Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/2063

2063 Inward prayer.... outside impressions.... God everywhere....

September 10, 1941: Book 30

The world and its customs will never be completely changed. Everything that pleases the eyes or the senses is the weapon of the one who means the world, and he will fight with these weapons as long as the world exists. Only those who free themselves from his power will also free themselves from actions that are unimportant or hinder the moulding of the soul. This is the influence of evil, that it weakens the feeling for truth and lies and that even struggling people are subject to this influence as long as their will does not deny everything that bears witness to the opponent's activity. The teachings from above certainly give a clear picture and the human being could change accordingly, yet his senses demand impressions from outside until the truth offered from above fills all his thoughts and aspirations, only then will he have detached himself from the demands of the world and recognize them as extremely meaningless and insignificant. They are only a danger if a person neglects his inner organization for their sake, if he finds it difficult to detach himself mentally, if he attaches too much importance to the fulfilment of external actions and is then prevented from entering into intimate union with God, i.e. if he does not succeed in making himself completely insensitive to external impressions and entering into his innermost being and making contact with God. This is far more difficult in an environment that is intended for his senses than when a person withdraws into "his little chamber", i.e. to be alone with God uninfluenced by external impressions. The intimacy of prayer will undoubtedly be deeper where all external impressions are removed, so union with God will be easier to establish. Man must realize that God is everywhere where man wants to be with Him.... that no particular place or environment is needed to bring about union with God.... He must realize that it is more pleasing to God if He is remembered at every hour and in every place, for God will be wherever man's thoughts seek Him.... but He is most likely to be present when a person is closed off from the world, when he succeeds in forgetting everything around him. Then he easily finds the bridge that leads into the spiritual realm, into which nothing that belongs to the world can be carried.... Praying inwardly means detaching oneself from everything earthly and connecting with the purely spiritual.... And so it is understandable that heartfelt prayer is often called into question where the eye and the senses are offered too much that is worldly....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers