Sermon 37 — Young man, I say to you: arise

Pfeiffer Sermon 37Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Adolescens, tibi dico: surge (Luc. VII, 14.).

Man liset in dem êwangelio, daz ein frouwe kam zuo unserem herren Jêsû Kristô. Si sprach ‘herre ich bin ein witwe unde hâte niht denne einen sun, der ist mir tôt.’ Unser herre sprach ‘jungelinc, stant ûf!’ Daz sulen wir alsô verstân. Die frouwe die witwe der was der man tôt und ir eingez kint, dâ sulen wir verstân bî der frouwen die verstantnisse, bî dem man merken den man der sêle unde bî dem jungelinge die obersten vernunft, wan daz ist der jungelinc. Daz sulen wir alsô verstân. Alse der mensche tôt ist an den gebresten, sô rihtet sich diu oberste vernunft ûz in daz verstantnisse unde schriet got an umbe gnâde. Dâ gît ir got ein gotlich lieht, daz si sich bekennende wirt. In dem erkennet si got. Ich sprach, daz niht enpfâhen mac gotlich lieht danne vernunft. Die anderen krefte der sêle sint ein gezowe und ein werkelicheit und bringent die vernunft in ir hoehste lieht.

Ez ist ein vrâge under den meistern, welez fürloufe: weder verstantnisse oder minne? Ein teil sprichet verstantnisse, ein teil minne. Hie under ist ein grôz strît. Verstantnisse sprichet: waz möhtestû minnen, des dû niht verstüendest? Minne sprichet: waz hilfet, daz dû vil verstêst und niht enminnest? Hêstû minne niht, dû kumist niemer zuo dîner êwigen sêlikeit. Verstantnisse sprichet: ich bin geborn in dem klâren liehte, dâ inne ich mich selber verstên mac. Diu minne sprichet: daz dû vil verstêst unde minne niht enhâst, sô hilfet dich dîn verstên niht. Verstantnisse sprichet: dû muost abe, dû bist niht denne mîn kneht: dû hilfest mir ûf unde blîbistû. Minne sprichet: ich bin daz guot, daz got selber ist. Verstantnisse sprichet: dû machest dich selber gar grôz: dâ ich niht bin, dâ enmaht dû niht geschaffen. Minne sprichet: dû solt mich baz brüeven. Verstantnisse sprichet: ich bin hoeher gezogen denne ich mit dir beheftet sî, mir liuhtet ein lûter bekentnisse, ich bedarf dîn niht: ich hân daz ich wil die wîle ich daz bekenne, daz ich biz her bekennet hân, dar inne ich nû geflozzen bin in einer lûtern vereinunge, dâ ich êweclîche blîben sol. Nû stân ich ob der minne und über alliu werc. Verstantnisse sprichet: die wîle ich nû bekentnisse hân unde mîn wâr wizzen aller dinge, waz ich ie geloubte, daz ist nû mîn wâr bevinden. Geloube unde hoffenunge und alle krefte der sêle die müezent belîben, sie enmügent niht fürbaz. Diu wâre minne sprichet: ich muoz bî dir belîben, wan ich bin êwic. Daz unser swestern dâ ûzen belîbent, daz ist billich, sie sint unser knehte unde hânt dich geleitet zuo dînem wâren bevinden der êwigen sêlikeit. Hie kumt diu oberste vernunft, diu blœzlich von gote enpfâhet alliu dinc, unde sprichet: ich hân vernomen daz oberste guot, dâ niht gestân mac dan einekeit. Bekentnisse sprichet: ich sol kleiben unde sol mich bî dir lâzen. Vernunft sprichet: bekentnisse unde minne die müezent blîben. Bekentnisse sprichet: ich sol billich nützen, daz ich geminnet hân. Diu oberste vernunft sprichet: zuo dem ir mich geleitet hânt unde den ich biz her bekant hân, der bekennet sich nû in mir. alsô hân ich vernomen, daz ich niemannes mê bedarf. Alliu geschaffeniu dinc müezent blîben und allez daz ich ie gewart: ich stân vor mînem ursprunge.

Adolescens, tibi dico: surge (Luc. VII, 14.).

“Young man, I say to you, arise” (Luke 7:14). We read in the Gospel that a woman came to our Lord Jesus Christ. She said, “Lord, I am a widow and had only one son, and he is dead.” Our Lord said, “Young man, arise!” We are to understand this as follows. The woman was a widow whose husband was dead, and she had an only child. By the woman we should understand the faculty of understanding; by her husband, the man of the soul; and by the young man, the highest intellect, for that is the young man. We should understand it thus: when a human being is dead through faults, the highest intellect turns outward into understanding and cries to God for grace. There God gives it a divine light, so that it becomes knowing. In this light it knows God. I have said that nothing can receive divine light except the intellect. The other powers of the soul are an extension and an activity, and they bring the intellect into its highest light.

There is a question among the masters as to which takes precedence, understanding or love. Some say understanding, others love. A great dispute arises between them. Understanding says, “What could you love that you did not understand?” Love says, “What good does it do you to understand much if you do not love? Without love you will never attain your eternal blessedness.” Understanding says, “I was born in the clear light in which I can understand myself.” Love says, “If you understand much but have no love, your understanding does not help you.” Understanding says, “You must depart. You are only my servant: you help me upward, but you remain behind.” Love says, “I am the good that God himself is.” Understanding says, “You make yourself exceedingly great. Where I am not, you can accomplish nothing.” Love says, “You should examine me more closely.” Understanding says, “I have been drawn higher than the point at which I was bound to you. A pure knowledge shines upon me; I have no need of you. I have what I desire so long as I know what I have known until now. I have now flowed into a pure union in which I shall remain eternally. Now I stand above love and above all works.” Understanding says, “Now that I possess knowledge, and true knowledge of all things, what I once believed has now become my true experience. Faith and hope and all the powers of the soul must remain behind; they can go no further.” True love says, “I must remain with you, for I am eternal. It is right that our sisters remain outside: they are our servants and have led you to the true experience of eternal blessedness.” Here comes the highest intellect, which receives all things immediately from God, and says, “I have perceived the highest good, where nothing can stand except oneness.” Knowledge says, “I shall cling to you and let myself remain with you.” Intellect says, “Knowledge and love must stay behind.” Knowledge says, “Surely I ought to benefit from having loved.” The highest intellect says, “The one to whom you have led me, and whom until now I have known, now knows himself in me. Thus I have perceived that I need no one any longer. All created things must remain behind, together with everything I ever awaited: I stand before my origin.”

Bî der witwen suln wir verstân und bî dem worte, daz unser herre sprach ‘jungelinc, stant ûf!’ alsô: swaz sîner geburt nâhe ist, daz ist junc. Alsus geschiht der vernunft, dâ si stât vor dem ursprunc, dâ ist ir vergezzen aller der hilfe, diu ir ie geschach zuo irem ûfgange, wan si wênet êweclîche dâ sîn gewesen und êweclîche dâ belîben. Des enmac niht gesîn.

Nû verstânt die rede: bî der witwen die verstantnisse, bî dem sune die vernunft, bî dem manne den man der sêle. Hie sunt ir ouch verstân: als sich der man der sêle beginnet ûf ze rihten, dâ sprechent die meister, ez sî ein ander man. Daz sunt ir niht alsô verstân, daz ez ein ander sêle sî: ez ist ein ander wesen der sêle; wan diu alte gewonheit ist alle abe und ist tôt. Diu sêle hât an sich genomen ir reht wesen unde stêt in ir êrster unschulde. Der man der sêle der stêt enboben engelschem wesen unde rihtet sich nâch der vernunft unde dringet in den ursprunc, dannen diu sêle geflozzen ist. Dâ muoz diu vernunft hie ûze belîben und alliu namhaftiu dinc. Dâ wirt diu sêle vereinet in der lûtern einekeit. Diz heizen wir den man der sêle, der diz allez vollebracht hêt, daz er enheiner helfe bedarf. Waz er biz her gewürket hât, daz würket nû got in ime. Got bekennet in, als er in bekant hât, got minnet in, als er in geminnet hât. Alsus würket got alliu werc unde der man der sêle der stêt blôz unde lidig aller dinge.

In the widow and in the words our Lord spoke, “Young man, arise!”, we should understand this: whatever is near to its birth is young. So it happens with the intellect when it stands before its origin. There it has forgotten all the help it ever received on its ascent, for it imagines that it has been there eternally and will remain there eternally. But that cannot be so.

Now understand the meaning: by the widow, understanding; by the son, intellect; by the husband, the man of the soul. You should also understand this: when the man of the soul begins to rise up, the masters say that he is another man. You must not take this to mean that it is another soul; it is another being of the soul, for its old habit has entirely fallen away and is dead. The soul has taken on its rightful being and stands in its original innocence. The man of the soul stands above angelic being and turns toward the intellect and presses into the origin from which the soul has flowed forth. There the intellect and everything that can be named must remain outside. There the soul is united in pure oneness. This is what we call the man of the soul who has accomplished all this and needs no help. What he has done until now, God now does within him. God knows him as he has known God; God loves him as he has loved God. Thus God performs all works, and the man of the soul stands bare and free of all things.

Ir sunt wizzen, wâ der mensche ist, der hie zuo komen ist, man mac wol sprechen, dirre mensche ist got unde mensche. Wizzent, er hât allez erkrieget von gnâden, daz Kristus hête von nâtûre. Wizzent, der lîp ist alsô durchflozzen mit der edelen wesenlicheit der sêle, diu si von got enpfangen hât unde von gotlichem liehte, daz man wol sprechen mac: daz ist ein gotlicher mensche. Eyâ, lieben kint, erbarmênt iuch über dise liute, wan sie sint vrömde und unbekant allen liuten. Alle die zuo got iemer wellen komen, die dürfent sich wol versehen mit disen liuten, wan sie sint kûme ze bekennende unbekanten liuten; sie mac nieman rehte bekennen, denne die liute alleine, in die daz selbe lieht liuhtet. Diz ist daz lieht der wârheit. Ez mac wol sîn, daz die liute, die ûf dem wege zuo dem selben guote sint und ez doch niht besezzen hânt, daz die bekennent dise vollekomen liute, von den wir dâ vor gesprochen haben. Wizzent, wâ ich der menschen einen wiste, hêt ich ein münster vol goldes und edels gesteines, daz gêbe ich allez umb ein huon, daz der mensche verzerte. Ich spriche mê: wære allez daz mîn, daz got ie geschuof, daz wolte ich allez dem menschen geben ze verzerende ûf eine stunde, wizzent, daz tête ich billiche, wan ez ist allez sîn. Ich spriche mê: got ist sîn mit aller sîner vermügentheit, unde wæren alle die vor mir, die in gebresten sint und hungernôt habent, ich wolte dem menschen niht nemen von sîner nôtdürfte einen flügel von dem huone, daz ich daz volc allez spîste. Wan wizzent, wer in gebresten ist, waz der izzet oder trinket, daz ziuhet in nider unde neiget in ze gebresten. Alsô ist ez niht an dem guoten menschen: swaz der izzet oder trinket, daz treit er ûf in Kristô zuo dem vater. Her umbe bedürfent ir wol für iuch ze sehende.

Vernement daz wort, daz Kristus sprichet ‘wâ zwei gesament sint in mînem namen, dâ wil ich mit in sîn.’ Daz sullent ir alsô verstên: Kristus meinet sêle unde lîp in einer rehter vereinunge, daz der lîp niht wil, wan daz diu sêle wil. Wizzent, mit den wil got sîn: daz sint die liute, von den wir geret haben. Dâ der man der sêle ein wâr besitzen hêt sîner êwigen sêlikeit, dâ die krefte alle sint abgesniten, dâ hât der mensche enhein widerstân von allen dingen. Wizzent, wan bedarf sich wol bewaren, wan sie sint sêre übel zuo bekennende, wan swenne sie sîn bedürfent, sô ander liute vastent, sô ezzent sie, sô ander liute wachent, sô slâfent sie, sô ander liute betent, sô swîgent sie: kurzelich geseit, alliu ir wort unde werc diu sint unbekant allen liuten; wan allez, daz got den liuten offenet, die ûf dem wege stênt zuo ir êwigen sêlikeit, daz ist allez disen vollekomenen liuten vrömde. Sie bedürfent nihtes niht, wan sie hânt die stat besezzen ires rehten eigens. Daz mag ich heizen mîn eigen, daz mir êweclîche belîben sol und mir ez nieman genemen mac. Ir sunt wizzen, daz die liute die nützesten üebunge üebent. Daz sunt ir alsô verstân: sie offenent sich inwendigen in dem manne der sêle. Wizzent, daz daz küncrîche sêlic ist, dâ der mensche einer ist inne; sie schaffent mê êwiges nutzes in einem ougenblicke, denne alliu ûzeriu werc, diu ie ûzwendic gewürket wurden. Sehent, daz ir in iht vorbehabent, daz ir ist. Daz wir dise liute bekennen mügen unde got in in minnen, daz wir die stat mit in besitzen, die sie besitzen hânt, des helfe uns got. Âmen.

You should know that, of the person who has come to this state, one may rightly say: this human being is God and human. Know that he has gained by grace everything that Christ had by nature. Know that his body is so thoroughly permeated by the noble being of the soul, which it has received from God, and by divine light, that one may rightly say: this is a divine human being. Ah, dear children, have compassion on these people, for they are strangers and unknown to everyone. All who ever wish to come to God would do well to take heed of these people, for those who do not know them can scarcely recognize them. Only people in whom that same light shines can truly recognize them. This is the light of truth. It may indeed happen that those who are on the way toward this same good but have not yet possessed it recognize these perfect people of whom we have spoken. Know that if I knew of such a person, and had a church full of gold and precious stones, I would give it all for a chicken for that person to eat. I say more: if all that God ever created were mine, I would give it all for that person to consume in a single hour. Know that I would be right to do so, for it all belongs to him. I say further: God is his, with all his power. And even if all those before me were suffering deprivation and hunger, I would not take from that person's necessities so much as a wing of the chicken in order to feed all those people. For know that when someone is in deprivation, whatever he eats or drinks draws him downward and inclines him toward deprivation. It is not so with the good person: whatever he eats or drinks, he bears upward in Christ to the Father. Therefore you must look carefully to yourselves.

Hear the words Christ speaks: “Where two are gathered in my name, there I shall be with them.” You should understand them thus: Christ means soul and body in true union, so that the body wills nothing except what the soul wills. Know that God wills to be with such people, those of whom we have spoken. Where the man of the soul has truly taken possession of his eternal blessedness, where all the powers have been cut off, the human being meets with no resistance from any thing. Know that one must be careful about them, for they are exceedingly difficult to recognize: when they have need of it, they eat while other people fast; they sleep while others keep watch; they are silent while others pray. In short, all their words and works are unknown to other people, for everything God reveals to those still on the way to their eternal blessedness is foreign to these perfect people. They need nothing at all, for they have taken possession of the place that is rightfully their own. I may call that my own which will remain mine eternally and which no one can take from me. You should know that these people practise the most profitable exercises. Understand this thus: they open themselves inwardly in the man of the soul. Know that the kingdom is blessed where a human being is one within it; in a single moment they accomplish more of eternal worth than all the outward works that have ever been performed. See that you withhold nothing from them that is yours. May God help us to recognize these people, to love God in them, and to possess with them the place they have possessed. Amen.