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Sermon 106

Pfeiffer Sermon 106Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)
English Translation

Zem êrsten sint hie ze merken diu wort, diu geschrieben stênt Lucæ primo: ‘in der zît wart gesant der engel Gabriel von gote zuo Mariâ der juncfrouwen’ etc. Von der botschaft verkündunge hât got durch Jeremias den wissagen gesprochen ‘nemet war, die tage sint komen, daz ich den sâmen Dâvides wil erkücken unde diu fruht sol wîse sîn unde sol urteil vinden unde sol gerehtikeit ûf erden machen.’ Ouch sprichet Isaias ‘an mîme geiste gewan nie kein geist stat und ich gewan nie keines geistes stat.’ Von den worten wil ich drîerleie sinne sagen. Des êrsten von der einikeit, diu dem worte von rehte zuo gehoeret, des andern mâles, diu im von gnâden zuo gehoeret, unde zem dritten mâle von minne.

Dar umbe vrâget der meister Linconiensis, waz eins ieglîchen dinges reht sî, unde sprichet, daz eins ieglîchen dinges reht ist, daz in im selber vernünftic ist, daz ez sich frîlîche gebe nâch aller sîner edelkeit, unde gehoeret wol zuo der hôchzît unser frouwen, der man hiute gedêhtnis hât, diu dâ ist ein stat der einikeit, von der ich oben gerett hân. Wan der herre Jêsus Kristus hât sich alse hiute vereinet mit der menscheit, die er an sich hât genomen ûz dem aller reinesten bluote Marîen unde hât sich ir unbetwungen nâch aller frîheit geben. — Zem andern mâle hât er sich ir von gnâden vereinet, in der si einen willen der stêtikeit genomen hât, der sich niemer ze keinem gebresten geben mohte. — Zem dritten mâle hât er sich zuo ir vereinet mit der minne, in der ir niemer kein tugent mohte abe gên.

First we should observe here the words that are written in the first chapter of Luke: “At that time the angel Gabriel was sent by God to Mary the Virgin,” etc. Concerning the announcement of this message God spoke through Jeremiah the prophet: “Behold, the days are coming when I shall raise up the seed of David, and the fruit shall be wise and shall find judgment and establish righteousness upon earth.” Isaiah also says: “No spirit ever found a place in my spirit, and I never found a place in any spirit.” Concerning these words I wish to speak of three meanings. Firstly, of the unity that belongs to the Word by right; secondly, of the unity that belongs to it by grace; and thirdly, of love.

Therefore Master Lincolniensis asks what the right of each thing is, and says that the right of each thing that is intellectual in itself is that it should freely give itself according to all its nobility. This applies well to the feast of our Lady that we commemorate today, which is a place of the unity of which I spoke above. For on this day the Lord Jesus Christ united himself with the humanity that he took upon himself from the most pure blood of Mary, and gave himself to her freely and without constraint. Secondly, he united himself with her by grace, in which she received a steadfast will that could never give itself over to any defect. Thirdly, he united himself with her through love, in which no virtue could ever be lacking in her.

Über daz vrâget Origenes unde sprichet: waz frumes ist Marîen dâ von komen, daz si Kristum lîplich getragen hât? Zuo dem sprich ich mit im, daz Mariâ drîerleie nutze dâ von enpfangen hât. Der êrste was ein ganzîu hoffenunge ze erfüllen allen willen gotes, unde daz hât si selber an den worten beziuget, diu si zuo dem engel sprach ‘nim war, ich bin ein dierne des herren, geschehe mir nâch dîme worte.’ Der ander ir nutz ist gewesen, daz si dar umbe ist erhaben worden über alle crêatûre, an dem, daz si ist erwelt worden ein muoter der menscheit Kristî. Ir dritter nutz ist an dem gewesen, daz si Kristum geborn hât, von dem si enpfangen hât den lôn der muoter unde den lôn der juncfrouwe.

Diu ander vereinunge, die Mariâ von gnâden enpfangen hât, ist, als Hugo sprichet: waz ist gotes reht? in gnâden ze geben. Über daz sprechent die lêrer, daz Mariâ driu dinc in der gnâden einunge enpfangen habe. Des êrsten hât si enpfangen eine volkomene diemüetikeit, als si selber gesprochen hât ‘er hât angesehen sîner diernen diemüetikeit.’ Von der sprichet Gilbertus: daz ist eins diemüetigen menschen reht, daz er sich selber alsô überwunden habe, daz ime kein tugent in aller wîse unde gestalt niht swêre sî, in der diu nâtûre möhte ein verdriezen haben. Wan swer gote alsô stat in sîme herzen gêbe mit allen tugenden, in dem tête got alsô würken, daz er ledic unde lôz aller bildnisse würde. Wan in solher mâze was Mariâ alsô ledic, daz got alwege volle stat in ir ze würken hete nâch allem sînem willen. Daz ander, daz Mariâ in vereinunge der gnâden enpfangen hât, ist, als Damascênus sprichet: Mariâ hât allewege einen sundern zuoganc ze gote gehabt, in deme si alle zît niuwe wârheit empfienc, die si ûz minne âne mitel in uns giezende ist. Daz dritte, daz Mariâ genomen hât in der vereinunge der gnâden, ist ein erhebeta begirde ze gote, in der er ir alle zît genuoc ist nâch allem ir willen.

Concerning this Origen asks: what benefit came to Mary from having borne Christ bodily? To this I say with him that Mary received three benefits from it. The first was a complete hope of fulfilling the whole will of God, and she herself testified to this in the words she spoke to the angel: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Her second benefit was that through this she was raised above all creatures, in that she was chosen to be the mother of Christ’s humanity. Her third benefit was that she gave birth to Christ, from whom she received the reward of the mother and the reward of the virgin.

The second union that Mary received by grace is this, as Hugh says: what is God’s right? To give in grace. Concerning this the teachers say that Mary received three things in the union of grace. Firstly, she received perfect humility, as she herself said: “He has regarded the humility of his handmaid.” Of this Gilbert says: the right of a humble person is that he has so overcome himself that no virtue is difficult for him in any way or form in which nature might feel aversion. For whoever gave God such a place in his heart with all the virtues, in him God would work in such a way that he became free and empty of all images. Mary was free in this measure, so that God always had full room in her to work according to all his will. The second thing that Mary received in the union of grace is, as Damascene says, that Mary always had a special access to God, in which she continually received new truth, which out of love she pours into us without means. The third thing that Mary received in the union of grace is an uplifted desire toward God, in which he is at all times sufficient for her according to all her will.

Diu dritte vereinunge, die Mariâ von genâden enpfangen hât, ist diu hœhste tugent der minne, in der si ze gote ist vereinet worden unde got zuo ir. Unde dâ bî sol man verstên, wie sich ein ieglîcher geist an gote hœhen sülle, daz er mit gote ein geist werde, nâch dem als sant Paulus sprichet ‘die gote anhangent die werdent ein geist mit gote.’ Ez ist der menschen gewonheit, daz in wênic smecket, swaz sie mit lîplichen sinnen niht begrîfen mügent. Dannoch sol man wizzen, daz diu wârheit sô lûter in ir selber ist, daz si niht alwege mit lîplichen bilden ze verstên ist, sunder si ist eteswenne ein wec, dâ von ime der mensche selber ein verstên machen mac. Als ich iezuo hie stên unde rede, und ob ich nû ze etewaz lust gewünne unde gêbe dem eine stat in mîme herzen, alsô daz ich niht enbern wolte ze wizzen, war umbe ez mir sô lustic wêre, sô formierte ich mir selber eine sache ûz andern lustigen dingen, dâ von mir daz selbe bilde ein vorspil wurde in mîner vernunft. Alsô ist ez ouch umbe die einikeit der minne. Dô Mariâ den lust verstuont, den si von der einikeit haben solte, dâ mite sich Kristus lîplîche in si vereinte unde mensche von ir wolte geborn werden, unde solte dannoch juncfrouwe belîben, unde diu verstendikeit was ir niht nâtürlich, sunder ein gâbe der genâden, wan in der minne der erkantnüsse gie si in sich unde von ir ze gote unde wart in der selben minne alsô erlustet und empfienc sô grôze süezikeit, als die lêrer gemeinlîche sprechent, daz si âne smerzen unde wê irn sun gebar aller dinge, diu wîplîcher persône in ir geberunge gemeinlîche zuostênt. Si wart ouch dar nâch alsô erlustet, ob si alliu gegenwürtigiu lîden gehabt hête, daz wêre ir alsô süeze ze tragenne gewesen, wan daz fiur der minne was alsô in ir enzunt, daz si in lîden kein verdriezen hête. Unt dar umbe list man niendert, daz si got habe gebeten, daz er si lîdens überhebet hête.

Zem andern mâle sol man diu wort des engels merken, die er zuo Marîen der juncfrouwen sprach ‘gegrüezet sîst dû voller genâden.’ Über diu wort wil ich einen sin sagen zem lobe der juncfrouwe Mariâ unde spriche, daz ir grœstiu êre, die si ûf erden gehabt hât, ist gewesen, daz ir wille dem willen gotes alwege vereinet was, unde daz selbe hete si lieb âne aller crêatûre helfe. Wan hête si in ir selber als umb einen ougenblik mê lustes gehabt von dem daz si Kristum nâch sîner menscheit gebar, denne in dem daz si in erkante nâch sîner gotheit, sô wêre ir kiuscheit îtel gewesen. Und umbe daz ist ein vrâge under den lêrern: ob Mariâ diu juncfrouwe von dem sêliger sî, daz si got in ir habe geistlîche geborn, dan Kristum nâch sîner menscheit. Über daz sprechen wir alle, daz ir diu geistlîche geburt habe mê sêlikeit brâht dan diu menschlîche geburt Kristî, diu in dem werke des heiligen geistes geschach. Wan an der selben geburt hete Mariâ niht mêr wan als vil si von gnâden der minne empfienc. Unde bî des engels gruoze sol man verstên die ledikeit irs geistes, wan Mariâ was als ledic von aller sorgveltikeit, daz si von der zît und si von gote berüeret wart ime ze volgenne, in sich selber nie gekêret wart an götliche gegenwürtikeit. Hie möhte eteswer vrâgen, wie daz sî, daz diu persône des suns ist gesant worden menschlîche nâtûre an sich ze nemenne ûz Mariâ der juncfrouwen und ist dannoch ûz der înfliezunge des vater schôze, diu der trôn gotes ist, enie gescheiden worden? Über daz sol man wizzen, dô der sun gotes menschlîche nâtûre an sich nam, in dem selben puncte gebar der vater sînen sun, der in dem vater aller dinge ein bildnisse was und ein einikeit irs wesens. Sô nam der sun nâch sîner persône an sich menschlîche nâtûre unde behielt dannoch die götliche nâtûre gemeine mit dem vater unde mit dem heiligen geiste, von den er einen ougenblik nie gescheiden wart. Wan ê Mariâ diu juncfrouwe ein muoter gotes wart nâch der menscheit, dô was si gotes muoter an der gotheit. Unde von der gebürte, daz si in gebar in der gotheit, dâ wider bilte sich diu geburt gotes in ir in der gotheit, daz er von ir mensche geborn wart.

The third union that Mary received by grace is the highest virtue of love, in which she was united with God and God with her. From this one should understand how every spirit should raise itself in God so that it may become one spirit with God, as Saint Paul says: “Those who cleave to God become one spirit with God.” It is customary for people to have little taste for whatever they cannot grasp with the bodily senses. Yet one should know that truth is so pure in itself that it is not always to be understood through bodily images, but sometimes it is a way by which a person can form an understanding for himself. As I now stand here and speak, if I were to take delight in something and give it a place in my heart, so that I did not wish to remain without knowing why it was so delightful to me, I would form for myself a cause from other delightful things, from which that same image would become a prefiguration in my intellect. So it is also with the unity of love. When Mary understood the delight that she was to have from the union by which Christ would unite himself bodily with her and would be born as man from her while she nevertheless remained a virgin, and this intellect was not natural to her but a gift of grace, then in the love of this knowledge she went into herself and from herself to God, and in that same love she became so delighted and received such great sweetness, as the teachers commonly say, that she gave birth to her Son without the pain and suffering that commonly belong to women in childbirth. Afterward she was also so filled with delight that, even if she had had all present sufferings, they would have been sweet for her to bear, for the fire of love was so kindled in her that she felt no aversion in suffering. Therefore we nowhere read that she asked God to relieve her of suffering.

Secondly, we should observe the words of the angel that he spoke to Mary the Virgin: “Hail, full of grace.” Concerning these words I wish to give one meaning in praise of the Virgin Mary, and I say that the greatest honor she had upon earth was that her will was always united with the will of God, and she loved this without the help of any creature. For if she had had in herself, even for a single instant, more delight in having borne Christ according to his humanity than in knowing him according to his Godhead, then her chastity would have been in vain. Therefore there is a question among the teachers whether Mary the Virgin was more blessed because she spiritually gave birth to God within herself than because she gave birth to Christ according to his humanity. Concerning this we all say that the spiritual birth brought her greater blessedness than the human birth of Christ, which took place through the working of the Holy Spirit. For in that birth Mary had no more than insofar as she received the grace of love. And in the angel’s greeting one should understand the freedom of her spirit, for Mary was so free from all care that from the time when she was touched by God to follow him, she never turned back toward herself from the divine presence. Here someone might ask how it is that the person of the Son was sent to assume human nature from Mary the Virgin and yet was never separated from the inflowing of the Father’s bosom, which is the throne of God. Concerning this one should know that when the Son of God assumed human nature, in that same instant the Father begot his Son, who in the Father was the image of all things and the unity of their being. Thus the Son, according to his person, assumed human nature and nevertheless retained the divine nature in common with the Father and the Holy Spirit, from whom he was never separated for a single instant. For before Mary the Virgin became the Mother of God according to his humanity, she was the Mother of God in the Godhead. And from the birth in which she bore him in the Godhead, the birth of God was reflected again in her in the Godhead, so that he was born from her as man.

Für baz ist ze wizzen, daz daz wort âvê bediutet stêtikeit, unde stêtikeit bediutet einen man. Der ist ein man, der in sînem muote niht gewandelt noch beweget wirt. Dar umbe, swenne ein wîp in ir muote niht gewandelt würde, sô wêre si ein man unde niht ein wîp. Die beide hâte Mariâ. Si was ein wîp nâch dem nidersten teil irs ûzern menschen und ist got in got mit got nâch dem obersten teil irs geistes. Und in dem sinne mügent alle menschen Mariâ sîn alsô, daz daz wort âvê zuo uns allen in der wârheit mac gesprochen werden. Âvê bediutet einen menschen, der in dem anvange gote dienen wil, daz ist: sô einen solhen aller armuot lustet unde daz im alliu betrüebnisse smecket unde fröude in allem lîden hât durch daz menschlîche bilde Jêsû Kristî unde gotes in sînem herzen niemer âne ist von der zît und er sînen willen zuo im gekêret hât. Ouch bediutet âvê wê in eime zuonemenden menschen, den lustet in dem im lîden niht lîden ist, alsô daz sîn wille niemer begert, daz im got lîden beneme. Ouch bediutet Âvê ein süezikeit, in der sich ein mensche von minne wegen sînem nêhsten undertân machet von der zît und er gotes in sînem herzen enpfunden hât unde hât in in keiner andern glîchnisse gegenwürtigen denne in der gelîchnüsse Jêsû Kristî. Âvê bediutet ouch einen menschen, der keinen andern schiuhet, der in umbe sînen gebresten strâfet. Eime zuonemenden menschen gehoeret ouch zuo, daz er keinen minnern ernst des enpfinden gotes gewinne denne er hâte, dô er gote von êrste anhuop ze dienen; wan ob ein solher über ein jâr oder zwei niht grœzern ernst des enpfinden gotes hête denne dô er anhuop gote ze dienen, sô hât er niht zuo genomen. Wan sant Augustînus sprichet: alle gedanke unde wort, diu ich rede, diu mir noch mîme nêhsten ze der êwigen sêlikeit niht nütze sint, diu wîsent mich an den wec der helle. Dar umbe ist der ein wârhafter zuonemer, der von gote niemer suochet noch begert, daz er ime lîden abeneme noch im keine crêatûre zuofüege, diu in troste. Er sol ouch mit der minne alsô durchgozzen sîn unde sîn selbes alsô ledic, ob er in wârheit weste, daz er des lîdens, daz in betrüebet, einen ougenblik niht solte âne sîn, daz er niemer deste minner ze keiner tugent verdrozener noch unwilliger sîn wolte.

Unde zuo einem solhen wirt billiche gesprochen: âvê, der den fride in gnâden der minne in ime besezzen hât. Der hât den fride in ime selber, des herze aller sorgen in der zît hie ledic stêt. Er ist wol âvê, den got alsô gefrîdet hât, daz in kein crêatûre mac hindern unde sîn selbes alsô ledic ist, daz er weder mit willen noch mit lust noch mit vernunft kein bilde noch gelîchnüsse besitzet dan daz bilde Jêsû Kristî, dem er in der wârheit dienet, unde dem lîden kein lîden ist. Dar umbe ist daz hôhe wort âvê in der zît geredet durch eine crêatûre, diu wesen hât in der obern zît, und ist zuo einer crêatûre geredet worden in der zît und ist erfüllet worden in der crêatûre, daz ist in der juncfrouwen Mariâ, in der alle tugende sint vollebrâht worden zuo unserm nutze. Wan der almehtig got, des gerihte unervarlich sint, der hât in manigerleie wîse sîne güete an uns erzeiget, und über daz, alsô was im mit grôzem gevallen ze muote, daz er wolte beschaffen die edeln crêatûre ob allen lûtern unde vernünftigen crêatûren, die sêligen juncfrouwe Mariâ, ûf daz sîn einiger mitewiger sun Kristus unser menschlîche nâtûre ûz ir an sich nême alsô, daz er weselîch ein gemeiner sun gotes des vaters wêre unde Marîen der juncfrouwen.

Further, one should know that the word Ave signifies steadfastness, and steadfastness signifies a man. He is a man who is neither changed nor moved in his mind. Therefore, if a woman were not changed or moved in her mind, she would be a man and not a woman. Mary had both. She was a woman according to the lowest part of her outer man, and according to the highest part of her spirit she is God in God with God. And in this sense all people can be Mary, so that the word Ave may truly be spoken to us all. Ave signifies a person who wishes to begin serving God, that is, one who delights in complete poverty, to whom every tribulation tastes sweet and who has joy in all suffering for the sake of the human image of Jesus Christ, and who is never without God in his heart from the time when he has turned his will toward him. Ave also signifies woe in a person who is advancing, who delights in this, that suffering is not suffering to him, so that his will never desires that God should take suffering away from him. Ave also signifies a sweetness in which, for the sake of love, a person makes himself subject to his neighbor from the time when he has experienced God in his heart and has him present in no other likeness than in the likeness of Jesus Christ. Ave also signifies a person who does not shun another who reproves him for his faults. It also belongs to an advancing person that he should have no less earnestness in experiencing God than he had when he first began to serve God; for if after one or two years such a person had no greater earnestness in experiencing God than when he began to serve him, then he has not advanced. For Saint Augustine says: all thoughts and words that I speak that are of no use either to me or to my neighbor for eternal blessedness point me toward the road to hell. Therefore he is a true person of progress who never seeks or desires from God that he take suffering away from him or give him any creature to comfort him. He should also be so permeated with love and so free of himself that, if he knew in truth that he would not be without the suffering that troubles him for a single instant, he would never on that account become more reluctant or unwilling toward any virtue.

And to such a person it is rightly said: Ave, to one who possesses within himself peace in the grace of love. He has peace within himself whose heart stands free of every care in time. He is truly Ave whom God has so brought to peace that no creature can hinder him, and who is so free of himself that neither in will nor delight nor intellect does he possess any image or likeness except the image of Jesus Christ, whom he serves in truth, and to whom suffering is no suffering. Therefore the lofty word Ave was spoken in time through a creature whose being is in the higher time, and it was spoken to a creature in time and was fulfilled in a creature, namely in the Virgin Mary, in whom all virtues were brought to completion for our benefit. For almighty God, whose judgments are unfathomable, has shown his goodness to us in many ways; and beyond this, it greatly pleased him that he wished to create the noble creature above all pure and intellectual creatures, the blessed Virgin Mary, so that his only, coeternal Son Christ might assume our human nature from her in such a way that he would essentially be the common Son of God the Father and of Mary the Virgin.

Dar umbe süllen wir got loben und ime danken umbe alle guottête, die er uns getân hât, unde sunder umbe die edeln unde richen gâbe, die er uns an Marîen der juncfrouwen geben hât. Wan allez guot, daz uns daz veterlîche herze gegeben hât, daz ist allez durch ir hende und ûz ir juncfröuwelîchem lîchamen geflozzen in dem âvê, daz si alse hiute enpfangen hât, daz ist Jêsum Kristum unsern herren, der mit got dem vater unde mit dem heiligen geiste hêrschet unde lebet êweclîche. Âmen.

Therefore we should praise God and thank him for all the benefits he has bestowed upon us, and especially for the noble and rich gift that he has given us in Mary the Virgin. For all the good that the Father’s heart has given us has flowed through her hands and from her virginal body in the Ave that she received on this day, namely Jesus Christ our Lord, who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit reigns and lives eternally. Amen.