My father wrote numerous books about Confucius, treating him fatherly and believing he understood his idiosyncrasies. I once asked him “Since Confucius does not believe in myth or wizards, does he deny God?” He said, “Not quite true. Confucius believes in the Heavenly Father, in a Spirit outside this material world.” And he added, “There is Spirit three feet above us. Everything we do we must face our conscience and face heaven later on. Our Heavenly Father gives us everything. We ourselves have nothing.”

When my mother learnt that I had accepted Jesus in Japan, she was upset. Father quietly led me into his study, and inquired kindly if I really knew the kind of deity I believed in. I said “Yes”: God is the Alpha. God is the Omega. God created and controls this universe. He is the source of Love. His love attracted me. He gave us his only beloved son who died for us. Because Adam and Eve got away from God and committed sin, we all fall into sin. Jesus came to this world and became the sacrificial lamb. We can be with God if only we can accept Jesus’s salvation. I believe in this God, a self-revealed God. More than two thousand years before Jesus was born, God revealed himself in the Bible He made man to write. He predicted that there would be a Savior born in Bethlehem whose name would be Jesus. Eventually everything happened according to what the Lord predicted.

After hearing this, Father was delighted and said “Good . Since you already know whom you believe in, and He is mentioned in the Bible, you are not being superstitious. I approve. But remember this: Your future husband, your lifelong companion, must also believe in God. Only through this union of mind and spirit can you two be tied together. I believe there is a God, but I regret I do not have time to study the subject of faith deeply”

Thank God! I know when I described my true belief to my father, the Holy Spirit was with him. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…..” Proverbs1:9.

God gave him knowledge, opened his mind , and filled his heart with Holy Spirit to see through. Thanks to the Lord’s grace and love, he is now resting in the embrace of the Lord.

During our Father’s birthday of this year 2000, my Brother Hsu in Taiwan, the editor of my father’s 100th Birthday Anniversary publications, wanted me to write an article about him. I recalled the various facets of his whole life: Academic study, family management, careers, and faith. In all of these, he was the model across the century.

Through deeds of merit, through his moral ethics, and through his writings— he left footprints in history.

Not everybody could have such a good father. I, blessed by God, received his love and heritage ever since I was a child. My tears spill in reminiscence and in gratitude.

Now I am the Lord’s child. I can be close to Him everyday, I can grow under His wings. I can seek capability, and learn from His love. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control” Galatians 5:22,23

I once was and still am proud of my birth father. Now I am proud of my Heavenly Father. He embraces every one of us with his infinite love. Anyone who comes before Him can fall into His embrace, becomes His beloved child, and inherit the gifts He prepared for us before He created the world.

* The above text was translated by Mr. Ming K. Shieh with the assistance of Katy’s sister Ellen, edited by Mrs. Aenne Hannon.