Sunsets Into Sunrises
Bishop Martin - The Progress of a Soul in the Beyond
- Chapter 82 -
SECOND ACT OF THE DRAMA WITH THE LADIES OF THE SACRED HEART. - THE HELLISH STORM ON THE SEA. -CAPTURE OF THE VERMIN IN A BAG. ~ BOREM'S COMMENTARY.
1
(Bishop Martin): "But what is that? Look - in the far west, dense clouds are rising from the sea, similar to what I have sometimes seen on earth before heavy thunderstorms. The cloud formations are drifting closer and closer, emitting countless flashes of lightning.
2
I also see water-spouts of various sizes moving along, ahead of the dark grey clouds. It looks extremely threatening! Now, also, our old people are noticing the approaching storm and are making every effort to reach the safe shore.
3
How hard they are trying, but their efforts seem in vain. Instead of coming closer to the shore, they are getting farther and farther away from it. This must be an awful ordeal for these old people, both men and women!
4
In the far distance, towards the south, I can still see the two white-robed men, shining like two stars. But they do not seem to pay any attention to this approaching strong gale. I see it coming nearer and nearer, accompanied by over a thousand water-spouts and numerous flashes of lightning. I also hear terrible thunder, and I see the waves piling up to the height of mountains. Oh dear, oh dear, this does not look too good!
5
But the old people - they are trying so hard, but all in vain! It only shows you how helpless man is against the power of the elements. Unless he is supported by divine power, he will forever be a nothing. But I am now most curious to see what is going to happen."
6
(Borem): "Watch carefully and you will soon see what course this gale will take. Do not worry about the old people who are trying in vain to reach the shore before the approaching gale. It does not concern them. The two wise messengers in the south are now the target for revenge, because they did not listen to the pleading of these ladies.
7
This shows already some hellish elements, but only slightly. Having got to the bottom of their folly, they found some residue of their earthly aristocrats' pride and lust for power. This residue kindled on the flame of their humiliating recollection of how, so they thought, the messengers changed them into frogs and drove them without mercy into the sea of damnation.
8
The fire kindled by this residue took hold of their whole being, drove them to the brink of the first hell where they found a great many congenial supporters. United with these, they are now moving along in the storm clouds, desirous of taking revenge on the two messengers and on those who sent them. Just watch - the main action will now take place."
9
(Bishop Martin): "Thank you and particularly the Lord for this explanation. However, at the same time, I must confess that I now feel really angry with these ninnies, whilst previously I still felt sort of sorry for them. If I only had the might of those two messengers, these storm-heroines would not fare too well! But I hope the two will know how to defend themselves against these stupid, abominable creatures.
10
Look, the storm is now really swerving in a right-hand turn towards the south. Countless flashes of lightning are aiming in the direction of the two wise men, who are now standing motionless, like the two stars, Castor and Pollux. How mightily the waves are surging and how the storm is raging and roaring!
11
But look at the poor old people! They are now unable to stand upright, only crawl on their hands and feet. It must be real hell for them! Ah, ah, a shred of cloud is now separating itself from the rest and drifting towards the old people. I wonder what will come of that?
12
Just look at that! The shred of cloud is enveloping the first old man who threw himself into the sea, and is carrying him onto the shore. This happened with lightning speed! Now the shred of cloud is drawing together and shrinking into a human shape.
13
Ah, it is one of the ladies - the first one, into the back of whose head I am looking. She is comforting her father, even hugging him, and he is so very happy to hold once more in his arms the daughter he had believed lost forever. I must say it is a most touching sight. Meanwhile, the others are shamelessly storming ahead.
14
I can now see the rearguard of the storm, consisting of a countless army of dragons, crocodiles, and God knows what other vermin! What a noise!
15
What roaring, whistling, and hissing! The sea seems to be seething below the storm clouds, and already begins to glow. Big balls of fire are now visible in the clouds, some already quite close to the messengers, who have now become better visible than before.
16
At last, the two are turning around and threatening the storm which, however, does not yield but seems only to intensify its raging.
17
This looks most peculiar! Look - look, the two appear to be taking to their heels and they are now rapidly soaring towards the old man and his daughter on the shore. They have arrived, thank God, and are greeting the old man and his daughter with the greatest kindness. How wonderful and moving this is. But the storm is now turning in this direction also.
18
This frog- and vermin-storm is most aggressive! I wonder what will come of all this?"
19
(Borem): "Watch carefully! The climax of the second act is imminent. You'll see now some judgment and a fateful development!"
20
(Bishop Martin): "Yes, brother, in this development the crop will probably yield only very little in grain for heaven, but all the more useless chaff for hell. But I had better continue watching this scene attentively.
21
Oh, look, the storm is close to the shore. The old man and his saved daughter are very frightened, but the two wise messengers are comforting them, and I hear them say:
22
'Do not fear this humbug. It has no real existence! When blindness is raging, the seeing can easily evade it! If a thousand blind warriors armed with swords and spears marched against one sighted, well-armed and experienced warrior, what could they achieve? The one could easily kill all of them.
23
And here in the spirit world, this would even be much easier than on earth, for such low spirits are not only blind, but also deaf. Be assured, the two of us will catch all this storm-vermin in a sack and then we can do with them whatever we please. Watch now what is going to happen!'
24
I am very glad to see that the two wise men are already on the best of terms with the old man and his daughter. But how the two are going to face the fast approaching, raging storm, and even catch it in a sack - that to witness will really be worthwhile!
25
But now the old people, who are still out on the water, are quite enveloped in the storm clouds, and are screaming for help. But no help is coming, except that the force of the storm is pushing them towards the shore, just like a strong wind might carry with it articles scattered on a sheet of ice.
26
Now the old people have reached the shore and the storm is lashing out against the two messengers with countless flashes of lightning. They, however, are holding a big sack open, and one of them says to the storm: 'Listen, you savage monster, either you get into this sack or you will be condemned to hell. You may choose.'
27
There is a mighty thunder-clap, countless flashes of lightning are shooting in all directions from the constantly shrinking mass of storm clouds, and from the center of the cloud formation a horrible monster is poking its ugly head out with yawning jaws, as if ready to swallow the whole earth.
28
It is a terrible sight, but our two messengers do not seem to be frightened at all, and one of them repeats: 'Sack - or hell!'
29
Ah, look, the huge mass of clouds, including the monstrous head, is shrinking into a small coil, about the size of a barrel. It is now rolling towards the opening of the sack, and into it!
30
This does seem funny. The whole storm is in a sack! It is almost like watching a fairy tale from A Thousand and One Nights. I wonder what will happen next?
31
The storm is contained in the sack so calmly, almost as if it had never stirred at all. What a burlesque picture! A whole raging storm, with all its terrors, in a sack! Brother, if this too has a wise and deep significance, I'll eat my hat!"
32
(Borem): "But it has a most wise significance! Have you never heard of true penitents in sackcloth and ashes?
33
In view of their utter wickedness, these storm-heroines have been given their judgment by the messengers: They can choose between penitence, that is, entering the sack of their own free will, or being banned by the might of God to the first degree hell, which consists in utter humiliation and abasement of the soul.
34
The first, a freely chosen judgment, may mean life for a soul if pursued with determination unimpeded by false self-respect. The condemnation to hell, however, may mean death for the soul, as this is a judgment passed in case the soul is not prepared to humble itself. But it must be humiliated or other souls might be harmed considerably through the uncontrolled arrogance of one single soul. Whether or how such souls that have been condemned to hell can still attain life and how they are guided from thereon, only the Lord knows, and he to whom the Lord may reveal it in all secrecy.
35
Do you now understand the wise significance of the sack? To go into a sack means to imprison all one's lusts and desires, to rid oneself of them and go forth from the sack as a new creature, pleasing to God. Do you now understand this manifestation which appeared so foolish to you?"
36
(Bishop Martin): "Yes, brother, this is now quite clear to me and another thing too - that I am still a great ass! It is all so clear and logical and I, silly ass that I am, could laugh about this sublime manifestation! Dear brother, you must truly possess more than celestial patience that you do not put me in such a sack as well!"
37
(Borem): "Never mind! I can only repeat what I have told you before, that you are close to a great and magnificent goal. Keep cultivating your heart with diligence and watch everything attentively, and you will soon see how close your own redemption is."