Miracles of Johrei
Written by Okada Mokichi, 1953
Thank-You Report #051
Thank-You Report #052
Thank-You Report #053
Thank-You Report #054
Thank-You Report #055
Thank-You Report #051
Reported by N.J. in Nagasaki on 1 June 1952
Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama. I have received uncountable blessings since I became a believer in Sekai-Meshiya-kyo. I always live a life full of gratitude. The prayer says that the great catch of fish makes all the living things on earth happy and their voice echoes throughout the world. I am engaged in fishing and received the benefit regarding fishing like that. Here I would like to report a part of the benefits I received. I go fishing to catch lobsters every year. The fishing season for lobsters was fixed. In Nagasaki, we cannot go fishing from 1 May to 31 July because of the egg-laying period. In my village, several people do the same business and we compete to catch lobsters. In this year, some started fishing around March but didn’t seem to catch very much due to the continued cold weather. Because of the labour shortage, preparation and so on, I started fishing in the middle of April. It means that I had less than two weeks to catch lobsters. I thought that I would like to catch up with those who had already started fishing in a short period. So, I prayed to Dai-Komyo-Nyorai-sama for the great catch before starting fishing. I threw a net in the evening and drew it up early in the morning. Thanks to God, I caught lobsters much more than other people did every morning.
Mr A visited us from Sekai-Meshya-kyo the other day. He said, “We hold a festival for Daikoku-sama at our place tomorrow.” I visited his place the next day and offered the lobster I caught. To work for God, I asked Daikoku-sama to give me a great blessing for fishing. I had only a short period left to fish but received a great benefit. I was full of gratitude to God. From now on, I report what happened to me during the remaining fishing season. It happened on 29 April.
The caught lobsters are sent to the market in Nagasaki or Sasebo. Since the deadline for fishing is at the end of April, lobsters are handled there until 1 May. It means that we can go fishing until the evening of the 29th. If we were hit by a storm, however, we wouldn’t put a ship on and miss the shipping deadline. The lobsters would be consequently not on the market. Therefore, most people avoid such a risk. They stop fishing on the 28th, load lobsters in the morning of the 29th and transport them to Nagasaki. At that time, we thought about what to do and decided to go fishing until the 29th. I was convinced that God would protect us.
On the 28th, however, the south wind became blowing heard in the morning and it blew harder and harder. If it had continued, I would have been in serious trouble. I bit worried but the wind luckily stopped the next morning. The sea was just swelling. We usually catch more lobsters when the sea swells rather than when it is calm. If this condition was not given by God, who could do that? In that evening, we set off to the sea in full of high spirits. All the other ships stopped fishing one day earlier than us. So, only our ship was in the sea. Like having a stage to ourselves, we threw the net one after another. How wonderful it was! It is beyond the description. We felt excited and talked to each other, “Tomorrow, it will be a big catch.” Then we returned to the port. The next morning, we set up to the sea. We waited impatiently for drawing out the nets. As we expected, lots of brilliant lobsters were in the nets. It was an astonishing great catch. I mindlessly said in my mind, “Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama.”
If that was not the blessing given by God, what was it? I was just surprised about the infinitive grace of God. I also renewed a sense of gratitude. On that day, we caught lobsters five times as amount as usual in a day, which was beyond my imagination. When knowing this fact, other people would feel bitter. That was no wonder. They wouldn’t imagine how different the result would have been in just one day. If they had caught lobsters until the same day as we did, they would have shared the grace of God with us. People without faith are pitiful. We just went fishing for less than two weeks. Thanks to God, however, we caught lobsters even better than the others who started fishing much earlier than us. I was full of gratitude that we owed that all to Dai-Komyo-Nyorai-sama and Meshiya-sama. Thank you very much again, Meshiya-sama.
Translated by N.H.
Thank-You Report #052
Reported by M.N. in Miyazaki on 5 February 1952
I am working as a sales manager at the local office of the fire insurance company. When I became a believer in the present Sekai-Meshiya-kyo in September 1946, I never imagined that it was my great turning point for my future. Before that, my whole family were in poor health, which made us depressed. Taking that opportunity, however, we gradually got better and now live a peaceful life like a spring breeze. Afterwards, we were permitted to enshrine Dai-Komyo-Nyorai-sama and the holy scripture for ancestors. My whole family had lessons on Sekai-Meshiya-kyo and now we all live a faithful life. As for my business, it was improving performance from the middle of 1948. I have received a material benefit very much. I am a person who does everything thoroughly. So, I devoted myself to serve for God at that time. Even I myself was worried a little if I could be so absorbed in service. Now, I am convinced from my experience that my business goes well when I work hard for God. The reverse is also true. When I am reluctant to do it, that immediately affects business performance.
Because of the peculiarity of my business, I have an unexpected income pretty much in addition to my monthly salary. In that case, I always offer ten per cent of that to God. When doing so, I never fail to get another unexpected income the next day. In that way, I have financial benefits one after another. I also offer a certain amount of money before I have a big negotiation. I just ask Komyo-Nyorai-sama to protect me and leave everything to God. When I do so, the negotiation goes well. Even if the difficulty arises in the middle of successful negotiation and I get stuck, I leave everything to God as I think that’s because of His convenience. Then the situation turns in my favour in the last five minutes. Each process is different but I clearly understand that God puts me in the best possible condition. We do live without any anxiety under God’s protection and thank Him every day. In such a condition, we exceed the result of the same month of the previous year in about half a month. Every month, the result is more than double that of the same month of the previous year. I think that this fact will have a great influence on the other believers’ faith.
Let me give you an example. I visited Mr K for the matter of Sekai-Meshiya-kyo on 19 November. Mr K recently became a believer. He has strong faith but looked sad. He was in trouble and said, “The payment of one hundred thousand yen bill is due tomorrow. I was trying to collect money in various places as many as possible but could hardly succeed. If I couldn’t pay, I would lose bank credit and it would become detrimental to me. What should I do?” I replied to him, “You first offer the money to God and ask Komyo-Nyorai-sama to protect you with all your heart. In that case, you should think that you ask your favour because you won’t work for God if your business goes wrong. You don’t think that you will be in trouble without money. That is important.” I told him like that from my belief and experience. Mr K immediately went to the church of Sekai-Meshiya-kyo. The next day, Mr K jumped into my place and breathlessly said to me without greeting, “I could collect the money, Mr M. I got one hundred seventy thousand yen.” Because it was too abrupt, I was confused. He was so moved and told me in a trembling voice that he had got one hundred seventy thousand yen even though he needed just one hundred thousand yen for the bank. How could I describe his story? It cannot be described just as great or solemn. I was touched by his words. Afterwards, he gains the bank credit more. Now he grants a loan up to four hundred thousand yen without security. His business is steadily improving. Here I briefly reported the grace regarding business. Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama.
Translated by N.H.
Thank-You Report #053
Reported by N.S. in Tokyo on 7 May 1952
In the summer of 1950, my second daughter was diagnosed with chronic otitis media, enlarged tonsils and empyema by the school doctor. She was a 5th-grade elementary school student. The doctor told us to have her diseases cured during the summer vacation. We were in trouble because we have heard that those diseases are difficult to cure even with medical care. Meanwhile, Mrs Y sometimes visited us and told us about Johrei. We know each other for some time. I am sorry but I was not interested in her words very much at that time. She even lent the book of teachings in Sekai-Meshiya-kyo but I didn’t read it with the excuse that I was busy. Behind her back, I said, “She started again to do something strange.” Because my daughter suffered from several diseases at the same time, I got interested in Johrei somehow. As Mrs Y recommended, we visited the headquarters of Sekai-Meshiya-kyo in Setagaya. She held her hand and performed Johrei to my daughter. When I observed them, my daughter told me that she felt warm even though her body was about thirty centimetres away from the hand of Mrs Y. I was very surprised and got interested. I heard many things about Johrei and understood to some extent that the human body was cleaned by disease but still felt a little strange. Then we went home.
At that time our electronic construction business made poor performance after we were damaged during the war. Lending and borrowing condition was poor, too. We struggled financially very much. I told about our situation to the chairperson of the headquarters. Then he said, “God will save you from such difficulty, too. You frequently ask for God.” I only half-believed it but asked God to give me my favour. Then I went home. I spent that day in a cheerful mood. I told my husband that Meshiya-sama gave us the grace which solved not only illness but also financial problems. I also said exactly what the chairperson told me, “Since I asked God, the loaned money is returned.” I didn’t care about it very much after that. To my surprise, the part of the loan was paid the very next day. The payment amount was more than what we negotiated and done by the customer who came all the way. That was one we visited many times to ask for but never succeeded. I, who was not a believer in Sekai-Meshiya-kyo yet, just asked God only once but my wish was answered so quickly. I was so moved as I thought that power was beyond humans’. My husband and I were just stunned and forgot about the customer in front of us.
I thought that I should visit the headquarters soon to express our gratitude. I realised that God protected our daily life in reality for the first time and believed that my second daughter would be cured by Johrei. She was gradually getting better and now almost cured. When facing such a fact, I apologized for my rudeness so far and received a holy amulet. On 3 December 1950, I was very grateful that I had a chance to see Meshiya-sama for the first time. I was in a dreaming state of mine through that day. I am insignificant but I had the honour of seeing him. I was very much pleased. About three days later when I met Meshiya-sama, our business went smoothly. We finally had a prospect of the payment fee for the construction we undertook in July. It was about four hundred thousand yen. It was not too much but since then, we had many requests for the construction, which were promised to be paid in cash. My husband felt so grateful that he received grace one after another. He soon became a believer in Sekai-Meshiya-kyo.
The grace continued. We reconstructed the first floor at a very cheap price and enshrined Dai-Komyo-Nyorai-sama. My husband had suffered from deafness for more than thirty years. Since neither a doctor nor medicine could cure it, he gave up recovering. He had several purifications since he received Johrei. On 8 December 1951, we honourably met Meshiya-sama again. On that day, he had a slight cold but visited to worship in spite of that condition. During the worship, I was next to my husband and very surprised that he suddenly had a nosebleed. Then he felt lighter around his ears. He could honourably hear the voice of Meshiya-sama so clearly. What a great grace we had! We were so grateful that we lied down and worshipped Meshiya-sama. I think that was the most impressive thing for him.
We had difficulty collecting the loan a few years ago but thanks to Meshiya-sama, our business is recently going well. I am inexperienced in many ways but the chairperson always guides me into the right path no matter how busy he is. He always says to me, “The best way to reward Meshiya-sama is to help people to be saved as many as possible.” I do my best to tell my acquaintances and neighbours about Sekai-Meshiya-kyo and some of them became a believer. I also perform Johrei little by little to people who suffer from the illness every day. Here I report the grace we recently received. We didn’t have a telephone and that was inconvenient. We visited a telephone office in Kanda many times but it took very much time to negotiate. Even once it proceeded, something happened and it didn’t go as expected. Then I clearly understood the deep consideration of God. At that time, we didn’t have the extra money to pay for telephone installation. If the telephone had been installed, we would have had to borrow the money for it. However, we were getting better somehow from the end of this February and the telephone office clerk visited us just at that moment. He said, “You can apply for a telephone installation soon.”
We looked forward to it. The neighbour told us that our phone number was ‘5697.’ We said, “It would be fine if 9 and 7 were reversed.” We hold a ceremony at home on the 5th of every month. That morning, the telephone office clerk suddenly came and said, “Your phone is installed today.” We are very glad. Then he casually said, “The telephone number is 5679.” I doubted my ears and asked him to repeat it again. He said clearly, “5679.” My whole family was very surprised. What a mysterious thing happened! ‘567’ was pronounced as ‘Miroku’ that is the name of God. Other people wouldn’t be glad if they had those numbers but we will be very much. They are very precious numbers for us. How grateful that was! We had great fun like a carnival. That day was the day of God’s festival for us. The telephone was installed on that very day. The believers in Sekai-Meshiya-kyo promptly used it, too. We were so moved to receive such a great grace from God. Thanks to Meshiya-sama, we just paid the installation fee at the official price. I didn’t know why but we were financially blessed that month. In this way, everything went well.
We were saved from illness and poverty and are allowed to save people who suffer. Moreover, things go exactly as we think. In this way, we live a miraculous life with joy. Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama. We do appreciate your grace. We have poor ability but from now on, we would like to serve Meshya-sama even a little. Sorry for my poor writings. Here I conclude my report. Thank you very much again, Meshiya-sama.
Translated by N.H.
Thank-You Report #054
Reported by S.A. in Oita on 15 October 1952
I have a family of nine. I have to manage our family budget on my small salary. I became a believer in Sekai-Meshiya-kyo eight months ago and reported the grace we received regarding an incurable disease three times. Here I report another one with gratitude. Thanks to Meshiya-sama, we finally became free from poverty. My writings are poor but I hope that my report helps those who suffer a financial misfortune. Mr K and Y always said to me, “To solve the financial problem, you first try to make others happy. If you seek just your own happiness, you never become truly happy. You also dedicate yourself to cooperate with the divine work by offering money to God.” Responding to the former advice of making others happy, I work hard to cure disease by Johrei with extraordinary enthusiasm and received great grace as I repeatedly reported before. Now, I don’t need to worry about diseases at all in everyday life.
However, I could hardly carry out the latter advice of offering money. I have suffered from poverty for more than ten years. I knew that it was not good but I was apt to neglect it. I even thought that it was impossible to ask for a solution to poverty. I suffered from a lack of money very much. When looking at such a situation, Mr Y repeatedly said, “It is all right that you just do as you did for curing disease. As for the financial problem, you should take a step forward. Why don’t you try to offer the money for God even under such a circumstance? Your situation must change.” I got exhausted from poverty. So, I decided to change my way even if, I’m afraid, I believe his words or not. I started to carry out the motto of “God first” about fifty days ago.
At that time, I had run the timber industry deep in the mountains but failed due to financial difficulty. When it rains, it pours. We went back to the town for the first time in five years. It was the time of job and money shortage. I had become a countryman who was not familiar with the present town. I was at a loss. Two days later when I went back, Mr O came to see me. He is a believer in Sekai-Meshiya-kyo, too. He heard about the job offer of a sawmiller on the radio and told me that. It was arranged by an employment security office. I soon visited there. The job offer came from construction H, which was undertaking the construction of a silk factory. I immediately negotiated with the chief person of the general affairs section. He said that the company installed the saw machine for the first time. The working condition was smoothly settled, which was beyond what I wanted. Fortunately, a much higher salary would be paid than hundreds of sawmillers in the city. What is more, only I adopted a monthly salary plan with paid leave for 4 days a month. That was in very good condition. Moreover, my wife was employed with a high salary, too. I was also promised to keep working for another company even after completion.
Mr B was a sawmill supervisor and directly took control of my work. He came from Fukuoka. One day he came to me during the break and said, “I was called up for military service during the war and stayed in Kagoshima. I have a comrade who is from Oita and works as a carpenter. He looked after me very much. His surname is the same as yours. Is he your relative or so?” I was very surprised. It was my younger brother. He is a carpenter and stayed in Kagoshima for military service. Mr B said, “What a coincidence!” He was so glad. He told me that the salary of a sawmiller was low compared to other occupations in that construction site. Then he negotiated with a section manager. Thanks to him, our salary increased from the end of that month. In those fifty days, miracles happened one after another. I had the loaned money back even a little. Something that we gave up selling was suddenly sold. Injustice national and local tax reduced up to seventy per cent and so on. In that way, we received so many miracles without asking. The number of them was more than those of the fingers of both hands. I was surprised at how deep the divine thought was and just shed tears. I was finally saved from poverty for the first time in ten years. I express my gratitude for the grace given by Meshiya-sama every morning and evening. The dark house got filled with full of light laughter. Here, for those who suffer from a lack of money like me, I do recommend the following things.
