Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/6402

6402 Church buildings?....

November 15, 1955: Book 68

It does not correspond to My will that ostentatious and splendid buildings get erected for Me at a time when it is particularly important for people to look within themselves and not towards things which still belong to the world and which do not encourage striving for My kingdom with its magnificence and glory.... Everything that captivates your eyes or appeals to your senses prevents you from introspection, from the contemplation of your inner self, which is so essential for you because the end is not far.... Time and again I have to remind you that ‘My kingdom is not of this world....’ Why do you think that you must honour Me with magnificent buildings, why do you always externalise everything instead of working on improving your souls more eagerly?.... You humans still don’t understand that I cannot be found where you want to place Me.... You all have the means to let Me be present within you.... You have the place within yourselves where I want to be. I Am as close to each one of you as you would like Me to be, and each one of you has the power to draw Me to himself by simply fulfilling My only request of shaping his heart into love.... For ‘whoever remains in love remains in Me and I in him....’ Only love guarantees you My presence.... but I can never be where you look for Me if your heart is not burning with love. And therefore it is foolish for you to want to build houses for Me which serve no other purpose than to periodically assemble people who live according to wrong concepts....

Those who want to speak to Me can do so in their hearts and wherever they are.... they truly need no assembly halls which so appeal to the eye that they make all deep reflection impossible.... Wherever My Word is imparted to you, wherever you can hear sermons which your heart longs for, that is where I Am and that is where I Myself speak through the proclaimer of My Word to people who want to listen Me.... To hear My Word is the only important thing for you humans who are so close to the end and yet still so infinitely far away from Me.... Only what is suitable to awaken the soul from its sleep meets My approval and My blessing. But how can your soul awaken to life through external events, through worldly pomp and splendour, through constant feasts for your eyes and ears.... through everything that affects a person’s external senses but cannot give life to the soul.... It can only wake up and heal through love, and thus love must take precedence over all other things.... Love must be preached and practised, and you will always have the opportunity for that. A soul which receives the kind of love that inspires reciprocated love can find God much sooner....

Do good to your neighbour, ease his burden, try to help in every possible way.... care for and give to your fellow human being what he spiritually and earthly is in need of.... but don’t erect dead structures whose production does not comply with My will, especially since the physical hardship on earth is so great that it would be far more pleasing to Me if you would lessen this adversity.... What good do you think you are doing to Me? All the riches in the world belong to Me, but they urgently need to be released from My adversary’s bondage. You, however, banish them even more firmly, you want to erect buildings which shall last forever, and you believe that thereby you honour Me? If My love had no mercy with this unredeemed spiritual substance as well, its suffering would be inconceivably prolonged by people’s will who have so far failed to grasp the meaning of life but who deem themselves their fellow human beings’ spiritual leaders.... You are close to the end and therefore My Words sound particularly admonishing and warningly, since you, who support or recommend this, contribute towards the fact that countless souls continue their sleep of death from which they can only be aroused by My living Word which teaches love.... Love shall be preached and practised.... and you all know where activity of love is necessary, for you see hardship and misery all around you which first has to be remedied before I can bless your actions....

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna