing behind me in a white robe, radiant in Light. She was shedding tears of joy. Meishu-sama's figure was so clear and so real to her she knew it was not her imagination. She could see that he was indeed living in the spiritual realm and really could be with us at any time.

Since then I have heard of similar things happening to quite a few members in the United States, Japan, and elsewhere. Many a time Meishu-sama has appeared at the Valley Center and Los Angeles Center while services are being held and especially while the sacred focal points are being presented to new members.

Meishu-sama told us that Risshun is an important turning point in the year, a time when the increase of Light is accelerated. This is something to be grateful for, for it signifies the further advancement of the new age, but we must also remember that our clouds which hitherto have been dormant will come to the fore to be dissolved, which means we will have to go through accelerated purification. We all have to go through this process, so we have to be prepared for purifications on various levels.

For all who have true faith in God and wish to serve the divine cause, however hard purification may sometimes seem to be, their ultimate good will be served through it. God never forsakes sincere workers of the way of Light. In the Light of truth, we will be able to realize the errors we have been making, and through the experience of purification, we will grow in spiritual awareness.We will experience transformation.We can rise from our old selves to new selves. Accepted with the right attitude, each purification enables us to reach higher levels of spiritual consciousness.

God opens a way for us to experience the divine love and power through prayer and Johrei so the desire to serve may expand within us and we may shift from a self-centered, old-age way of living to the love-for-others way of living of the new age. Let us pray that we grow constantly so we may radiate God's Light and love always and bring more happiness wherever we go.

Prayer for North American Sacred Grounds

Great God of Light,

We ask your blessing, guidance and protection

In the creation of our North American Sacred Grounds.

Deepen our awareness of the mission of this prototype

In spreading paradise throughout the world.

Enlighten us all with a true and clear vision

Of its perfect location, design and construction.

May material support flow generously

Through our gratitude and service.

May our ancestors, ministers and members

Now in the spiritual realm, continue to assist us.