When people carry out the two things; to offer money for God and to make others happy, that money increases by dozens or hundreds of times and returns to you. That is true. If you want happiness, you should think deeply about God’s profits and losses. You firstly work to help God in terms of money and cure and then you receive the grace for both as the reward from God, won’t you? Don’t get lost in your life pilgrimage. “Working for God is important. Therefore, you offer Him money.” Before lamenting your poverty, you first do both things. Believers in Sekai-Meshiya-kyo know a thankful shortcut for happiness. Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama. I will work hard for the part of your divine work more and more.
Translated by N.H.
Thank-You Report #055
Reported by O.T. in Kanagawa on 1 February 1953
Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama. You saved us from the depths of poverty. Here I would like to report the grace we received. In September 1949, I became a believer in the present Sekai-Meshiya-kyo soon after my wife did. One month before that, my beloved first son died at the age of three and then my eldest daughter suffered from illness. She was eight months old at that time and I have already reported about her in the newspaper published by Sekai-Meshiya-kyo. We had a series of misfortune like that. Worse still, I lost my job. My whole family sold their belongings even everyday clothes. We literally had nothing. My dying daughter was given up by the doctor. I didn’t think that she could live long but I wanted to perform Johrei to her even just once. Since we live in poverty each day, I never dreamt I could pay a gratuity fee. Even so, I wanted to become a believer in Seaki-Meshiya-kyo as soon as possible so as to save the spirit of my dead son. I always told my wife like that and spent my days. One day, Mr I, who is working for Sekai-Meshiya-kyo, temporarily paid the gratuity fee for my wife. She became a believer on the 21st day of memorial service after my son died. Soon after that, I borrowed the money from a certain person and became a believer on the first anniversary of my son’s death. I was so glad that I felt on top of the world. We performed Johrei to our very sick daughter. Even though she was seriously ill, she was finally saved by Meshya-sama. We continuously received grace like that and couldn’t help crying.
On the day when I became a believer in Sekai-Meshiya-kyo, Mr I firmly said, “The unfortunate things like before will never happen because the two of divine light have dwelled at your home. You are sure to be saved. So, you should rely on Mesiya-sama thoroughly.” I will never forget his advice and still follow it. When I got a job on 8 May 1950, we were in the depths of poverty. We had no clothes nor food. We, of course, had no money. The situation was just one step before committing suicide of an entire family. Thanks to Meshiya-sama, however, we returned all the money we borrowed in August. Then we received another grace. We were permitted to enshrine the holy folding screen for our ancestors. When I changed my job again that autumn, I continued to work without any day off. Thanks to God, I even got a retirement allowance of 13,000 yen from the previous company. Then I soon asked to receive the holy object of worship.
My salary increased when the company name was changed. The company downsized a large number of employees several times but I never became among them. Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama, I became a team leader in February 1952 even though I was inexperienced. It was a responsible position. I was so moved to tears. I always pray to Meshiya-sama before taking steps at work. When I do so, the work goes smoothly. On 20 November 1952, the company downsized a large number of employees again. One hundred twenty out of three hundred workers would lose the job in ascending order of their work history. There was no exception to the condition even if they had a job title. Even employees with a long career were downgraded. However, I still work as a team leader. If that is not the grace of God, what is it?
I have no words but just to say, “Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama.” A person who has no faith says, “That is the grace indeed.” Another person also says, “That is the advantage of the believers.” When listening to such words, my wife and I just cry for joy. Moreover, someone says to me, “If you are fired, please come to my company. I will take on you at any time.” So, I am working without any worry. This might be said that we live with spiritual peace and enlightenment. Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama. You gave us repeated grace.
We used to rent only the ground floor of the house to live but could rent the first floor from last December. So, we finally enshrined the holy object of Komyo-Nyorai-sama on 30 December. It took more than two years since we asked to keep it in the church of Sekai-Meshiya-kyo. I cannot describe how glad I was. I was absolutely in rapture. I was so glad that I just sit and stood in front of the altar many times. I even couldn’t sleep well. We celebrated the New Year with a peaceful feeling for the first time in several years. From now on, I firmly follow the teachings of Meshiya-sama and would like to help his divine work under your protection. Thank you very much again, Meshiya-sama.
[Miracles of Johrei]
Translated by N.H.