Sermon 33 — If you have risen with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God

Pfeiffer Sermon 33Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Si consurrexistis cum Christo, quæ sursum sunt, quærite, ubi Christus est in dextera dei sedens etc. (Coloss. III, 1.).

Sanctus Paulus sprichet ‘sît ir ûf erstanden mit Kristô, sô suochet diu dinc, diu oben sint, unde lêzet iu niht smecken diu dinc, diu ûf der erde sint’. Dar nâch sprichet er ein ander wort ‘ir sint tôt und iuwer leben ist verborgen in Kristô bî got in dem himele’. Daz dritte, daz die vrouwen suohten unsern herren zuo dem grabe. Dô funden sie einen engel, des antlütze was als ein blikschôz und sîniu kleider wîz als der snê, und er sprach zuo den vrouwen ‘wen suochet ir? Suochet ir Jêsum, der gekriuzegot ist, er ist niht hie.’ Wan got ist niergen. Gotes minnestes des ist vol alle crêatûre und sîn grœze diu ist niergen. Si entwerte ime niht, wan si verdrôz des engels, dô si got niht envant. Got enist hie noch dâ, in zît noch in stat.

Nû sprichet sant Paulus ‘sît ir ûf erstanden in Kristô, sô suochet diu dinc, diu oben sint.’ Bî dem êrsten worte meinet er zwêne sinne. Eteliche liute erstênt, sie üebent sich an einre tugent unde niht an der andern. Eteliche liute sint, die von nâtûre unedel sint, die sint sô gerihtet ûf rîchtuom. Andere die sint edel von nâtûre und ahtent niht guotes, aber sie wellent êre haben. Ein meister sprichet, daz von nôt alle tugende zemen haften. Wie daz sî, daz ein mensche ûf eine tugent mêr sî geneiget denne ûf die andern mit üebende, doch sô haftent sie von nôt alle mit ein. Eteliche liute erstênt alzemâle, sie erstênt aber niht mit Kristô. Dar umbe swaz sîn ist, daz sol alzemâle ûf stân. Ein ander wîse: man vindet etliche, die stênt zemâle ûf mit Kristô, aber er muoz vil wîse sîn, der dâ prüeven sol ein wâr ûferstên in Kristô. Die meister sprechent, ez sî wâriu urstende der niht wider stirbet, ez ensî niergent kein tugent sô grôz, man envinde liute, die sie von nâtürlicher kraft haben gewürket, wan zeichen unde wunder würket dicke nâtürlich kraft, wan elliu diu ûzer werc, diu man ie vant in den heiligen, diu hât man ouch funden in den heiden. Dar umbe sprichet er ‘ir sult ûferstên mit Kristô’, wan er ist enoben, dâ kein nâtûre zuo gereichen mac. Swaz unser ist daz sol alzemâle ûf stân.

Si consurrexistis cum Christo, quæ sursum sunt, quærite, ubi Christus est in dextera dei sedens etc. (Coloss. III, 1.).

If you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, and so forth (Colossians 3:1). Saint Paul says: "If you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, and do not let the things that are on earth taste sweet to you." After this he says another word: "You are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God in heaven." Thirdly, the women sought our Lord at the tomb. There they found an angel whose face was like a flash of lightning and whose garments were white as snow. He said to the women: "Whom are you seeking? Are you seeking Jesus, who was crucified? He is not here." For God is nowhere. All creatures are filled with the least of God, but his greatness is nowhere. They did not answer him, for they were vexed with the angel when they did not find God. God is neither here nor there, neither in time nor in place.

Now Saint Paul says: "If you have risen in Christ, seek the things that are above." By the first word he means two senses. Some people rise, exercising themselves in one virtue and not in the others. There are people who are ignoble by nature and are wholly directed toward riches. Others are noble by nature and pay no heed to what is good, but wish to have honor. A master says that all virtues must necessarily hold together. Even if a person is more inclined through practice toward one virtue than toward the others, nevertheless they all necessarily belong together. Some people rise altogether, yet they do not rise with Christ. Therefore whatever belongs to him must rise altogether. In another way, one finds some who rise wholly with Christ, but someone must be very wise to discern a true rising in Christ. The masters say that a true resurrection is one in which a person does not die again. There is no virtue so great that one cannot find people who have performed it by natural power, for natural power often performs signs and wonders, and all the outward works ever found among the saints have also been found among the heathen. Therefore he says, "You shall rise with Christ," for he is above, where no nature can reach. Whatever is ours must rise altogether.

Driu zeichen sint, ob wir alzemâle ûf stên. Daz êrste, daz wir suochen diu dinc, diu oben sint. Daz ander, ob uns smaken diu dinc, diu oben sint. Daz dritte, ob uns niht smaken diu dinc, diu ûf der erde sint. Nû sprichet sant Paulus ‘suochet diu dinc, diu oben sint.’ Nû wâ und in welcher wîse? Künic Dâvît sprichet ‘suochet dez antlütze gotes.’ Swaz sol sîn mit manigen dingen, daz muoz von nôt oben sîn. Waz für machet, daz muoz von nôt oben im sîn, alse der himel unde diu sunne. Unser besten meister wellent, daz der himel sî ein stat aller dinge, und enhât doch kein stat, kein nâtürliche stat unde gît allen dingen stat. Mîn sêle ist ungeteilet und ist ouch zemâle in eime ieglîchen gelide. Dâ mîn ouge sihet, dâ hœret mîn ôre niht, dâ mîn ôre hœret, dâ sihet mîn ouge niht. Daz ich lîplich sihe oder hœre, daz kumet geistlich in mich. Mîn ouge enpfâhet in dem liehte die varwe, si enkumet aber in die sêle niht, wan ez ist ein abeval. Allez daz die ûzern sinne enpfâhent, daz ez geistlich wirt în getragen, daz kumet enoben von dem engel: der drücket ez in daz ober teil der sêle.

Nû sprechent unser meister: waz enoben ist, daz ordent unde setzet daz ander. Her ûf sprichet sant Jacobus ‘alle guote unde volkomen gâbe koment von enoben her abe.’ Swer alzemâle ist ûf erstanden mit Kristô, daz ist ein zeichen, ob er got oben zît suochet. Der suochet got oben zît der dâ suochet sunder zît. Nû sprichet er ‘suochet diu dinc, diu oben sint.’ Wâ suochet man? Dâ Kristus gesezzen ist ze der rehten hant sînes vater. Wâ sitzet Kristus? Er sitzet niergen, er ist niergen. Der in niergen suochet, der envindet sîn niht. Sîn minnestes ist allenthalben, sîn oberstez ist niergen. Ein meister sprichet: swer iht bekennet, der bekennet got niht. Kristus sprichet als vil als ein gesalbeter, der dâ gesalbet ist mit dem heiligen geiste. Die meister sprechent: sitzen bediutet ruowe unde meinet, dâ kein zît ist. Swaz sich kêret unde wandelt, daz hât niht, dâ ez an ruowe, ez leget niht zuo.

There are three signs of whether we have risen altogether. The first is that we seek the things that are above. The second is whether the things that are above taste sweet to us. The third is whether the things that are on earth do not taste sweet to us. Now Saint Paul says: "Seek the things that are above." But where, and in what mode? King David says: "Seek the face of God." Whatever is to be with many things must necessarily be above them. Whatever brings something forth must necessarily be above it, as are the heavens and the sun. Our best masters hold that heaven is the place of all things, and yet itself has no place, no natural place, while giving place to all things. My soul is undivided and is also wholly in each and every member. Where my eye sees, my ear does not hear; where my ear hears, my eye does not see. What I see or hear bodily comes into me spiritually. My eye receives color in the light, yet the color does not enter the soul, for it is a falling-away. Everything that the outer senses receive is carried within spiritually, and this comes from above, from the angel, who impresses it upon the higher part of the soul.

