Sermon 26 — For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God

Pfeiffer Sermon 26Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Aemulor enim vos dei aemulatione etc. (2. Cor. XI, 2.).

In dem namen unsers herren. Man liset an der juncfrouwen tage, sô sie hôchzît hânt, daz sanctus Paulus sprichet 'ich hân iuch gelobet unde getrûwet einem manne, Kristus, der dâ niuwer grüenende ist.' Die meister vrâgent, obe der sun geborn sî? Man sprichet: nein! Die meister vrâgent, obe der sun geborn sulle werden? Man sprichet: nein! Den meistern wirt geantwürtet: der sun ist geborn vollekommenlîchen unde wirt geborn vollekommenlîchen niuwer grüenende âne underlâz. Sanctus Paulus sprichet 'Kristus ist gotlîchiu maht unde gotlîchiu wîsheit: in dirre maht hât got alliu dinc geschaffen.' Disiu maht ist sîn wîsheit unde sîn wîsheit ist dâ sîn maht. Kristus der ist ein man, der alle zît niuwer grüenende ist.

Nû sprichet sanctus Paulus 'disem manne hân ich iuch gelobet unde getrûwet.' Want ze glîcher wîse als ein ê ist ân entwesen zwischen frouwen unde man, alsô sol ein ê sîn zwischen iuweren sêlen unde gote. Dar umbe gibet man eine juncfrouwen einem manne, durch die wartunge der gebürte. Dar umbe hât got dise sêle geschaffen, daz er sînen eingebornen sun in sî gebêre. Dô disiu geburt geschach in Marîen geistlich, daz was gote lustlîcher denne sô er lîplîchen von ir geborn wart. Dâ disiu geburt geschiht noch hiut dis tages in einer got minnender sêle, daz ist gote lustlîcher, denne dâ er himel und erde geschuof.

Aemulor enim vos dei aemulatione etc. (2. Cor. XI, 2.).

“For I am jealous over you with the jealousy of God,” etc. (2 Cor. 11:2). In the name of our Lord. One reads on the feast days of virgins, when they celebrate their feast, that Saint Paul says: “I have pledged and betrothed you to one man, Christ, who is ever newly flourishing.” The masters ask whether the Son has been born. The answer is: No! The masters ask whether the Son is yet to be born. The answer is: No! The masters are given this reply: the Son has been born perfectly and is born perfectly, ever newly flourishing without ceasing. Saint Paul says: “Christ is divine power and divine wisdom: in this power God has created all things.” This power is His wisdom, and His wisdom is His power. Christ is a man who is at all times newly flourishing.

Now Saint Paul says: “To this man I have pledged and betrothed you.” For just as a marriage has its being between woman and man, so there should be a marriage between your souls and God. Therefore a virgin is given to a man in expectation of birth. For this reason God has created the soul, so that He may beget His only-begotten Son in her. When this birth occurred spiritually in Mary, it was more pleasing to God than when He was born bodily from her. When this birth takes place even today in a soul that loves God, that is more pleasing to God than when He created heaven and earth.

Die meister sprechent, daz diu sêle ist wîter denne der himel. Sanctus Johannes sprichet 'der jene, der dâ saz ûf dem trône, der sprach: ich mache elliu dinc niuwe.' Augustînus sprichet: gotes sprechen daz ist sîn gebern unde sîn gebern ist sîn sprechen. Got gesprach nie kein wort mê dan einz unde daz ist ime sô lustlîch, daz er niemer kein ander gesprechen wil. Unde lieze got diz wortsprechen abe als lange als ein ougenblic, himel und erde müeste vergên. Augustînus sprichet: als ein ê ist von entwesen zwischen vrouwen unde man, alsô ist ein ê an der sêle. Diu obriste kraft der sêle, diu allezân kriegende ist ûf in got, daz ist der man. Diu nideriste kraft, der dâ lidelich ist ze wandeln in lîplîchen dingen, daz ist diu vrouwe. Diu oberste kraft, der man, sol allezân blôz stân. Aber diu niderste kraft, diu vrouwe, sol allezân verteket stân, alsô daz diu niderste kraft sî gezogen in die oberste. Diu natûre hât daz an ir, daz si alle zît würkende ist. Alle zît wolte si dem vater glîch gebern, unde würde diu natûre niht gehindert, alle zît würde ein sun geborn, als der himelische vater. Nû tuot ez got durch sîne vrîgen güete unde hindert die natûre. Dâ von wirt ein vrouwelîn geborn, unde wêre noch zît noch stat noch materie, der mensche verniuwete sich selber, als der sun den vater, in alle wîs.

Got der sprach 'ich hân alliu dinc berhaftic gemachet.' War umbe wære ich dan selber niht berhaftic? Got gebirt von êrste sîn gelîchnüsse in einer got minnender sêle, dar nâch sich selber. Gêbe sich got der sêle zîtlîch, ez verdrüzze sî. Nû gibet er sich ir in êwikeit in eime niuwen nû niuwe grüenende sunder underlâz. Si ist sô fürwitzic, daz si niemer geruowen wil, si enkome in den ursprinc. Diz bewîsete sich wol an Philippô, dô er sprach 'zeige uns dînen vater, sô genüeget uns.' Ze glîcher wîse als der êwige gotes sun quillet ûz dem veterlîchen herzen, alsô quillet er in einer got minnender sêle. Lîplîchiu dinc diu sint ûzwürkende, geistlîchiu dinc sint înwürkende. In der sêle, dâ disiu geburt eines geschihet, diu wirt nâ in got gefüeget; dâ si aber zwirunt geschiht, diu wirt noch nâchener in got gefüeget. Ie dicker geburt, ie inniger in got unde ie nâher in daz veterlîche herze gefüeget. Disiu geburt muoz geschehen oben hie unde nû. Hie, daz ist stat, nû, daz ist zît. Si muoz geschehen in êwikeit. Daz wir alsus in ime geborn werden, daz er sich selber in uns gebêre, des helfe uns der vater unde der sun unde der heilig geist. Âmen.

The masters say that the soul is wider than heaven. Saint John says: “The one who sat upon the throne said, 'I make all things new.'” Augustine says that God's speaking is His begetting, and His begetting is His speaking. God has never spoken more than one Word, and it is so delightful to Him that He never wishes to speak another. If God ceased to speak this Word for as long as a moment, heaven and earth would have to pass away. Augustine says: just as marriage has its being between woman and man, so there is a marriage in the soul. The highest power of the soul, which is always striving upward into God, is the man. The lowest power, which is disposed to move among bodily things, is the woman. The highest power, the man, must always stand bare. But the lowest power, the woman, must always stand covered, so that the lowest power may be drawn into the highest. Nature has this property, that she is always working. She would always give birth like the Father; and if nature were not hindered, a son would always be born, as with the heavenly Father. But God acts out of His free goodness and restrains nature. Hence a little woman is born; and were there neither time nor place nor matter, a human being would renew himself, as the Son [renews] the Father, in every mode.

God said: “I have made all things enduring.” Why, then, should I myself not be enduring? God first begets His likeness in a soul that loves God, and afterward Himself. If God gave Himself to the soul in time, she would grow weary of Him. Now He gives Himself to her in eternity, in a new now, newly flourishing without ceasing. She is so eager that she will never rest unless she reaches the origin. This was clearly shown in Philip when he said: “Show us Your Father, and that is enough for us.” Just as God's eternal Son wells forth from the Father's heart, so He wells forth in a soul that loves God. Bodily things work outwardly, whereas spiritual things work inwardly. In the soul, where this birth occurs once, she is brought close to God; but where it occurs twice, she is brought still closer to God. The more often the birth takes place, the more inwardly she is joined to God and the nearer she is brought to the Father's heart. This birth must happen above the here and now. “Here” means place, and “now” means time. It must take place in eternity. May the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit help us, so that we may be born in Him in this way and He may beget Himself in us. Amen.