I Appeal to You
... through Bertha Dudde  - 29.07.1939 

1028   Monastic life? .... (Concerning a previous conversation)

A natural limit has been set when the strength of resistance is threatening to wane, and then the soul can expect help if it is too weak to stand firm by itself. A woman’s purpose in life mainly involves caring and supportive work, and she receives her strength to do so in the same proportion as she is expressing her love, and thus a sphere of activity exists especially for the woman on earth which offers the soul ample opportunity to mature. There is no need to tightly limit her duties in order to live for the Lord’s pleasure in seclusion on earth. Anyone who wants to work to a greater extent in the service of neighbourly love will also be offered adequate opportunity for it in the outside world. It is therefore not especially beneficial for the soul if a field of duty is imposed on the person which is in fact conscientiously carried out but only as a kind of personal obligation .... under conditions which exclude a refusal or non-compliance of this fulfilment of duty, and therefore the work of loving service does not always correspond to the person’s free will. The will of the person who puts himself into such an obligatory situation may doubtlessly be good and his intention may well be to dedicate his life entirely to the Lord and Saviour, but he does not consider that everyone can utilise and develop his earthly life in the midst of worldly commotion and that he will be offered more than enough opportunities for active neighbourly love ....

Amen