Now our masters say: What is above orders and disposes what is below it. On this Saint James says: "Every good and perfect gift comes down from above." If someone has risen altogether with Christ, a sign is whether he seeks God above time. Whoever seeks without time seeks God above time. Now he says: "Seek the things that are above." Where does one seek them? Where Christ is seated at the right hand of his Father. Where does Christ sit? He sits nowhere; he is nowhere. Whoever seeks him nowhere does not find him. The least of him is everywhere; his highest is nowhere. A master says: Whoever knows anything does not know God. Christ means as much as "anointed one," one anointed with the Holy Spirit. The masters say: Sitting signifies rest and means a state where there is no time. Whatever turns and changes has nothing on which to rest; it adds nothing.

Unser herre sprichet ‘ich bin got und enwandel mich niht.’ Kristus sitzet zuo der rehten ruowe sînes vater. Daz beste guot, daz got geleisten mac, daz ist sîn rehtiu hant. Kristus sprichet ‘ich bin ein tür.’ Der êrste ûzbruch unde daz êrste ûzsmelzen, daz got ûz smilzet, dâ smilzet er in sînen sun unde dâ smilzet er wider in den vater. Ich sprach eines tages, daz diu porte daz wære der heilig geist: dâ smilzet er ûz in güete in alle crêatûren. Swâ ein nâtürlich mensche ist, daz beginnet sînes werkes ze der rehten hant. Ein meister sprichet, daz der himel blôz von gote enpfâhe. Ein ander sprichet, daz des niht ensî: wan got ist ein geist und ein lûter lieht, dar umbe waz von gote blôz enpfâhen sol, daz muoz von nôt sîn ein geist und ein lûter lieht. Ein meister sprichet: ez ist unmügelich in dem êrsten ûzbruche, dâ got ûz brichet, daz iht daz lîplich ist des enpfenclîch sî, entweder ez müeze sîn ein lieht oder ein lûter geist. Der himel ist oben zît und ist ein sache der zît. Ein meister sprichet, daz der himel in sîner nâtûre ist als edel, daz er sich niht mac neigen dar zuo, daz er sî ein sache der zît. In sîner nâtûre mac er niht sache sîn der zît: in sîme loufe ist er sache der zît und ist er sunder zît, daz ist in dem abevalle des himels. Mîn varwe ist mîn nâtûre niht, mê: ez ist ein abeval mîner nâtûre, und ist unser sêle verre dar enoben und ist in gote verborgen. Ich spriche dan niht aleine: oben zît, mêr: in gote verborgen. Meinet daz der himel? allez daz lîplich ist daz ist ein abeval und ein zuoval und ein niderval. Künic Dâvît sprichet ‘tûsent jâr sint vor gotes ougen alse ein tac, der vergangen ist’: wan allez, daz künftic ist unde vergangen, daz ist allez dâ in eime nû. Daz wir komen zuo disem nû, des helf uns got. Âmen.

Our Lord says: "I am God and I do not change." Christ sits at the right-hand rest of his Father. The highest good that God can accomplish is his right hand. Christ says: "I am a door." The first breaking-forth and the first melting-forth that God pours forth: there he melts into his Son, and there he melts back into the Father. I said one day that the gate was the Holy Spirit: there he melts forth in goodness into all creatures. Wherever there is a natural human being, he begins his work at the right hand. A master says that heaven receives directly from God. Another says that this is not so, for God is a spirit and a pure light; therefore whatever is to receive directly from God must necessarily be a spirit and a pure light. A master says that it is impossible, in the first breaking-forth in which God breaks forth, for anything bodily to be capable of receiving it; it must be either a light or a pure spirit. Heaven is above time and is a cause of time. A master says that heaven is so noble in its nature that it cannot stoop to being a cause of time. By its nature it cannot be a cause of time; in its course it is a cause of time, and it is without time, that is, in the falling-away of heaven. My color is not my nature; rather, it is a falling-away from my nature. And our soul is far above this and hidden in God. I say, then, not only above time, but rather hidden in God. Does that mean heaven? Everything bodily is a falling-away, an accident and a falling-down. King David says: "A thousand years are before God's eyes like a day that has passed," for all that is future and all that is past are there together in one now. May God help us to come to this now. Amen.