Sermon 28 — The angel Gabriel was sent

Pfeiffer Sermon 28Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Missus est Gabriel angelus etc. (Luc. I, 26.).

Ez schrîbet sanctus Lucas in dem êwangelio ‘ein engel wart gesant von gote in ein lant, hiez Galylêâ, in ein stat, hiez Nazareth, zuo einer juncvrouwen, hiez Mariâ, diu was von dem ingesinde Dâvides.’ Bêdâ, ein meister, sprichet: diz was ein begin unsers heiles. Ich hân etwenne gesprochen unde sprich ez noch: allez daz unser herre ie getet, daz tet er niwan umbe diu, daz got mit uns sî und wir ein mit ime werden, und dar umbe ist got mensche worden. Die meister sprechent, daz got ê was geborn in unser vrouwen geistlichen ê er lîplich von ir geborn würde, unde von der überflüzzikeit der gebürte, dô der himelsche vater gebar sînen eingebornen sun in der sêle, dannen abe enpfienc daz êwige wort menschlîche nâtûre in ir unde si wart lîplich berhaftic.

Nû sprichet er ‘ein engel wart gesant von gote.’ Ez versmâhte der sêle zenpfâhende des engels lieht, ez würde ir denne von gote gesant, unde dâ enklebt inne daz götliche lieht verborgen, daz ir smachaftic mahte des engels lieht, anders si enwolde sîn niht.

Missus est Gabriel angelus etc. (Luc. I, 26.).

Gabriel the angel was sent, etc. (Luke 1:26). Saint Luke writes in the Gospel: ‘An angel was sent by God into a land called Galilee, into a city called Nazareth, to a virgin called Mary, who was of the household of David.’ Bede, a master, says that this was the beginning of our salvation. I have said before, and I say it still: everything our Lord ever did, he did for no other reason than that God might be with us and we might become one with him; and for this reason God became human. The masters say that God had already been born spiritually in Our Lady before he was born bodily of her; and from the overflowing abundance of that birth, when the heavenly Father begot his only-begotten Son in the soul, the eternal Word received human nature in her, and she became pregnant in the body.

Now he says, ‘An angel was sent by God.’ It would have been beneath the soul to receive the angel's light unless it were sent to her by God and the divine light were hidden within it, making the angel's light pleasing to her; otherwise she would not have desired it.

Nû sprichet er ‘ein engel.’ Waz ist ein engel? Ez sprechent drîe meister drîgerleie rede, waz ein engel sî. Dionysius sprichet: ein engel ist ein spiegel âne flecken, geliutert ûf daz hœhste, der in sich enpfâhet den widerslac götliches liehtes. Augustînus sprichet: der engel ist nâhen bî gote unde diu materie ist nâhen bî ime. Johannes Damascênus sprichet: ein engel ist ein bilde gotes und ist durchbrehende allez, daz sîn ist, mit dem bilde gotes. Diu sêle hât daz bilde an irm obersten zwîge, dâ götlich lieht âne underlâz an liuhtet. Daz ist daz êrste stüke, daz er sprichet, waz ein engel sî. Dar nâch sprichet er, daz er sî ein durchsnidendiu scherpfe, influiric von götlicher begirde, unde sprichet, daz der engel ist vrî, daz er vrî ist der materien.

Nû sprichet er ‘ein engel wart gesant von gote.’ War zuo? Dionysius sprichet, daz der engel habe drîgerleige werc. Daz êrste: er veget, daz ander: er liuhtet, daz dritte: er vollebringet. Er veget die sêle von den flecken, daz ist, er veget sî von materie unde sament sî zuo ir selber unde veget sî von unwassenheit, als ouch ein engel den andern tuot. Zem andern mâle: er erliuhtet sî in zweigerhande wîse. Götlich lieht daz ist sô überswenkic, daz ez diu sêle niht gelîden mac, ez enwerde getempert in des engels liehte und alsô getragen in die sêle. Dar nâch erliuhtet er sî mit glîchnüsse. Der engel lât sîn verstentnisse an die sêle unde kreftiget sî, daz si lîden mac götlich lieht.

Now he says, ‘An angel.’ What is an angel? Three masters give three different accounts of what an angel is. Dionysius says that an angel is a mirror without blemish, purified to the highest degree, which receives within itself the reflection of divine light. Augustine says that the angel is near God and matter is near the angel. John of Damascus says that an angel is an image of God and pierces through all that belongs to it with God's image. The soul has that image in her highest branch, where divine light shines upon it without ceasing. This is the first point he makes concerning what an angel is. He then says that an angel is a cutting sharpness, infused with divine longing, and says that the angel is free, being free from matter.

Now he says, ‘An angel was sent by God.’ For what purpose? Dionysius says that the angel has three kinds of work. First, he cleanses; second, he illuminates; third, he brings to completion. He cleanses the soul of blemishes: that is, he cleanses her of matter, gathers her into herself and cleanses her of unbeing, as one angel also does for another. Secondly, he illuminates her in two modes. Divine light is so surpassing that the soul cannot endure it unless it is tempered in the angel's light and thus carried into the soul. Afterwards he illuminates her through likeness. The angel imparts his understanding to the soul and strengthens her so that she can endure divine light.

Wêre ich in einer wüestenunge aleine, dâ mich grûwelte, hiete ich dâ bî mir ein kint, sô vergienge mir der grûwel unde würde gekreftiget; sô edel unde sô lustic ist daz leben. Und möhte ich niht ein kint haben, hête ich ein tier, ich würde getrœstet. Dar umbe die in den swarzen buochen vil wunders wûrkent, die nement ein tier, einen hunt, unde daz leben an dem tiere sterket sie. Berlicheit sterket an allen dingen. Dar umbe leitet sî der engel an die sêle unde bereitet sî, daz si enpfâhen mac götlich lieht.

Nû sprichet er ‘ein engel wart gesant von gote.’ Diu sêle muoz gelîch sîn dem engel an disen stücken, diu ich gesprochen hân, sol ir der sun gesant werden und in ir geborn werden. Nû blîbet daz stücke underwegen, wie sî der engel vollebringet. Daz uns got sînen engel sende, des helfe uns got. Âmen.

If I were alone in a wilderness and overcome with dread, and I had a child with me, my dread would pass and I would be strengthened, so noble and so delightful is life. And if I could not have a child, but had an animal, I would be comforted. Therefore those who perform many wonders by means of the black books take an animal, a dog, and the life in the animal strengthens them. Vitality strengthens in all things. Therefore the angel conveys it to the soul and prepares her to receive divine light.

Now he says, ‘An angel was sent by God.’ The soul must be like the angel in the respects of which I have spoken if the Son is to be sent to her and born within her. The point of how the angel brings her to completion is still left aside. May God help us, that he may send us his angel. Amen.