Sunsets Into Sunrises
Bishop Martin - The Progress of a Soul in the Beyond
- Chapter 43 -
SATURN, AS THE MOST SPLENDID OF ALL PLANETS. - THE EARTH AS A SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN OF GOD AND THE SCENE OF THE LORD'S INCARNATION.
1
(The Lord): "Here we are, already at the open door, and the magnificent celestial world which you can see clearly: the great rampart which, in the far distance, appears light blue, and above which, in perfect grouping, seven further globes, as if freely suspended, are visible, all this represents in correspondence the planet Saturn, the most beautiful and best of worlds, circling around the sun. Your earth circles it too, but it is the ugliest and last planet in the whole of creation, destined to be a school of meekness and cross for the greatest spirits.
2
The reason for this is as follows: When a great and mighty lord of the world drives or rides through the streets of his residence, the people, being used to him, scarcely turn round to greet and honor him. He, on the other hand, knowing his people like neighbors and aware that they know him, does not expect this at all. However, if he travels to some distant small place, everybody just about prostrates himself before him, and there he shows who he really is. In his residence, such a display would have no effect, because everybody knows him as a familiar sight.
3
It can also be compared to somebody igniting a small quantity of gunpowder in a very large hall, where the explosion would be quite ineffectual. But if the same amount of gunpowder were ignited in a very confined space, the result would be a loud explosion with a destructive effect.
4
Since the great appears really great when compared to the small, the strong much stronger compared to the weak, and the mighty especially mighty compared to the feeble, - the earth has to be so miserable and modest in everything so that it may serve the greatest and most brilliant spirits, either to learn humility and gain through it a quickening; or judgment and eternal death. For, as already explained to you, the small and insignificant serves towards increasing the characteristics of the great and imposing. And that is already its judgment, for where everything is small and insignificant, the great and important should conform to it and humble itself.
5
If a tall man wants to enter a room through a very low door, he must bend down low or he could not enter it at all. Thus, the earth is a narrow and thorny path and a low and narrow gate to life for all those spirits who were once very great, and who wanted to be even greater.
6
But these spirits rebelled against this path, which they found too humiliating for their pride, and said that this path was too small for them: an elephant could not walk on a hair like a gnat, and a whale could not swim in a drop of water. Consequently, such a path was not wise, and He Who prepared it was without insight or sense.
7
Then I, as the very highest and greatest Spirit in all eternity, took the cross and walked the path as the first. And I demonstrated how this path, which could be walked by the great and almighty Spirit of God, could easily be followed by all the other spirits in order to attain the true, free eternal life.
8
Many have now already followed this path and have achieved the desired goal, namely, to become children of God and inherit eternal life, with the greatest might, power and perfection, enjoying all the creative properties that I possess. This cannot be attained by the spirits from all the other innumerable stars and worlds, just as not all parts of the body can see, hear or feel with the inner mental perception, which is the actual awareness of one's own, as well as of the other being and the ability to see and know God.
9
Only certain parts of the body have these properties, whilst countless other parts lack them completely; but they are still parts of the same body.
10
The same applies to the rational beings inhabiting all the other stars: they are like individual parts of a body or, in a more perfect sense, of the whole man who is in My own image and that of all the heavens. Therefore, they do not need for their happiness all the divine properties that My children possess. And when My children are blessed, these star-dwellers are the same in and with them, as you, My children, are in and with Me to all eternity.
11
If you enjoy happiness, all these countless spirits enjoy the same in and through you, just as your well-being makes your whole body feel comfortable. In view of this, sacred love makes it My children's highest duty to become as perfect as I Myself am. For, on this perfection depends the happiness of countless spirits, increasing and perfecting yours in turn infinitely.
12
Now you know why I showed you first these planets which are closest to your earth. Ponder on this and follow Me now to door number seven, where you will be instructed in new wisdom. But there, too, you must not ask Me anything. For I alone know the path I have to lead you that you might attain the highest possible beatitude! Let us now proceed. So be it!"