Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/1006

1006 The soul chooses its own whereabouts....

July 14, 1939: Book 19

The soul has chosen its stay in the flesh for itself and therefore the objection that the human being is forced to be what he is on earth is unfounded. The being has even received an exact description of earth life beforehand, the path on earth has been presented to it, likewise also the degree of maturity which can be reached in this very life, and the being has therefore put on the body of flesh in fullest agreement and has consciously become that to which it has previously given its consent. If the earthly life does not bring him maturity through his own fault, then this is merely due to the will or rather unwillingness of the human being who does not utilize life on earth in the way it can be utilized. Anyone who neglects to be lovingly active on earth has lived his life in vain, and this activity in love is precisely what is needed to reach the state of perfection. And if the soul considers that the embodiment as a human being imposes all kinds of fetters on it, if it considers that opportunities are offered everywhere to loosen these fetters and to be able to reach a truly high degree of maturity in a short time, then the realization of the missed life is so unspeakably bitter for it that remorse for the missed opportunity means true hell for it.... And all spiritual strength cannot succeed in sparing the soul this state of remorse, and therefore it will still powerfully influence the soul during its earthly existence.... and tries to influence a misguided being spiritually as well as physically and to awaken the soul's sense of responsibility so that it will recognize its task on earth and pay more attention to its work of liberation. Once the human being has imagined that only his will liberates him from his fetters, but that otherwise the wrong will also endangers the soul's later life, then he no longer lives thoughtlessly into the day but seeks to gain spiritual advantages for himself, and at the same time he uses all opportunities to practice love for his neighbour, for the soul senses its real task precisely in this, moreover it also likes to dwell in the spheres where it does not feel the pressure of the body. It has certainly taken life upon itself with the intention to use it in order to reach perfection, but the wrong thinking in earthly life mostly comes from the fact that the soul does not reach this state quickly enough and therefore holds itself harmless on earth, i.e. it regards the illusory goods as the right good and misjudges the true purpose on earth, but then seeks the supposed guilt in an earthly life which is extraordinarily burdensome for it, while it creates this burdensome state for itself. A right life on earth that is pleasing to God in active neighbourly love will allow the human being to rise above himself in such a way that he will no longer be aware of the seemingly miserable circumstances and thus the self-chosen life in the flesh will bring him the fullest redemption....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers