LV. De poenitenlia inanis gloriae.

LV. De poenitenlia inanis gloriae.

I saw and understood these things. And again I heard a voice speaking to me from the living light, saying: "What you see is true, and as you see it, so it is." But people who prioritize empty glory for themselves, striving to overcome it and wishing to escape the torment of the same vice, afflict themselves with fasting and beatings, offer many prayers to God, and flee from that very vice with their own efforts. On the vanity of glory. The vain person looks to worldly glory, considering what irrational things they might do to achieve it, and desires to have their own will everywhere, adorning themselves above all others, seeking to be honored and praised more than anyone else. So when he adorns himself, he doesn't fear God, and when he seeks to be honored, he doesn't love Him; and when he strives to be praised, he abandons the justice of God. They don't offer service to God because they seek only the pleasure of their own will; they don't care for Him, nor do they follow His commandments. Therefore, those who follow their own desires consider whatever they learn and whatever they plan to be the best for themselves, because they do not seek the service of God, nor do they love the Son of God; instead, they lead holy and just things to the mockery of their own pleasure. But those who desire to serve God faithfully should cast aside this emptiness and hold firmly to the care of their contrition. These things have been said about the souls of the penitent, to be purified and saved, and they are faithful, and let the faithful attend to them, and let them be composed in the memory of good knowledge. I also saw spirits of the same multitude, whom I heard crying out like this: "God alone should not be God, but there should be another besides Him, who is all-powerful." They urge each other toward disobedience and show resistance to their leaders.