Humanity is now living in catastrophic times. Unless it adopts the new spirituality mentioned here, these times will return in ever shorter cycles. The resources which mankind possessed before this catastrophe, will not be enough to remedy its tragic consequences. […] These catastrophic times will last until – though they would apparently be overcome during the coming years – humanity is able to interpret them in the only right way, namely that it is a sign for people to turn to the spirit that must permeate the purely physical life. That will be another bitter truth for many, because it’s an inconvenient truth, but a truth nonetheless.
Source (German): Rudolf Steiner – GA 182 – Der Tod als Lebenswandlung – Ulm, April 30, 1918 (page 84)
Anonymous translator
The great Rudolf Steiner Quotes Site 