Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/0439

0439 Danger of worldly pleasures....

May 28, 1938: Book 9

The best weapon against evil is prayer, for already the request for strength saves you from being defeated. Everything on earth is a certain danger for man because it easily distracts thoughts from striving for eternity.... But the world must influence the senses of man with all stimuli, so that he can try out his resistance to it. But the easier the will to find the spiritual back, the more ineffective is the power of the earthly.... In all seclusion from the world, man can often prove himself far less than when the dangers rush at him from all sides, because spiritual power cannot develop and strengthen itself in such a way when little resistance is offered to it.

On the other hand an easy-going response to all temptations of life is an earnest danger for the spiritual state of man because this will always result in a flattening of the soul-life because never can one's intention be directed towards both the earthly and the spiritual life simultaneously. But in the true striving for spiritual maturity, the earthly child will always entrust itself to the Lord, Who leads it safely and lovingly through all dangers, and an overcome temptation is always a rung further towards the spiritual height....

That is why we so often issue warnings and admonitions to you, to hold you back from everything that could be a hindrance on the way up, and you will always only have to recognize His loving care for you from this, because not one of you can pass these temptations without the power of prayer. The whole world with it's charms, on the other hand, will no longer harm you if you are so inflamed with love for the Divine Lord that you no longer demand anything on earth for yourselves, but seek and find fulfillment only in this love.

Then the danger of worldly pleasures is over for you because you then only know the one desire - to be near Him.... Every child longs for the Father, and His great love draws you to His heart.... but the world with it's joys is then no longer desirable for you.... pray that you may overcome all temptations.... pray ceaselessly for strength and for Divine grace....

Amen

Translated by Alida Pretorius