fr-Chapter 32 - Incarnation, Nature and the Purpose of Humanity

VIII Man

Incarnation on Earth

1. You weep when one of your own departs for the "Spiritual Valley," instead of feeling at peace because you understand that he is drawing one step closer to his Lord. In contrast, you celebrate a feast when a new being comes into your home, without thinking at that moment that that soul has come into the flesh to fulfill an atonement in this valley of tears; then you should weep for them. (52, 58)

2. You beget children of your flesh, yet it is I who distribute the souls among families, tribes, nations, and worlds, and in this justice, inaccessible to humans, My love is revealed. (67, 26)

3. You live in the present and do not know what I have ordained for your future. I am preparing great legions of spiritual beings who will dwell on Earth and bring with them a difficult mission, and you must know that many of you will be the parents of those beings in whom My messengers will incarnate. It is your duty to prepare yourselves inwardly so that you may know how to receive and guide them. (128, 8)

4. I wish to speak to you about many spiritual topics, but you are not yet able to understand them. If I were to reveal to you the kind of dwellings into which you have already descended upon Earth, you would not be able to comprehend how you lived in such places.

5. Today you may deny that you know the "Spiritual Valley," for as long as your soul is incarnated, its past is inaccessible to it, so that it may not become conceited or depressed, nor despair in the face of its new existence, in which it must begin anew as in a new life.

6. Even if you wanted to, you could not remember. I only allow you to retain a glimpse or an intuition of what I reveal to you here, so that you may persevere in the struggle of life and willingly endure the trials.

7. You may doubt everything I tell you, yet truly, that spirit world was indeed your home as long as you were spiritual beings. You were inhabitants of that abode where you knew no suffering, where you felt the Father's glory within your being, for there is no blemish in Him.

8. Yet you had no merits, and so it was necessary for you to leave that heaven and descend to the world, so that your soul might regain that realm through its own efforts.

9. Yet you sank morally lower and lower until you felt very far removed from the Divine and Spiritual, your origin. (114, 35-36)

10. When the soul comes to earth, it is inspired by the best intentions: to dedicate its existence to the Father, to please Him in all things, and to be of service to its neighbor.

11. But as soon as it finds itself trapped in the body, tempted in a thousand ways and put to the test on its life's journey, it grows weak, yields to the impulses of the "flesh," succumbs to temptations, becomes selfish, and ultimately loves itself above all else; and only for moments does it heed the Spirit, where its destiny and vows are written.

12. My Word helps you to remember your spiritual covenant and to overcome temptations and obstacles.

13. No one can say that they have never strayed from the path I have laid out. But I forgive you so that you may learn to forgive your fellow human beings. (245, 47-48)

14. Great spiritual instruction is necessary so that man may live in harmony with the voice of his conscience. For although everything is permeated by divine love, wisely created for the good and happiness of humanity, the material world surrounding them in this life constitutes a test for the soul from the moment it inhabits a world to which it does not belong and is united with a body whose nature is different from its own.

15. In this you may see the reason why the soul forgets its past. From the moment it incarnates into and merges with an unconscious, newly born creature, it begins a life closely bound to that body.

16. Only two qualities of the spirit remain present: conscience and intuition; but the personality, the deeds accomplished, and the past remain hidden for a time. Thus it is ordained by the Father.

17. What would become of the soul that has come from the light of a higher home to live amid the miserable circumstances of this world if it were to remember its past? And what vanity would there be among people if the greatness that existed in their souls in another life were revealed to them? (257, 18-19)

The Proper Assessment of the Body and Its Guidance by the Spirit

18. I tell you not only that you should purify your soul, but also that you should strengthen your body, so that the new generations that come forth from you may be healthy and their souls may fulfill their difficult mission. (51, 59)

19. Pay attention to the health of your body; ensure its preservation and vitality. My teaching advises you to show loving care for your soul and for your body, for both complement one another and need each other in the difficult spiritual mission entrusted to them. (92, 75)

20. Do not attach more importance to your body than it actually has, and do not allow it to take the place that belongs only to your soul.

21. Understand that the physical body is merely the tool you need so that the soul may manifest itself on earth. (62, 22-23)

22. See how this teaching benefits your soul; for while the physical body draws a little closer to the bosom of the earth with each passing day, the soul, on the other hand, draws ever closer to eternity.

23. The body is the foundation upon which the soul rests while it dwells on earth. Why allow it to become a chain that binds, or a prison that imprisons? Why allow it to be the helm of your life? Is it right, after all, for a blind man to lead one whose eyes can see? (126, 15-16)

24. This teaching is simple, like all that is pure and divine, and therefore easy to understand. Yet at times it will seem difficult to put it into practice. The endeavors of your soul require effort, self-denial, or sacrifice on the part of your body, and if you lack training or spiritual discipline, you will suffer.

25. Since the beginning of time, there has been a struggle between the soul and the "flesh" in the attempt to understand what is right, permissible, and good, in order to lead a life in accordance with the laws given by God.

26. In this arduous struggle, it seems to you as though a foreign and malevolent power is constantly tempting you to turn your back on the battle and inviting you to make use of your free will to continue down the path of materialism.

27. I tell you that there is no greater temptation than the weakness of your body: sensitive to everything that surrounds it; weak enough to yield; easy to bring down and to seduce. Yet whoever has learned to master the body's impulses, passions, and weaknesses has conquered the temptation that lies within. (271, 49–50)

28. The earth is a battlefield; there is much to learn here. If it were not so, a few years of life on this planet would suffice for you, and you would not be sent out time and again to be born anew. There is no gloomier or darker tomb for the soul than its own body when it is tainted by filth and materialism.

29. My Word lifts you out of this grave and then gives you wings so that you may soar up to the regions of peace and spiritual light. (213, 24-25)

The Meaning and Purpose of the Soul, Spirit, and Conscience in Human Beings

30. Man could exist without a spirit, solely through his animated physical life; but he would then not be a human being. He would possess a soul and be without a spirit, but he could not then guide himself, nor would he be the supreme being who, through the spirit, recognizes the law, distinguishes good from evil, and receives every divine revelation. (59, 56)

31. The spirit is to enlighten the soul, and the soul is to guide the body. (71, 9)

32. While in the world some pursue false greatness, others say that man is an insignificant creature before God, and there are even those who compare themselves to the worm of the earth. Certainly, your material body may seem small to you in the midst of My creation, but to Me it is not, because of the wisdom and the capacity with which I created it.

33. But how can you judge the greatness of your being based on the dimensions of your body? Do you not sense the presence of the soul within it? It is greater than your body; its existence is eternal, its path infinite; you are unable to discern the end of its development, any more than you can discern its origin. I do not wish to see you as small; I created you so that you might attain greatness. Do you know when I consider a person small? When he has fallen into sin, for then he has lost his nobility and his dignity.

34. For a long time now, you have ceased to hold fast to Me; you no longer know what you truly are, because you have allowed many qualities, abilities, and gifts that your Creator placed within you to lie dormant and unused. You are asleep in regard to the soul and the spirit, and it is precisely in their spiritual qualities that the true greatness of man lies. You live like the beings who are of this world, because they are born and die in it. (85, 56-57)

35. With My word of love, I prove to you the value your spirit holds for Me. There is nothing in the material creation that is greater than your spirit—neither the Sun with its light, nor the Earth with all its wonders, nor any other created thing is greater than the spirit I have given you, for it is a divine particle, a flame that has emerged from the Divine Spirit.

36. Apart from God, only spirits possess spiritual intelligence, consciousness, will, and free will.

37. Above the instincts and inclinations of the "flesh" rises a light, which is your soul, and above this light a guide, a teacher, and a judge, which is the Spirit. (86, 68)

38. Humanity says to Me in its materialism: "Does the realm of the Spirit even exist?" Yet I answer you: O you unbelievers, you are the Thomas of the "Third Era." Feelings of compassion and mercy, of tenderness, kindness, and generosity are not attributes of the body, any more than are the gifts of grace that you carry hidden within you. All those feelings imprinted in your hearts and minds, all those abilities, belong to the spirit, and you must not deny it. The "flesh" is merely a limited tool, but the spirit is not: it is great because it is an atom of God.

39. Seek the seat of your spirit in the core of your being and the great wisdom in the glory of love. (147, 21-22)

40. Truly, I tell you, from the earliest days of humanity, man possessed the intuitive knowledge that he carried a spiritual being within himself—an entity that, though invisible, revealed itself through the various works of his life.

41. Your Lord has revealed to you from time to time the existence of the Spirit, its essential nature, and its hidden being. For although you carry it within you, the veil in which your materialization shrouds you is so thick that you are unable to recognize what is most noble and pure in your being.

42. Man has dared to deny many truths. Yet—belief in the existence of his spirit was not among the things he fought against most, for man has sensed and ultimately understood that to deny his spirit would be the same as denying himself.

43. As the human body degenerated due to its passions, its vices, and its sensual pleasures, it became a chain, a dark blindfold, a prison, and an obstacle to the soul's development. Nevertheless, in his hours of trial, man has never lacked a spark of inner light to come to his aid.

44. Truly, I tell you, the highest and purest expression of the Spirit is the conscience, that inner light which makes man, among all the creatures that surround him, the first, the highest, the greatest, and the noblest. (170, 56–60)

45. I tell all people that the highest and most beautiful title a human being possesses is that of being a "child of God," even though it is necessary to earn it.

46. The purpose of the Law and the teachings is to reveal to you the knowledge of My truth, so that you may become worthy children of that Divine Father, who is the highest perfection. (267, 53)

47. You know that you were created "in My image and likeness"; yet when you say this, you think of your human form. I tell you, My likeness is not there, but in your soul, which—to become like Me—must perfect itself by practicing the virtues.

48. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; I am Justice and Goodness, and all this springs from Divine Love. Do you now understand how you must be in order to be "in My image and likeness"? (31, 51-52)

49. You have a reflection of the Divine within you; I am truly within you. The intelligence, will, abilities, senses, and virtues you possess bear witness to the higher nature to which you belong and are a living testimony to the Father from whom you came forth.

50. At times, through disobedience and sin, you defile and dishonor the image of Me that you bear within your being. Then you do not resemble Me; for it is not enough to have a human body and a soul to be an image of the Creator. True likeness to Me consists in your light and in your love for all your neighbors. (225, 23-24)

51. I created you "in My image and likeness," and since I am at once Three and One, this Trinity likewise exists within you.

52. Your material body represents creation because of its perfect form and harmony. Your incarnated soul is an image of the "Word" that became human to leave a trail of love in the world of men, and your spirit is a radiant spark of the Divine Light of the Holy Spirit. (220, 11-12)

53. What merit would your soul have if it were to act within a body without will and without its own inclinations? The soul's struggle with its physical shell is one of power against power. There it finds the touchstone by which it must prove its superiority and the greatness of its soul. It is the trial in which the soul has often succumbed for a moment to the temptations into which the world leads it through the "flesh." So great is the force that these (temptations) exert upon the soul that you finally had the impression that a supernatural and malevolent power was dragging you to ruin and destroying you in the passions.

54. How great is the soul's responsibility before God! The flesh has not assumed this responsibility. Behold how it rests forever in the earth when death comes. When will you earn merits so that your soul may become worthy to inhabit more perfect abodes than this one in which you live?

55. The world offers you crowns that bear witness only to vanity, pride, and false grandeur. For the soul that knows how to rise above these vanities, another crown is reserved in the Hereafter—that of My wisdom. (53, 9–11)

56. Life should reveal itself more in the soul than in the body. How many have already lived in this world; yet how few have lived spiritually, have expressed the grace that exists in every human being, in that divine spark that the Creator placed within humanity.

57. If people were able to preserve clairvoyance in their spirit, they could see through it their past, their present, and their future.

