Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/3593

3593 The spiritual and material world oppose each other....

November 3, 1945: Book 46

The material world and the spiritual kingdom oppose each other, consequently their demands on the human being are also of a conflicting nature, and no human being can ever do justice to both but unconditionally has to meet the requirements of one world. Understandably, the spiritual kingdom can only give spiritual wealth and this under conditions which disagree with worldly longings, while the world offers human beings earthly wealth which meets their needs. However, worldly longing is in opposition to the demands of the spiritual kingdom insofar as it puts physical pleasures and physical well-being into the forefront and aggravates or makes it entirely impossible for the soul to strive for the spiritual kingdom.... because the soul has to fulfil the demands of the spiritual kingdom and persuade the body to share the same desire which, however, necessitates the surrender of earthly longings. Thus two worlds are facing each other and the human being has to decide which world to choose. And at all times one world will demand the rejection of the other world, at all times either the body or the soul has to speak, to be precise, the soul has to decide whether its own development is more important than the body’s well-being during its life on earth as a human being. The spiritual kingdom bestows the most delightful gifts upon the soul and although as human being it cannot understand their true value they are nevertheless eternal and denote a wealth which the soul will be able to use in the spiritual kingdom for its own happiness.

The world also offers treasures for the body but these are short-lived and cannot be taken across into the spiritual kingdom. They will disintegrate like the body disintegrates when the soul moves from the physical world into the spiritual kingdom. And since the soul on earth can only receive from one kingdom it will be poor in the spiritual kingdom if it has only paid homage to the world. Voluntary surrender of earthly goods inevitably results in the possession of spiritual wealth because the soul only abandons the former due to love, or the desire for earthly goods will be predominant. And where love has awakened, the soul will unconsciously strive towards the spiritual kingdom and disregards earthly wealth. And thus the human soul has to decide during its life on earth whether to make the earthly world or the spiritual kingdom the goal of its aspiration. And its fate in the spiritual kingdom, to where it will proceed after its time of earthly trial has come to an end, will depend on this decision.... Prosperity or poverty, bliss or a pitiful state.... but bliss will necessitate the surrender of everything that is earthly and thus temporary....

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna