Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/4843

4843 Swirl of the world.... (Rose Monday)

February 20, 1950: Book 55

In the hustle and bustle of the world, people stifle any drive to reach higher. It is like a poisonous breath that makes human hearts incapable of spiritual striving. No seed can sprout, it withers before it develops, because it is sickened by the pestilential breath of the world. Understand that you humans are in great danger of losing yourselves to the enemy of your soul, understand that he uses all means to stop your growth towards the light, that he spreads poison to destroy the good seed. Understand that the pleasures of the world are the poison to which your soul falls hopelessly prey. In the frenzy of pleasure you seek your happiness, and you plunge your soul into misfortune. You pay tribute to the lord of the world and you sell your soul, for you desire his treasures and only seek fulfilment of bodily desires and cravings. And he does not deny it to you, he gives abundantly, but he also demands everything in return, he wins you completely. For the sake of trifling rewards you give yourselves into his hands. Hours of exuberant joy of life are enough for you, and for this you sacrifice eternal times in bliss.... You have become slaves to him who drags you into ruin. If you were to remember Me you would not be able to enjoy the goings-on, you would turn away from the poisonous breath so that it could not touch you; you would recognize that the world is your enemy because it is part of My adversary. But your thoughts no longer find their way to Me, they are chained to earth, they only revolve around the lust of the world, around sin, which you try to conceal and yet love. You can well deceive yourselves but not Me, Who sees into your hearts. I do not condemn you, but you distance yourselves from Me, for there is no love in you apart from self-love, which pulls you down but cannot lift you up. For if you had love you would not be far from Me but would seek Me in all your ways. Then the world would not be able to tempt you, then My adversary would have lost his power over you, then you would not follow the temptations of the world. For through love you would also stand in knowledge. But it is dark in you and you only chase after the false light. You seek joys and find death in the process.... For once the enemy of souls has won him over he will not give him up again, and breaking away from him requires great strength of love which, however, can rarely still be developed by a person who once falls prey to him....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers