Prepare to Seize the Moment to Start Anew
The coronavirus pandemic will still last for some time, but it will not last forever. I am sure that the time will come for us to be able to resume our activities. Currently, we are not able to hold any events or activities in the ways that we used to. We cannot, for instance, visit hospitals or followers’ homes to do salvation work. Our churches have to restrict attendance at the services and refrain from using the traditional methods of missionary work. However, we can always find a way if we use our ingenuity. There must be a way to conduct missionary and salvation work that is appropriate. It is vital to nurture our minds to be able to promptly respond when the time comes to make a fresh start. Let us make preparations from now so that the Tenrikyo community will be ready by then, with every follower having a clear understanding of our common goal.
Firmly and steadily carrying out whatever we can now, let us start our preparations in a way that will allow us to seize the moment when it comes. No matter how the times change, let us walk on the path of spiritual growth in a way that will enable us to bring joy and peace of mind to the everliving Oyasama—who is working even now for us—while always following Her as our model at any time.
Now is the critical time for us followers of the path. Let us pull ourselves together and settle our minds by following the guidance of Oyasama. Let those of us who are assembled here today unite our minds. We can certainly overcome the current challenge if we can genuinely bring our minds and strengths together. If we can have a bud sprout from this knot through our efforts, it will certainly benefit us as well as those in the younger generation. Now is not the time for us to come up with excuses or try to meet this challenge by solely relying on human thinking but is rather a season in which we must decisively settle our minds to make a fresh start by relying on Oyasama.
I appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Thank you.