Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/0860

0860 Signs of old age.... striving for physical elasticity for earthly reasons.... violent event....

April 13, 1939: Book 17

The earthly task is easy to name when the price is set against it; for only a short time of struggling is necessary in order to be able to enjoy the glories eternally. The older the human being becomes, the easier it will be for him to make the sacrifice of renouncing earthly pleasures and thus the attainment of eternal bliss will also be more promising. And again, it is only his will that he puts a stop to desire, that nothing in him longs for the world any longer and that he thinks of life after death. The wise of the world, i.e., those who believe they are, place earthly fulfilment in the foreground until old age. They are, as it were, anxiously concerned not to let.... this very urge for fulfilment be lost their attention is directed to being able to meet the same demands as youth for as long as possible, and this is erroneous human thinking, for man should rather know gratitude to his soul, which no longer demands fulfilment of life.... The so-called signs of old age should be joyfully welcomed, for they are steps towards the right aim.... In unrestrained enjoyment of life, however, it is impossible for man to mature; it is never possible to meet both the demands of the world and spiritual progress. And thus it is only regrettable if people anxiously endeavour to maintain a certain physical elasticity until old age.... The body can certainly carry out its earthly activity, and it will also be given strength to do so as long as this activity is merely the fulfilment of duty and serves the good of humanity. But if it only wants to be done in order to be able to indulge in the undivided enjoyment of life, and the body only wants to remain young and efficient for this reason, such a desire for strength and constant elasticity can only be called purely earthly and can never be approved of in a divine sense. What is good for people once they have established the spiritual connection will already be given to them by the father in heaven, but striving for it with all earthly senses and means is worthless, for the human being primarily thinks of temporal but not of eternal well-being and does not consider his transience....

A tremendous event will soon make you aware of the transience of all earthly things.... And blessed is he who from that moment on evaluates his life differently and strives spiritually. As soon as the world is confronted with an experience which does not fit into its plans and calculations at all, the opportunity is also offered for a complete overthrow in the spiritual sphere, for the human being will be brought out of balance in his thinking, and if he now seizes this opportunity this world event can have an unspeakably beneficial influence on the human being's soul and thus also on his fate in eternity. Only the will to do what is right has to be his own product, everything else is taken into His hands by the heavenly father in loving care.... He now so visibly guides the human being, whose will became active on his own authority, that the seeking soul recognizes divine rule and willingly surrenders to this guidance. However, anyone who only ever places himself and his physical well-being in the foreground, his will is only directed towards earthly advantage, and such a person can also never be forced by the eternal deity into realization or right thinking, for the human being's will is free and will not be touched in eternity, so that every being shall seek and find the right relationship with God in fullest freedom of will....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers