Jesus’ great commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” teaches the vertical axis of true love, and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” teaches the horizontal axis of true love.

Sun Myung Moon

True Love

Topic: Love, Compassion, & Kindness

True love has two axes: the vertical and the horizontal. True love on the vertical axis means that God is the Creator; He is the source of true love, and He loves His creation. Human beings, as the supreme creation of God, are the recipients of God’s true love and return love and beauty to Him.

True love on the horizontal axis means that our actions are motivated by love for the sake of others, and we give our love to others in a way that will be genuinely beneficial to them. Within a family, the husband may energetically pursue the Will of God, even running far ahead of his wife. But if his motivation is for the sake of his family, all the members of that family will feel united in love. We can see, therefore, that the true concept of unification emerges when we act from the motivation of sacrificially loving others.

All creation is an effort of giving. It is a universal law that the giver prospers and grows. When a person only takes from others in order to satisfy his desires, that selfish action is not love, and it ultimately creates enemies. He will become more isolated and decline. But a person who gives of himself to benefit others creates friends who will in turn help him. He will inevitably receive more than he gave, and he will prosper. Therefore, the person of true love lives for the highest purpose, and then gives of himself. These two axes of true love are the principle behind Jesus’ great commandment. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” teaches the vertical axis of true love, and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” teaches the horizontal axis of true love.

Sun Myung Moon

Sun Myung Moon, born on January 6, 1920, was a spiritual leader and luminary hailing from North Korea. He founded the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, better known as the Unification Church, in 1954. Drawing upon direct Prophetic revelation, influenced by the major faith traditions—especially Christianity, but also Judaism, Islam, Confucianism, and Buddhism. He also developed a political philosophy to resist the spread of the anti-religious Communist ideology. Reverend Moon's teachings centered on love, unity, and peace. He aimed to spark a global spiritual movement that transcended religious and cultural divisions, and his vision resonated with followers all over the world. Through the Unification Church, Sun Myung Moon also promoted interfaith understanding and collaboration, striving for harmony among diverse religious traditions.

Reverend Moon's teachings went beyond the realm of the spiritual to touch on the universal human themes of love and family. He emphasized the importance of nurturing strong, loving families as the cornerstone for a harmonious and peaceful world. To this end, he conducted mass wedding ceremonies known as the 'Blessing', symbolizing the unity of all people under God, regardless of their cultural or religious backgrounds. Moon also stressed the value of community service and encouraged his followers to actively contribute to their local communities.

Sun Myung Moon's partner in both life and work was his wife, Hak Ja Han Moon. As co-leader of the Unification Church, she is a pivotal figure in spreading their shared vision of a world unified by love and peace. Affectionately known as 'True Mother', she embodies the ideal of nurturing and unconditional love in their teachings. After Reverend Moon's passing in 2012, Hak Ja Han Moon assumed sole leadership of the Unification Church and changed the name to Heavenly Parent's Holy Community. In her leadership role, she has tirelessly carried forward their mission, upholding the church's emphasis on peace, interfaith dialogue, and strong, loving families. Under her guidance, the church has continued to flourish, spreading its message of unity and love to people around the globe.

(1920-2012) Heavenly Parent's Holy Community

Wilson, Andrew, editor. World Scripture II. Universal Peace Federation, 2011, p. 703 [World Scripture and the Teachings of Sun Myung Moon, Chapter 13 Love, The Great Commandment, (November 25, 1988)].

Sun Myung Moon

About the Great Commandment of Jesus [Commentary]

Sun Myung Moon’s interpretation of Jesus’ Great Commandment offers a clear and profound framework for understanding true love, distinguishing between its vertical and horizontal axes. The vertical axis underscores the relationship between God and humans, where true love originates from God and is reciprocated by humanity, establishing a foundational and reciprocal exchange of love and beauty. This dimension portrays love for God as a tangible reality that influences all aspects of one’s life, suggesting that our spiritual connection with the divine is not just aspirational but lived.

In the horizontal axis, Sun Myung Moon extends the notion of love to encompass our relationships with others, emphasizing actions driven by genuine concern for their well-being. This aspect of love advocates for selflessness and the aim to benefit others, which in turn promotes unity and harmony. Moon’s insights into this dimension challenge us to evaluate our interactions with others, advocating for active, sacrificial love that seeks to unite.

Moon’s dual-axis model provides a holistic view of love, connecting love for God with love for others as complementary and inseparable components. This approach suggests a balanced life of true love, nurturing spiritual growth and social harmony. It encourages reflection on how we can live according to the principles of true love, deepening our connections with the divine and those around us.

The Great Commandment

As a concise summation of the law of love, Jesus’ Great Commandment is without parallel. It links together love’s two dimensions: vertical love for God and horizontal love for other people.

―World Scripture II. Universal Peace Federation, 2011, p. 703.

Additional Sun Myung Moon Quotes

“While on earth we must attend God in a way that brings Him joy. So what should be our standard of attendance? By making offerings that meet with God’s desire we develop a character that matches with God’s heart. That is the meaning of Jesus’ first commandment, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength.” Once you love God with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength, what happens next? God then manifests His love through you to relate with all people. Since you have become one with God’s love, you are able to love all people. Hence in your family, you give your utmost love to your father and mother, and then you give your utmost love to your brothers and sisters. That family will be a happy family. God wants to dwell in the family whose members love the Lord their God with all their heart, all their soul and all their strength, and then love their brothers and sisters in the same manner, even more than they love [God] their Father. If we establish our family like that, God cannot help but dwell there.”

―Sun Myung Moon [101:153-54 (October 29, 1978)].

“Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself,” but what does it mean? Specifically, it means that when you go into the world, you should love elderly people as your own grandparents, middle-aged people as your own parents, and youth as your own children. You love the people in all these positions: above and below, right and left, and front and rear.”

―Sun Myung Moon [128:23 (May 29, 1983)].

True Love

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