Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/5504

5504 Reason for the spiritual decline Addiction to matter....

October 11, 1952: Book 60

A major cause of people's spiritual decline is the ever-increasing addiction to matter. It is like a disease which has overtaken people, which leads to death, it is like an ever tightening shackle which threatens people's lives, for it is not earthly but spiritual life, the life of the soul, which is in danger. For the overwhelming desire for matter finds fulfillment, just as it is always the human being's own will, that determines the state of the soul. Hard matter will one day be its fate, which man so eagerly strives for. It cannot be made comprehensible to man that the desire for matter, for earthly possession, means a step backwards, for he strives for something which he had long since overcome, which meant a hard imprisonment for his soul, which was felt as lack of freedom and therefore as agony by the soul and every redemption from it, every progress in the bound state brought relief to the spiritual. And now, the human being strives for that from which his soul has fled, because it was a shackle. Everything earthly material only serves the body, but the soul, only then when it is overcome, when it stimulates the love of man to activity, to giving, to expressing oneself out of love for the neighbor. Then matter can also be useful for the life of the soul, but it must always be a detachment from it, not a desire for it in self-interest. As long as earthly goods are desired, the desire for spiritual goods does not exist or only to a very small extent, but the soul cannot take anything earthly with it into the spiritual kingdom, but certainly spiritual goods, which alone prepare a blissful state for it. If only people would consider that the next day can already end their earthly life, and that they would therefore make provisions for their stay in the spiritual kingdom.... if only they would consider that all earthly possessions are worthless to them and that what lives on in the spiritual kingdom passes over in utmost poverty, which is the human being's own fault on earth, and which he could easily have averted by collecting spiritual treasures on earth........ if he would consider that earthly life, even if it lasts a long time, is only a moment compared to eternity, but that the soul has to suffer from what the human being missed on earth.... Yet, he can only be reminded time and again of the idleness of his life, he can only be admonished time and again to think ahead and not to waste all his earthly energy on possessions, which are and remain completely worthless. He is in possession of free will and intellect, and can therefore only be instructed, but not forced to live his life in such a way that his soul will enter the spiritual kingdom in a healthy and powerful way.... This is why people will time and again be deprived of what they so ardently desire on earth, the transience of earthly possessions will time and again be brought to their attention, and blessed are those who realize that their purpose of earthly life is different from striving for earthly possessions; blessed are those who reflect and gather spiritual treasures, blessed are those who create and work for the salvation of the soul, for they will be rich and happy in the spiritual kingdom, and will now be able to create and work, because their wealth is imperishable....

Amen

Translated by Sven Immecke