Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/6585

6585 Voice of conscience....

July 1, 1956: Book 70

Everyone shelters a silent admonisher inside himself which imperceptibly urges or warns him but manifests itself so gently that it can easily be ignored if the human being pays no attention to it. This inner admonisher is a grace of God too, it is a means of help used by God's love, a gift which is given to every person but which has to be paid attention to in order to be of use. As long as the human being wants to live a right and just life he will always pay heed to his inner voice, he will feel impeded if he is on the verge of doing wrong, and he will sense a gentle inner urge where it is necessary to do good deeds, for the inner admonisher is able to express itself in people who are of good will. Yet the 'voice of conscience' can also very easily be suppressed or drowned out by temptations which are louder and therefore more likely to be heard but which will never benefit the soul. In that case the human being becomes insensitive; he becomes indifferent to whether his actions are good or bad.... He abides by all suggestions promising worldly benefits and takes no more notice of the voice of conscience if it wants to manifest itself. However, this insensibility for the advice of conscience is his own fault, for the silent admonisher exists in every human heart but it can be displaced or consciously blocked from expressing itself, and that happens if a person acts contrary to the inner admonition or warning and thereby silences this gentle voice.... For God does not use coercion of will, and it would be a coercion of will if the inner voice ever more loudly came to the fore and thereby inhibited the person's will and actions. Every gift of grace from God must voluntarily be used if they are not to be ineffective.... However, the greatest success can be achieved if the human being allows himself to be completely guided from within.... If, before his every action, he first spends serious thought on it, if he, by always wanting to do what is right, appeals to God for His guidance and subsequently allows himself to be guided by Him....

Then the voice will speak ever more clearly and understandably to him, then the voice of the world will no longer be able to drown it out.... Then the human being will consciously submit himself to the guidance of the spirit, for he will recognise its working in him and know that it is the voice of God which now guides and directs him, which educates him and stands by his side with advice.... Thus the human being's inner admonisher, the voice of conscience, can be motivated by the person himself to speak louder if he is always willing to listen and to comply with its suggestions, but this only happens to people who live a life of love.... Then no further obstacles to express itself exist for the spiritual spark anymore, then it can emerge and openly influence the person, it no longer signifies a coercion of will, since the will readily submits itself to the divine-spiritual guidance of its own accord.... And when this happens the human being will be leading an inner life, he will constantly communicate with his inner guide and know that it is God's voice which speaks to him, which warns and admonishes him and guides him wherever he goes.... Subsequently, his way of life will also comply with God's will, because the spirit within himself only ever influences him according to God's will. No person need ever go through earthly life without the voice of conscience which admonishes and warns him, for it will address all people as long as they can still be guided, as long as they are still undecided as to whether to act good or evil.... Yet as soon as the will is more inclined towards evil the voice grows ever more silent and can finally completely fade away unless a sudden change occurs. But for as long as the human being is alive God will keep trying to inwardly speak to him and to touch his conscience.... Nevertheless, He will never exert any force whatsoever on his will, He will always allow him to keep his freedom....

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna