Monthly Service of 

Guidance from the President of the World Messianic Church of Africa

Reverend Claudio Cristiano Leal Pinheiro

07/07/2024

Good morning, everybody! Is everyone doing well?

Thank you so much for everyone’s presence and for your welcome. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, for all the sincere effort with which each of you has committed to the expansion of the Divine Work, to the expansion of Johrei, of the teachings of the Messiah Meishu-Sama, throughout Angola, throughout our beloved African continent, in Russia, in Cuba, all the love that has been put into the expansion of the ideal of the Messiah Meishu-Sama on a daily basis. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for the additional effort everyone made in preparing for the Paradise on Earth Service, which was held on  15 June. Here, at the Headquarters of the Church in Africa alone, more than ten thousand people participated, excluding those in the provinces, in other countries and Messianic people all over the world. Congratulations to everyone for our Paradise on Earth Service. I participated here with you in the Monthly Service of June, on the 2nd, and on the same day I travelled to Japan.

On 6 June, I had the permission to represent you in the Service of the 30th anniversary of the enshrinement of the image of Ohmiroku on the Sacred Grounds of Heiankyo in Kyoto, Japan. It was a very important date in the history of our Church. Coincidentally, I participated in the Service for its enshrinement thirty years ago. At that time, I was a seminarian and I participated together with our late President, Reverend Francisco. On that occasion, he was already our president here of the Church in Africa, and he made the offertory of gratitude. It was a very emotional ceremony and 30 years later I got the permission to be there. I’m sure our president Francisco was with us that day too. I received a lot of strength from the president of the Church, from the other reverends who were also present, and two days later I received the pilgrims from Africa and started participating in the activities together with the pilgrimage group. We were a total of forty-three pilgrims from Angola, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, representing our African continent.

They were days of great joy, a lot of emotions, visiting the Sacred Grounds, visiting the sacred sites, where Meishu-Sama was born, where his parents traded, where He received the revelation on Mount Nokogiri and we participated in the Paradise on Earth Service on the Sacred Grounds of Atami. It was, as I told you, it was a historic Service because exactly 70 years earlier, on June 15, 1954, Meishu-Sama had performed the Provisional Ceremony of the Advent of the Messiah. It was, then, the Service for the 70th anniversary of this very important event in the history of our Church. Shortly after the Paradise on Earth Service, we had the permission to listen to the testimony of faith, which was reported on the Sacred Grounds, and was the testimony of a missionary from the Church of Africa, Mr. Meso Camba, from Mozambique. He reported the testimony that I had already shared with you here at the Headquarters on a previous occasion. Everyone was very moved, not only the Japanese people, but also those from other countries. They thanked him, greeted him as well as us. We received guidance from our President Sugihara, our worldwide president, which I found very important in our preparation for the Annual Ancestors’ Service. As I told the missionaries these last few days, this year our preparation for the Annual Ancestors’ Service will have a more special meaning than other years because we will prepare for the Annual Service, on November 2nd, at the same time for Messiah Meishu-Sama’s birthday, December 23rd, and on January 1st, whose birthday is it? January 1st, who’s birthday is coming? Our Messianic Church, isn’t that it? It’s getting older, right? Our Church will complete ninety years of foundation, 90 years since Meishu-Sama founded the Messianic religion, that is, from January 1st there will only be a decade left until the first centenary of the Messianic religion. That’s why today’s teaching was “What is World Messianity?” We who are already in the Messianic Church, as we heard in the teaching, need to understand that our religion received, from the Supreme God, the mission of building the Paradise on Earth and saving humanity.

In this teaching, Meishu-Sama talks about some of the religions that have come before. The best known are Buddhism and Christianity, which had the great mission of preparing humanity and prophesying, announcing the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, of the world of Miroku, which is what we call Paradise on Earth. But at no point in time did either Buddha or Jesus say “I will build the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, I will build the world of Miroku” because that was not their mission. Their mission was not to build paradise and save humanity, it was to prevent humanity from being destroyed until the coming of the Messiah Meishu-Sama, which is why we need to have a deep and eternal gratitude to Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, to the other founders of religions, to the other thinkers who have been driving humanity until this moment that Meishu-Sama arrived to transform this 99% of evil suffering in the world through the strength of the 1%, this strength that was granted, that is in the womb of Meishu-Sama, in the sphere of light and which is channelled through Johrei, through the Divine Scrolls.

This force is what is transforming 99% of the evil that dominates our planet. That’s why there will be situations that will arise to move us away from this absolute force of 1%, to say that there is no need to channel Johrei anymore, that there is no need for Johrei, that Meishu-Sama is just another saviour. Beautiful speeches will be made, but they are meant to lead us away from our core. The core of the Messianic Faith is to take this force of Johrei, the force of the Messiah Meishu-Sama, to all humanity, through the flower, through agriculture, natural food, through our practice of the teachings of the Messiah Meishu-Sama.

Did you like the testimonies of faith and Minister Graça’s report? Another round of applause for them. Ms Domingas’ testimony was very remarkable, her commitment and sincerity in channelling Johrei and her experience that began to change her and her family’s life through the Construction Donation for the Sacred Grounds. You can see that when she took the problem to the head of the Johrei Center, she was guided to intensify her practice of Johrei, of guiding people, forming new members and to materialise the Construction Donation for the Sacred Grounds of Africa. We, with the permission to build our Sacred Grounds, will give us the permission to redeem very deep spiritual debts from our lineages, from our families, so we cannot miss this opportunity. The pilgrimage group, like the others that have already been to Japan, were able to see the change that took place in Japan from the moment that Meishu-Sama began the construction of the first Sacred Grounds of the world in Japan. And now, we have the permission to do this in Africa as well.

We had the testimony of a couple from outside Africa who wanted to participate by also sending their construction donation here to the Sacred Grounds of Cacuaco. A week after they made the donation, they sent a message expressing their gratitude and saying that they unexpectedly received an amount seven times above what they had donated. This was due to their sincerity in wanting to participate in the construction of the Sacred Grounds. So, I’m sure they didn’t materialise their donation just to receive any blessings. They had a pure feeling of wanting to participate in the construction of the Sacred Grounds. But many of us who are close by are not valuing this permission to give service there with our own hands and through the donation of gratitude. That is why it is very important, in our preparation for the Annual Service, for the anniversary of our CHurch, that we follow the example of sister Domingas and intensify our practice of Johrei, guiding people, tithing and construction donation. Minister Graça spoke about the task I gave her regarding the flowers, right? And regarding the work of distributing flowers, it is always good for us to remember that one of the points that differentiates paradise from hell is that there are no flowers in hell. In hell, on that spiritual plane, there are no flowers.

It is important for us to remember that the flower is something that only sprouts in the upper layers of the Divine World. That’s why the member’s experience that she shared, that she took a flower to her brother’s house and burned all the healer’s artefacts, is because the light from the flower begins to purify the spiritual atmosphere, and begins to transform the atmosphere of that place, turning it into a paradise. Look, you don’t need to believe what I’m saying, try it. I grew up listening to my mother’s experiences, my mother told me when she went to give religious assistance to someone, when she made the Ikebana, upon coming back the next day she would  find that the Ikebana was all dry. Then, after a few times, the Ikebana would last three days, then a week, because it was cleaning the spiritual atmosphere of that house. Notice that, in the house that you start to take care of, the first time you pay a visit, clean the person’s house, make the Ikebana together with them, notice that each time the Ikebana will last longer inside the house and, as that family awakens to keep the house clean, tidy, with flowers in every room, the atmosphere will transform more and more. This is what we need to do in our house and other people’s houses, where we work, where we study, where we go, wherever there are people there needs to be flowers and we, Messianic people, are pioneers of this culture of the day of the construction of Paradise through flowers.

The flowers will create an atmosphere to naturally attract those whose mission is to receive Johrei, to receive the Ohikari and to participate in the construction of Paradise directly with us. Meanwhile, even those who are not members, who do not come to our church, who still only attend another religion, can start keeping their homes clean, tidy, with flowers and having their home vegetable garden to start producing and consuming natural foods. These people will be useful in building the Paradise on Earth. As we heard in the teaching, to overcome this phase of Final Judgement each of us needs to make ourselves useful to God in the construction of the Paradise on Earth. Becoming useful also means forming useful people. But becoming useful to God begins in our heart. Without this cleansing of our hearts, there is a limit to God’s ability to use us. Minister Graça shared the testimony of the young woman who was having all those financial difficulties, and who had that serious problem with her father, with whom she had not spoken to for more than twenty years. Notice that when they cleaned their hearts, the father’s material life changed, starting from the very next day, and then her life also changed.

