Sermon 30 — Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven

Pfeiffer Sermon 30Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Beatus es, Simon Bariona, quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed pater meus, qui in cœlis est (Matth. XVI, 17.).

Unser herre sprichet ‘Simôn Pêtrus, sêlic dû bist, daz enhât dir geoffent fleisch noch bluot, sunder der vater, der in dem himel ist?’ Sanctus Pêtrus hât vier namen: er heizet Pêtrus und heizet Simôn unde Cephas. Nû sprichet unser herre ‘sêlic dû bist.’ Alle liute begerent sêlikeit. Nû sprichet ein meister: alle liute begerent ze sînde. Nû sprach sant Augustînus: ein guot mensche begert keines lobes, ez begert wol lobes wert ze sînde. Nû sprechent unser meister: diu tugent ist alsô lûter und alsô gar abgezogen und abegescheiden von allen lîplichen dingen in irm grunde und in ir eigenschaft, daz nihtes niht in si gevallen mag, ez enbeflecke die tugent unde würke ein untugent. Ein einic gedanke oder iht eigens nutzes gesuochet, sô enist ez niht ein tugent, mêr: ez wirt ein untugent. Unt daz ist diu tugent von nâtûre.

Nû sprichet ein heidenischer meister: swer die tugent würket umbe iht anders dan umbe die tugent, sô enwart ez nie ein tugent. Suochet er lop oder iht anders, sô verkoufet er die tugent. Man sol ein tugent nâtûrlich niht geben umbe allez daz en ertrîche ist. Dar umbe begert ein guot mensche keines lobes: ez begert wol lobes wert ze sînde. Einem menschen sol niht leit sîn, daz man ime zürne, im sol leit sîn, daz ez den zorn verdienet.

Beatus es, Simon Bariona, quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed pater meus, qui in cœlis est (Matth. XVI, 17.).

Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 16:17). Our Lord says, “Simon Peter, blessed are you, for neither flesh nor blood has revealed this to you, but the Father who is in heaven.” Saint Peter has four names: he is called Peter, and he is called Simon and Cephas. Now our Lord says, “Blessed are you.” All people desire blessedness. A master says that all people desire to be. Saint Augustine said that a good person desires no praise, but does desire to be worthy of praise. Our masters say that virtue is so pure, and so completely withdrawn and detached from all bodily things in its ground and its own nature, that nothing whatsoever can enter into it without staining virtue and producing a vice. If even a single thought seeks some personal advantage, it is no longer a virtue; rather, it becomes a vice. Such is virtue by nature.

A pagan master says that whoever exercises virtue for the sake of anything other than virtue has never truly exercised virtue. If someone seeks praise or anything else, he sells virtue. By its very nature one ought not to give away a virtue for everything that exists on earth. Therefore a good person does not desire praise but desires to be worthy of praise. A person should not be distressed because someone is angry with him; he should be distressed if he has deserved that anger.

Nû sprichet unser herre ‘sêlic dû bist.’ Sêlikeit lît an vier stücken. Daz man habe allez, daz wesen hât unde lustlich ist ze begerende unde smac bringet, unde habe daz zemâle ungeteilet in einer ganzen sêle, unde daz in gote genomen in dem lûterstem und in dem hoehsten unbedecket in dem êrsten ûzbruche und in dem grunde des wesennes und allez dâ genomen, dâ got selber nimet, daz ist sêlikeit. Nû sprichet der nam Pêtrus alsô vil als der got schouwet. Nû vrâgent die meister, ob der kerne des êwigen lebens mêr lige an der verstentnüsse oder an dem willen. Wille hât zwei werc: begerunge unde minne. Verstentnüsse, der werk ist einvaltic, dar umbe ist si bezzer; ir werk ist bekennen und engeruowet niemer, si enrüere blôz daz si bekennet. Und alsô gêt si dem willen vor unde kündet im daz er minnet. Die wîle man der dinge begert, sô enhât man ir niht. Sô man sie hêt, sô minnet man sie: sô vellet begerunge abe.

Wie sol der mensche sîn, der got schowen sol? Er sol tôt sîn. Unser herre sprichet ‘nieman mac mich gesehen unde leben.’ Nû merke selbe, wie ein tôter sî, unde wie wenic ez allez rüeret, daz in der werlt ist. Stirbet man dirre werlte, man stirbet gote niht. Sant Augustînus betete maniger hande gebet. Er sprach: herre, gib mir, daz ich erkenne dich unde mich. Herre, erbarme dich über mich unde zeige mir dîn antlütze unde gib mir, daz ich niht ê sterbe, unz daz ich dich êwiclich schowe. Diz ist daz êrste stücke: daz man tôt sî, ob man got schowen wil. Diz ist der êrste nam Pêtrus.

Now our Lord says, “Blessed are you.” Blessedness consists in four things: that one should possess everything that has being and is delightful to desire and brings pleasure; that one should possess it wholly and undivided in an entire soul; and that one should receive it in God, in the purest and highest, uncovered in the first breaking-forth and in the ground of being, and receive it all where God himself receives. That is blessedness. The name Peter means as much as “one who contemplates God.” Now the masters ask whether the kernel of eternal life lies more in understanding or in the will. The will has two works, desire and love. Understanding, whose work is simple, is therefore better; its work is knowing, and it never rests, but touches only what it knows. Thus it precedes the will and tells the will what it loves. As long as one desires things, one does not possess them. When one has them, one loves them, and desire falls away.

What must a person be like if he is to contemplate God? He must be dead. Our Lord says, “No one can see me and live.” Consider for yourself what a dead person is like, and how little anything in the world can affect him. If one dies to this world, one does not die to God. Saint Augustine prayed many kinds of prayers. He said: “Lord, grant that I may know you and myself. Lord, have mercy on me and show me your countenance, and grant that I may not die until I contemplate you eternally.” This is the first requirement, that one be dead if one wishes to contemplate God. This is the first name, Peter.

Ein meister sprichet: enwêre kein mitel, man sêhe ein âmeizen an dem himel. Nû sprichet ein ander meister: und wêre kein mitel, man sêhe niht. Si hânt beide wâr. Diu varwe, diu an der want ist, sol diu getragen werden in mîn ouge, sô muoz si gebiutelt werden unde kleinlich gemachet werden in dem lufte und in dem liehte unde genzlich getragen werden in mîn ouge. Alsô muoz diu sêle gebiutelt werden in dem liehte und in der gnâde, diu got schowen sol. Dar umbe hât der meister rehter, der dâ sprach: enwêre kein mitel, man möhte niht gesehen. Der ander meister hât ouch reht, der dâ sprach: enwêre kein mitel, man sêhe die âmeizen an dem himel. Wêre kein mitel an der sêle, si sêhe got blôz.

Der ander nam Bariônâ daz sprichet als vil als ein sunder gnâde, in der diu sêle geliutert wirt und ûf getragen unde bereitet ze gotlicher schouwunge.

A master says that, if there were no means between us, one would see an ant in heaven. Another master says that, if there were no means, one would see nothing. Both speak the truth. For the colour that is on a wall to be conveyed into my eye, it must be sifted and made very fine in air and light, and carried entirely into my eye. Likewise the soul that is to contemplate God must be sifted in light and grace. Therefore the master who said that without means one could see nothing has the stronger argument. The other master is also right in saying that without means one would see ants in heaven. If there were no intervening means for the soul, she would see God bare.

The second name, Bar-Jonah, means a special grace, through which the soul is purified and lifted up and prepared for divine contemplation.

Der dritte nam heizet Simôn. Daz betiutet alsô vil als einez daz gehoeric und einez daz underböigic ist. Der got hoeren sol, der sol gescheiden sîn verre von den liuten. Dar umbe sprichet Dâvît: ich wil swîgen und wil hoeren, waz got in mir rede. Er sprichet vride in sînem wort, ob sînen heiligen, über sîn volc, zuo allen, die dâ sint gekêret zuo irme herzen. Sêlig ist der mensche, der dâ flîzeclichen hoeret, waz got in ime spreche. Unde sol sîn underböigic ze rihte under den zein götliches liehtes. Diu sêle diu dâ gekêret ist mit aller kraft under daz lieht gotes, diu wirt inhizzic und infiuric in gotlicher minne. Götlich lieht schînet die rihte oben în. und wêre, daz diu sunne schîne die rihte ûf unser houbet, ez enmöhte wênic ieman leben. Alsô solte diu oberste kraft der sêle, diu daz houbet ist, glîch erhaben sîn under den zein götliches liehtes, daz daz götlich lieht dar în geschînen müge, von dem ich mê gesprochen habe, daz sô lûter unde überswebende unde sô hôch ist, daz alliu lieht ein vinsternüsse sint und ein niht wider disem liehte. Alle crêatûre in dem si sint sô sint si alse ein niht; swenne si überschînen werdent mit dem liehte, in dem si ir wesen nement, dâ sint si iht. Dar umbe enmac diu sêle got niht begrîfe âne mitel, diu sêle habe die sehs stücke an ir, dâ ich von gesprochen habe.

Daz êrste, daz man tôt sî aller ungelîche. Daz ander, daz man wol geliutert sî im liehte und in der gnâde. Daz dritte, daz man sî âne mitel. Daz vierde, daz man gehoeric sî gotes wort in dem innigisten. Daz fünfte, daz man underböigic sî göttlichem liehte. Daz sehste ist, daz ein heidenischer meister sprichet: daz ist sêlikeit, daz man lebe nâch der obersten kraft der sêle: daz sol allez sîn ûftragende und in gote nemen ir sêlikeit. Dâ der sun selber nimet, in dem êrsten ûzbruche, dâ sulen wir ouch nemen in gotes obrîstem; sô müezen ouch wir unser oberste gelîch halden dâ engegen.

The third name is Simon. It signifies one who listens and one who is subject. Whoever is to hear God must be separated far from other people. Therefore David says, “I shall be silent and hear what God speaks within me.” He speaks peace in his Word concerning his saints, over his people, to all who have turned toward him in their hearts. Blessed is the person who listens attentively to what God speaks within him. He must also be properly subject beneath the rays of divine light. The soul that turns with all her power toward the light of God becomes heated and set aflame in divine love. Divine light shines directly down from above, and if the sun were to shine directly upon our heads, hardly anyone would be able to live. So the highest power of the soul, which is her head, should be raised directly beneath the rays of divine light, so that the divine light may shine into it, the light of which I spoke earlier, which is so pure, so transcendent, and so high that all other lights are darkness and nothing in comparison with it. All creatures, insofar as they exist in themselves, are as nothing; when they are outshone by the light from which they receive their being, there they are something. Therefore the soul cannot apprehend God without means unless she has within herself the six requirements of which I have spoken.

The first is to be dead to everything unlike God. The second is to be thoroughly purified in light and grace. The third is to be without means. The fourth is to listen to God's Word in the innermost part. The fifth is to be subject to divine light. The sixth is what a pagan master speaks of: blessedness is to live according to the highest power of the soul. That power is to carry all things upward and receive its blessedness in God. Where the Son himself receives, in the first breaking-forth, there we too shall receive in God's highest; and there we must hold our highest power in like fashion toward him.

Cephas daz sprichet alsô vil als ein houbet. Vernünftikeit daz ist daz houbet der sêle. Die die grobesten rede haldent die sprechent, daz diu minne vor gê; aber die die nêhsten rede haldent die sprechent eigentlich (und ist ouch wâr), daz der kerne des êwigen lebens lige êm an verstentnüsse denn an minne. Unde wizzent daz, war umbe sprechent unser bester meister, der einez niht wil, daz ist daz verstentnüsse unde die vernünftikeit: daz gêt die rihte ûf in got. Aber diu minne kêret ûf daz si minnet: dâ nimet si, daz dâ guot ist. Verstentnüsse diu nimet daz, dâ von ez guot ist. Honic daz ist in im selber süezer denne kein dinc, daz man dervon machet. Diu minne nimet got als süeze er ist, aber verstentnüsse daz dringet ûf unde nimet got als er wesen ist. Dar umbe sprichet unser herre ‘Simôn Pêtrus, sêlic dû bist.’ Got gît dem gerehten menschen ein gotlich wesen unde nemet in mit dem selben namen, der sîme wesen eigen ist. Dar umbe sprichet er dar nâch ‘mîn vater, der in dem himel ist.’ Under allen namen ist kein eigner danne der dâ ist. Wan der ein dinc wizzen wil, sprichet er: ez ist, daz schîne ein tôrheit; sprêche er: ez ist ein holz oder ein stein, sô wiste man, waz er meinet. Dar umbe sprechen wir allez abe gescheiden und abe gezogen und abe geschelet, daz dâ nihtes niht enbelîbet danne ein einic ‘ist’: daz ist diu eigenschaft sînes namen. Dar umbe sprach got zuo Moysese ‘sprich, der dâ ist der hât mich gesant.’ Dar umbe nemet unser herre die sîne mit sîn eigen namen. Unser herre sprach zuo sînen jungern ‘die mîn nâchvolger sint die sülen sitzen zuo mînem tische in mînes vater rîche unde ezzen mîne spîse unde trinken mîn tranc, den mir mîn vater hât bereit.’ Sêlic ist der mensche, der hie zuo komen ist, daz er sol nemen mit dem sune in dem selben, dâ der sun nimet. Rehte dâ suln wir ouch nemen unser sêlikeit, unde dâ sîn sêlikeit an stât, dâ.

Cephas means “a head.” The intellect is the head of the soul. Those who speak in the coarsest manner say that love comes first; but those who give the closest account say expressly, and truly, that the kernel of eternal life lies more in understanding than in love. Know why our best masters say this: understanding and intellect desire nothing of their own; they proceed directly upward into God. Love, however, turns toward what it loves, and there it receives what is good. Understanding receives that from which the goodness comes. Honey is sweeter in itself than anything made from it. Love receives God insofar as he is sweet; understanding presses onward and receives God insofar as he is being. Therefore our Lord says, “Simon Peter, blessed are you.” God gives the righteous person a divine being and calls him by that same name which belongs to God's own being. Thus he goes on to say, “My Father, who is in heaven.” Among all names, none is more properly his than “he who is.” If someone wants to identify a thing and merely says, “It is,” that would seem foolish; but if he said, “It is a piece of wood or a stone,” one would know what he meant. Therefore we strip away, withdraw, and peel away everything, until nothing whatsoever remains but one single “is.” That is the distinctive property of his name. Therefore God said to Moses, “Say: He who is has sent me.” Therefore our Lord names those who are his with his own name. Our Lord said to his disciples, “Those who follow me shall sit at my table in my Father's kingdom, eat my food and drink the drink my Father has prepared for me.” Blessed is the person who has reached the point of receiving with the Son in that very place where the Son receives. There indeed we too shall receive our blessedness, and where his blessedness abides, there.