58. The spirit is like My Book of Divine Wisdom. How much it contains! It has something to reveal to you constantly—sometimes revelations so profound that they are incomprehensible to you.

59. That spark of light present in every human being is the bond that connects man to the spiritual realm; it is what brings him into contact with the beyond and with his Father. (201, 37–40)

60. Oh, if only your material nature could absorb what your spirit receives through its gift of vision! For your spirit never ceases to see, even when the body, due to its material nature, perceives nothing of it. When will you be able to understand your spirit? (266, 11)

61. As long as you, who do not love life because you call it cruel, do not recognize the significance of the spirit in man nor allow yourselves to be guided by it, you will find nothing of true value.

62. It is the spirit that lifts the soul to a higher life above matter and its passions. Spiritualization will allow you to feel the great love of God, if you succeed in realizing it. Then you will understand the meaning of life, behold its beauty, and discover its wisdom. Then you will know why I have called it "life."

63. Who will dare to reject this teaching by saying that it is not true, after having come to know and understand it?

64. When you realize that your true worth lies in your spirit, you will live in harmony with all that your Father has created.

65. Then the spirit will beautify poor human life; but first, man must turn away from all passions that separate him from God in order to follow the path of justice and wisdom. Then true life will begin for you—the life you view with indifference today because you do not know what you despise and have no conception of its perfection. (11, 44–48)

The Temple of God Within Man

66. Humanity's conception of Me is childish, for it has failed to fathom the revelations I have ceaselessly bestowed upon it. To those who know how to prepare themselves, I am visible and tangible and present everywhere; but to those who lack sensitivity because materialism has hardened them, it is almost impossible to comprehend that I exist, and they feel that I am immeasurably far away, that it is impossible for Me to be felt or seen in any way.

67. Man must know that he carries Me within himself, that in his soul and in the light of his spirit he possesses the pure presence of the Divine. (83, 50–51)

68. The suffering that weighs down the people of this age leads them step by step, without their realizing it, to the gates of the inner sanctuary, before which—unable to go any further—they will ask: "Lord, where are You?" And from within the temple, the Master's benevolent voice will be heard, saying to them: "I am here, where I have always dwelt—in your spirit." (104, 50)

69. You were born in Me. You received spiritual and material life from the Father. And in a figurative sense, I can tell you that at the very moment you were born in Me, I was born in you.

70. I am born in your spirit, grow as you develop, and reveal Myself fully in your works of love, so that you may say with joy: "The Lord is with me." (138, 68–69)

71. Today you are still like schoolchildren and cannot always understand My teaching correctly; yet for now, speak to God with your heart, with your thoughts, and He will answer you from the innermost part of your being. His message, which will speak within your spirit, will be a clear, wise, loving voice that you will gradually discover and to which you will later grow accustomed. (205, 47)

72. In this "Third Era," I will establish the Church of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of My disciples. There will dwell the Creator God, the mighty God, the God who became man in the "Second Era," the God of infinite wisdom. He lives within you, yet if you wish to feel Him and hear the sound of His Word, you must prepare yourselves inwardly.

73. Whoever does good feels My presence within, as does the one who is humble or who sees a brother in every neighbor.

74. Within your soul exists the temple of the Holy Spirit. This realm is indestructible; there are no storms or hurricanes capable of tearing it down. It is invisible and untouchable to the human eye; its pillars shall be the desire to grow in goodness. Its dome is the grace that the Father bestows upon His children; the gate is the love of the Divine Mother; for everyone who knocks at My door will touch the heart of the Heavenly Mother.

75. Disciples, here is the truth that lives in the Church of the Holy Spirit, so that you may not be among those who are led astray by false interpretations. The churches of stone were merely a symbol, and not one stone of them will remain upon another.

76. I want the flame of faith to burn forever on your inner altar, and for you to understand that through your works you are laying the foundations upon which the great sanctuary shall one day rest. I put all people, with their diverse ideas, to the test and work upon them, for I will let all of them participate in the building of My Temple. (148, 44-48)