Now I am going to read the guidance from our world president, Reverend Sugihara. He said the following on 15 June at the Paradise on Earth Service in Japan: “In today’s service we heard the teaching ‘Singularity of World Messianity’s Salvation.’ Meishu-Sama teaches us that human beings must first ascend to paradise and become its inhabitants. In other words, He showed us that we are already living in an era where people can attain a paradise-like state.” Until then, it was not possible for people to be paradise-like and have a heavenly home because the world was in the night age. From June 15, 1931, every day, every hour, every minute, it becomes easier to build paradise and become paradise-like people. We need to be aware of this because the increase of light from the spiritual world allows this now on our planet. “In a record from June 15, 1953, Meishu Sama clarifies the following about the Paradise on Earth Service: ‘The world of Miroku has emerged in this world. This is a historic milestone that announces the beginning of a new era. Regarding the method to become a paradise-like person …’” Do you want to become paradisiacal? Yes or no? Then let’s listen carefully. “Regarding the method to become a paradise-like person, Meishu-Sama left to us, members who are receiving from God the permission to live in the world of the day and who are in a position to help others to also become inhabitants of paradise, the following path ‘Create around you as much as possible an environment without suffering’. As much as possible, an environment without suffering. But what is, as much as possible? What is an environment without suffering? When we reflect and analyse this point, we involuntarily ask ourselves if there is no suffering stored in our hearts”. The first place where I need to create an environment without suffering is my heart, it is to dissolve the suffering that I carry in my heart through the feeling of gratitude. The president continues “In today’s teaching, there is a very important point to learn about Meishu-Sama’s atittude during construction of the prototype of Paradise on Earth. When He says ‘At unexpected times and places, people come to me wanting to sell their land. I immediately perceive God’s will to order the acquisition of a certain parcel of land. It is God who accomplishes everything. When we accept this truth, everything that is necessary, monetary, human or material resources, appears mysteriously, as if it had been prepared for a long time.’ I feel that in this way, Meishu-Sama is showing us His own state of mind and what it means to be in perfect tune with God and also teaches us what the posture of a person who aspires to live in paradise should be. This awareness that it is God who accomplishes everything. And we, who received the permission from Meishu-Sama to give service in the work of salvation, we need to perceive God’s will through each suffering person He places before us.” Every time a person comes to us with a problem or suffering or even causing some suffering for us we need to think ‘What can I do to connect this person with God?’ In our daily lives.

For example, yesterday I finished a study with missionaries, and I needed to go out to take care of a situation. Then, when I was returning to the car, about to leave, a lady approached me. She had a basin on her head, selling ginguba (roasted peanuts). She approached me, saying, “Hey Sir, don’t you want to buy it?” I replied, “No, ma’am, thanks.” She persisted, “Hey, no one has bought anything from me today, please buy it for me, please.” I relented, asking, “OK, how much is it?” After purchasing the item, I asked myself why she had stopped me. I asked her, “Have you received Johrei yet?” She replied, “No, I’ve never heard of that.” I asked if she knew about “The Church of the flower” or “The Messianic Church,” but she was unfamiliar with both. I offered to pray for her, and she agreed. Right there on the street, I channeled Johrei, praying for her well-being, progress, and prosperity, and asking Meishu-Sama to guide her. After finishing the prayer, she exclaimed, “Ah, I know where it is – it’s in Camama!” I realized that Johrei had already helped her remember the Church. So I said, ‘Look for Camama, so you can start receiving Johrei and every day you can receive Johrei before you go out to sell or when you come back and you will see the change in your life. She thanked me profusely, visibly emotional. As I was going to the car, another man said: “You’re just going to bless her and you’re not going to bless the others?” Then I looked to the side and said ‘No, no.’ So I put everything away and immediately went to channel Johrei to him for a long time. I prayed, he thanked me, I told him about our Church, then he asked if it’s the one in Futungo. I said “It’s that one, there’s a Service tomorrow and you can also go there to find out where it is closest so you can start receiving Johrei too.” So every time a person with any difficulty appears, if you are not a member yet, speak up and take them to someone who can give them Johrei. We need to raise our hands, extend Johrei to humanity.

