Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/8041

8041 Requested clarification regarding food....

November 17, 1961: Book 85

I want to enlighten your spirit if you ask Me for it: The soul's actual task during its life on earth is to attain full maturity, for at the beginning of its earthly existence its substances are still more or less immature. It still has to tackle many instincts which it brought along from its previous embodiments and will always have the opportunity during its earthly life to master them, providing its will is good and directed towards Me. Nevertheless, it is passing through the satanic realm, which means that it has to wage a constant battle which lasts as long as it lives on earth. Time and again it will come into contact with spiritually immature substances, which it also consumes in the form of food in order to keep the body fit, and these substances must be spiritualised by the soul too, that is, it has to try to bring everything into the right order. Hence these spiritual substances will join the body; they serve the growth and preservation of that which was given to the soul as an external cover, in which the soul itself should attain full maturity. The spirits, the substances contained in food, are therefore of service and thereby slowly ascend as well.... irrespective of whether they come from the plant or animal kingdom.... The nourishment needed by the body as sustenance is spiritual substance in the process of maturity too, which has achieved various degrees of development.... The body can also consume something unhealthy, that is, nourishment which still contains too many immature spiritual substances.... which then might not only bother the body but also the soul.... and manifest itself in the form of diseases.... However, a strong soul is able to put these immature substances in order but it must already have achieved a high degree of spiritual maturity to be able to exert a redeeming influence on the still immature spiritual substance. The correct preparation of food can therefore promote faster maturing by eliminating virulent spiritual substances before it comes into contact with the human body. For all spiritual substances still constrained in creation have a low degree of maturity but they can be redeemed faster if they willingly serve the human being. Then their path can be shortened, which is the case when the body submits to the soul's will, when the body does not prevent a soul's conscious striving towards attaining perfection and when these spiritual substances also support the soul by subordinating themselves to the body and thus let themselves become spiritualised too.... But this only happens if the food the body consumes is pure, healthy and beneficial for the body's continuation. For once the soul succeeds in making the body compliant by submitting itself to the soul's will, the body's spiritualisation will soon take place, providing the soul has united itself with the spirit within itself.... thus consciously strives towards spiritual perfection....

If, however, the soul has no bond at all with its spirit then it will allow itself to be determined by its body.... i.e., all unspiritual substances of its external cover will strongly predominate and control the soul; in that case its thoughts and intentions will only aim to increase its physical well-being and then a high intake of food and drink will also prevent its spiritual development.... The body will consume an excess of unspiritual substances which pull body and soul down, for then everything of a satanic nature will push itself into the forefront and find no resistance.... thus endangering higher development if not preventing it altogether. And once again it follows that the prayer for blessing of all nourishment is the best means to avoid this danger.... I can and will transform everything that is detrimental for your soul if only you always think of Me before you eat your food, which will always contain more or less immature spiritual substances, because everything passing through the works of creation is still earth-bound whatever degree of development it may have achieved. Your will to attain perfection on earth is valued by Me, and a prayer for blessing everything you consume always proves your will to Me and I shall always comply with it. However, that which serves the maintenance and growth of the body fulfils its actual task.... it is of service.... And in this way you must always look at the consumption of food.... The fact that a certain moderation has to be observed, that you must not merely satisfy your physical cravings, speaks for itself, for then you will avoid the danger of your body being harassed by harmful spiritual substances.... You don't need any special clarification as to which foods are useful and which are detrimental to you, for your will to live in My eternal order will also give you the right feeling in the choice of your meals.... and each one can be of use to you, just as each one can harm you if you don't keep to the right amount or if base cravings incite you into satisfying them.... For you must know that only your free will determines to what extent you resist the temptations of the adversary, of your soul's enemy. And he will always make use of everything that can become a danger to you. He will arouse cravings in you, he will use the body to influence your soul and put it under pressure wherever it is possible for him.

He himself is incapable of forcing you, just as he has no direct influence on the spiritual substance which is still bound in matter; but he can incline your will towards him if you accept the thoughts he transmits to you through cravings and you comply with them yourselves.... by either satisfying these craving or by being careless in the choice as well as the amount of your food or even consciously sin against My order which you, however, know full well and can also observe with good will. Hence in a sense you contribute towards the redemption of immature substances within matter by consuming the right amount of food and drink, because the maturing process of these small spiritual particles involves their being of service, and as soon as you enable them to 'serve' you are helping them to mature. I Myself assigned this serving function or duty of service to every work of creation, and if the human being himself lives within divine order he will never prevent the spirits' higher development, in whatever form they are still bound.... For I also created the human being with all his needs, and it is up to him to always observe moderation and to make use of that which I assigned to him in love and wisdom. And anyone who does not consciously want to sin will also make use of all creations I designated for him, on whatever spiritual level they may be, according to My intended order.... And in unity with Me he will always appeal for My blessing and then also contribute towards the fact that his body's still immature spiritual substances as well as those the body consumes for its upkeep will be guided into the right order.... that they will mature during earthly life according to My will....

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna