821. All those of the Catholic religion, on realising that they are living after death, if in the former world they have thought more about God than the papacy, and have performed charitable deeds out of simplicity of heart, are easily led away from the superstitions of that religion, once they have been taught that here the Lord Himself, the Saviour of the world, is king. For these the passage from popery to Christianity is as easy as entering a church through an open door; or as passing through the attendants in the ante-chambers to enter the court at a king's command; or as easy as raising one's face and looking skyward, when voices are heard coming from there.
[2] On the other hand it is as difficult to lead away from the superstitions of that religion those who in the course of their lives in the world have rarely, if ever, thought about God and only been keen on their worship for its festivals, as it is to enter a church through a closed door, or to pass through the attendants in the ante-chambers and enter the court when the king forbids it; or as difficult as it is for a snake in the grass to lift its gaze to the sky. It is a remarkable fact that all of the Catholic religion on arriving in the spiritual world cannot see there the heaven where the angels are. There is a kind of dark cloud over them which blocks their view. However, as soon as someone is converted and joins the converted, heaven is opened, and sometimes they see angels there dressed in white; and when their period of preparation is over, they are taken up to them.
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