Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/3361

3361 Spiritual need.... great earthly sorrow.... prayer....

December 9, 1944: Book 44

There is great spiritual hardship on earth and My love is unable to banish it, for people's will resists My help. It is an unparalleled chaos and yet humanity cannot find its way back to Me because it has already distanced itself too far and no longer recognizes Me. It has no faith, it lives without love and therefore also without recognizing the truth. People live and yet are spiritually dead, they use their intellect and will wrongly, they ponder and research, they think and act but without consulting Me, they are completely ignorant of My will because they don't listen to My word when I bring it to them. They don't let themselves be taught by Me but listen to those who are ignorant themselves; they are incapable of hearing My voice themselves because they lack love and their spirit remains unawakened. And yet, they believe to stand in truth or they are satisfied with what they were commanded out of tradition. And I cannot bring them help because they do not accept it. And the hardship will increase, people will no longer know where to turn and they will lack all strength to endure the coming difficult time. For the spiritual hardship can only be remedied through physical hardship, through earthly tribulation and suffering of an extraordinary kind.... the latter is intended to make them turn to Me in search of help so that I can assist them, yet I have to possess their will first.... The will, however, will only become compliant when the human being no longer has any earthly hope, when he realizes that there is no way out for him and that he is hopelessly lost unless help comes to him from above.... Faith must be born out of this adversity.... when everything around the human being breaks down, when only life is desirable to him; then he calls to the one Who gave him life.... then he gives up all resistance and bows before the lord and creator, and then he prays.... And this is how far I have to lead people, in spite of My love.... precisely because I love them.... I must intensify the hardship if they cannot be won any other way, I must keep Myself hidden from them beforehand so that I can then reveal Myself to them.... I must let them sink if they do not take hold of My hand which wants to bring them salvation.... I must seemingly act mercilessly because they do not submit to My love. And yet, My love is constantly active and concerned about their salvation. And therefore I always send My messengers to those who are in spiritual hardship, who want to escape the chaos and are unable to do so on their own. For they are too weak because they don't believe and therefore don't ask for strength either. But they have to gain faith themselves by letting their intellect become active and thinking in striving for the pure truth.... Then I will reveal Myself to them and they will also recognize Me as soon as they show Me love, which they demonstrate through unselfish neighbourly love.... For I have mercy on everyone who is of good will....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers