BD.4757
October 9, 1949

BODY - SOUL - SPIRIT - EXPLANATIONS

Men cannot comprehend the mutual relationship of body, soul and spirit. And therefore it is difficult to explain them the function of the spirit. The spirit is opposing the body, while the soul stays between both, so that in a way it has to decide for the body or for the spirit, but can never turn to both.

At the beginning of the embodiment as man, the soul is completely devoted to the body. It has therefore the aim to fulfill all desires of the body, i.e. thinking, feeling and the will - as the soul of man - are tuned solely to the body, who as itself still matter seeks to join with matter too. Therefore man longs only for material goods, because they are the sum of all that suits the body.

Therefore the spirit does not make itself felt. The soul does not listen what the spirit wants from it. The spirit cannot carry through itself because the body still has the priority and seizes the soul entirely, thus dominating its thoughts and aspirations.

But the soul can also recognize the worthlessness of earthly things. It can consider the bodily wishes as unimportant, it can demand more from the Earth-life than only materialistic goods. Then comes the spirit into its right, it makes itself heard, and will be listen to by the soul.

The soul starts to follow another direction, it asks nothing for the body, but strives for spiritual goods. It accepts instructions, i.e. it accepts without contradiction what the spirit conveys for it. It feels happy and so pays less attention to the body, or tries to make the body receptive to what the spirit asks of the soul: to give up earthly matter and trade in spiritual goods.

Now the spirit is victorious over the body. Both spirit and body try to win the soul for themselves and if the spirit succeeds in displacing the desires of the body it is victor.

But what is to be understood by the "spirit"? The Spirit is the Divine in man - it is that which marks man a divine Creature; it is that which unites man with the Father-Spirit from Eternity. It is the consciousness in man, to be united eternally with the Father-Spirit of Eternity. As soon as the Spirit enters into action, only then man can recognize himself as a "Creature of GOD. Previously as a living being he was only conscious of himself, who tries to get everything that life offers.

But when man recognizes himself then the world is nothing more for him; then he searches for higher goods…. then his thoughts are directed toward the spiritual realm; then he will seek contact with the One Who gave him life; then his thinking is right and his wishes and acts according to the divine Will of GOD.

Then the Spirit of GOD in man is working, to whom the soul now gives away, thus the Spirit guides and teaches it, so that body, soul and spirit become one, establishing the union with GOD, because the Spirit presses incessantly towards the Father-Spirit, with Whom it is united and remains so in all Eternity.

AMEN