The president continued “When we come across these people we must not think ‘Why is this happening, why me’? Instead, we must understand that everything is part of the Divine Work of Salvation and commit ourselves to praying, being supportive and practising altruistic love. I believe that in this way, we will be able to elevate our own spirituality. This is the Divine Will. And I hope that we can, just like Meishu-Sama, who overcame countless difficulties and who had a love so deep that he felt people’s suffering as if they His own suffering, we continue to strive to cultivate this high spiritual level. Furthermore, I hope that we can elevate our spirituality and understand even the most difficult situations, as God’s love, as purification. In this way we will allow God to manifest Himself.”

I felt that our president was guiding us, that Meishu-Sama guided us through him to deepen our vision about purification, that purification needs to be received with a feeling of gratitude, with the awareness that God is at the centre of everything. If this purification has appeared in my life, there is something I need to cleanse, no matter how painful it is. When we manage to face what makes us suffer at an individual level, at a family level, at a professional level, at a societal level, at the level of our dedications, when we see it as purification, even in form, we will begin to be grateful for that purification.

Gratitude is what will burn any suffering that we carry in our hearts. When we can practise this we can remove the suffering from our hearts and naturally we will not generate suffering around us either. We will be able to understand the suffering of those around us, to be more helpful, to begin to develop the spirit of service, starting by serving within our home, in our immediate family, in our daily lives, and naturally to other people as well. As we heard in Minister Graça’s report, people’s efforts to arrive early, to be able to do their duty at Church, distribute flowers, take care of people, all that we need to continue, in preparation for our Annual Ancestors Service, for Meishu-Sama’s Birthday Service and for the 90th anniversary of our religion.

The day after the Paradise on Earth Service, 16 June, the pilgrimage group from Africa had the permission, together with the group from Europe, I and the president of our church in Europe, Reverend Carlos, made a request to the world president, in addition to the service, if he could give us a guidance (the groups from Africa and Europe), and he said very powerful things. He spoke about the history of our Church, the prototypes that Meishu-Sama built, and he shared a very remarkable testimony that happened when the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima. It was the first time that an atomic bomb was used to attack someone, a country. One of our members lived in the city on that day the bomb fell, August 6, 1945, 79 years ago. He went to give religious assistance at the house of another Messianic family, who was purifying. So he was there in the house, channelling Johrei to the family – this family already had a home altar – they were channelling Johrei. When they heard the explosion, they were inside the city of Hiroshima, and saw it. It is scary, right? No one had heard that explosion until then on our planet. They saw the entire city destroyed, but the house they were in didn’t suffer anything from the outside, nothing suffered from the inside, nothing happened to them who were inside. It was just a scary sound. Then they recovered from the shock, saw everything on fire, being destroyed. He thought “My family! How is my family on the other side of town?” He excused himself and then ran to see his family. You can look up pictures on the internet of how the city turned out. On the way, he saw people burning alive. He managed to channel Johrei to many people on the way, who were suffering a lot. When he arrived at his house – everyone in the family was a member and they had the home altar – his house hadn’t suffered either. There was no destruction and the family was unharmed inside the house as well. This happened 79 years ago.

We need to increase the number of people who have the Ohikari, who channel Johrei, the number of families who have the Divine Scroll. This absolute strength that Meishu-Sama received from the Supreme God to act as Messiah needs to flow through each one of us and needs to reach the entire world. Therefore, from 1 January, in this preparation for the first Centenary of our religion, we will have ten very busy years, many purifications and at the same time a lot of expansion. We will need to take Johrei to the whole world in the next decade. For this, those of us who already know, we need to prepare spiritually and physically, renewing our commitment to the Messiah Meishu-Sama, deepening what each of us is planting in our daily lives. What we are planting in our daily lives is our future, it is the future of our descendants, our ancestors.

Once again, thank you very much for everyone’s presence and support and together we will prepare for the Annual Ancestors Service for Meishu-Sama’s Birthday Service and for the Service of the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the Messianic religion. Thank you very much, good mission, happy July to all of us and to all humanity.

Thank you very much!