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Sermon 42 — A little while, and you will no longer see me

Pfeiffer Sermon 42Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)
English Translation
Modicum et iam non videbitis me (Joh. XVI, 17. 19.).

Ich hân ein wort gesprochen in der latîne, daz schrîbet sant Johannes in dem êwangelio, daz man liset von dem sunnentage. Daz wort sprach unser herre zuo sînen jungeren ‘ein kleine oder ein wênic und alzehant sehent ir mich niht.’ Wie kleine daz ist, daz an der sêle haftet, sô sehent ir mich niht. Sant Augustînus frâgete, waz êwic leben sî, und entwürte er unde sprach: frâgestû mich, waz êwic leben sî? frâge und hœre daz êwic leben selbe. Nieman weiz baz, waz diu hitze ist, denne der die hitze hât; nieman weiz baz, waz diu wîsheit ist, denne der die wîsheit hât; nieman weiz baz, waz êwic leben ist, denne daz êwic leben selbe. Unser herre Jêsus Kristus sprichet ‘daz ist êwic leben, daz man dich, got, kenne alleine einen wâren got’.

‘Ein wênic oder ein lützel und alzehant sehent ir mich niht.’ Ir sullent daz wizzen, sêhe diu sêle got von verre, als in einem mitel oder in einem wolken einen ougenblic, si kêrte sich von gote niht umb alle dise welt. Waz wênent ir danne, wie daz sî, dâ man got siht in im selber, als er ist, âne mitel in sînem blôzen wesen? Alle crêatiuren, die got ie geschuof oder noch schöpfen möhte ob er wolte, daz ist allez ein wênic oder ein lützel gegen gote. Der himel ist sô grôz unde sô wît, seite ich iu ez, ir geloubeten sîn niht. Der ein nâdelen nême unde den himel ruorte mit dem spitze, daz der spitze der nâdelen begriffe des himels, daz wêre grœzer gên dem himel und aller dirre welte, denne alliu diu welt gegen gote sî. Dar umbe ist ez gar wol gesprochen ‘ein wênic oder ein lützel sehent ir mich niht.’ Alle die wîle sô der crêatûre iht in dich liuhtet, sô ensihestû got niht; wie kleine daz sî, ez muoz abe. Dar umbe sprach diu sêle in der minne buoche ‘ich hân umbe geloufen unde gesuochet den mîn sêle dâ minnet und ich envant sîn niht.’ Si vant engel unde vil dinges, aber si vant niht den ir sêle dâ minnete. Si sprach ‘dar nâch dô ich ein wênic oder ein lützel überspranc, dô vant ich den mîn sêle dâ minnet’, rehte als ob si sprêche: dô ich überhüpfete alle crêatûren (daz ein wênic oder ein lützel ist), dô vant ich den mîn sêle minnete.’ Diu sêle, diu got vindet, diu muoz überhüpfen und überspringen alle crêatûren, sol si got vinden.

Modicum et iam non videbitis me (Joh. XVI, 17. 19.).

"A little while, and now you shall not see me" (John 16:17, 19). I have spoken a word in Latin, which Saint John writes in the Gospel, which is read on Sunday. Our Lord spoke the word to his disciples: "A little or a little while, and immediately you shall not see me." However little that is which clings to the soul, so you do not see me. Saint Augustine asked what eternal life is, and answered and said: "Do you ask me what eternal life is? Ask and hear eternal life itself. No one knows better what heat is than he who has the heat; no one knows better what wisdom is than he who has wisdom; no one knows better what eternal life is than eternal life itself." Our Lord Jesus Christ says: "This is eternal life, that one knows you, God, alone as the true God."

"A little or a little while, and immediately you shall not see me." You should know this: if the soul were to see God from afar, as in a means or in a cloud, for a moment, it would not turn away from God for all this world. What do you think, then, how it must be where one sees God in himself, as he is, without means in his bare being? All creatures that God ever created or might still create, if he wished, that is all a little or a small thing in comparison with God. Heaven is so great and so wide, if I told you of it, you would not believe it. If one took a needle and touched heaven with its point, the part of heaven that the point of the needle encompassed would be greater in relation to heaven and all this world than all the world is in relation to God. Therefore it is very well spoken: "A little or a little while, and you shall not see me." As long as any creature shines into you, so long you do not see God; however little it may be, it must depart. Therefore the soul said in the Book of Love: "I ran about and sought the one whom my soul loves, and I did not find him." She found angels and many things, but she did not find the one whom her soul loved. She said: "After that, when I leapt over a little or a small thing, then I found the one whom my soul loved," just as though she were saying: when I leapt over all creatures—which is a little or a small thing—then I found the one whom my soul loved. The soul that finds God must leap over and spring over all creatures, if it is to find God.

Nû wizzent, daz got die sêle alsô krefteklichen minnet, der daz gote benême, daz er die sêle niht minnete, der benême im sîn leben unde sîn wesen und er tôte got, ob man daz sprechen solte; wan diu selbe minne, mit der got die sêle minnet, in der selben minne blüeget ûz der heilige geist unde diu selbe minne ist der heilige geist. Sît got die sêle alsô kreftekliche minnet, sô muoz diu sêle ein alze grôz dinc sîn.

Ein meister sprichet in dem buoche von der sêle; wêre dekein mitel, daz ouge sêhe ein âmeiz oder eine müggen an dem himel. Und er sprach wâr, unde meinet daz fiur unde den luft unde vil dinges, daz zwischent dem himele unde dem ougen ist. Der ander sprichet: enwêre enkein mitel, daz ouge sêhe niht. Sie meinen bêde wâr.

Now know that God loves the soul so powerfully that whoever were to deprive God of loving the soul, would take from him his life and his being, and he would kill God, if one were allowed to say that; for the very same love with which God loves the soul, in that same love the Holy Spirit blossoms forth, and that same love is the Holy Spirit. Since God loves the soul so powerfully, the soul must be a very great thing.

A master says in the Book of the Soul: if there were no means, the eye would see an ant or a gnat in heaven. And he spoke truly, and means the fire and the air and many things that are between heaven and the eye. The other says: if there were no means, the eye would see nothing. They both mean truly.

Der êrste sprichet: wêre enkein mitel, daz ouge sêhe ein âmeiz an dem himele. Und er meinet wâr. Wêre enkein mitel zwischent gote unde der sêle, alzehant sêhe si got, wan got hât dekein mitel niht, er enmac ouch kein mitel lîden. Wêre diu sêle alzemâle enplœzet oder enteket von allem mitel, sô wêre ir got enplœzet oder enteket, und gêbe ir sich got alzemâle. Alle die wîle sô diu sêle niht enteket noch enplœzet ist von allem mitel, wie kleine daz ist, sô siht si got niht. Wêre iht mitels zwischent lîbe und sêle alse grôz als ein hâr breit ist, dâ wêre niemer rehtiu einunge. Sît daz ist an lîplîchen dingen, michels mê ist ez an geistlîchen dingen. Boetius sprichet: wiltû die wârheit lûterlîche bekennen, sô lege abe fröide unde forhte, zuoversiht unde hoffenunge unde pîne. Fröide ist ein mitel, forhte ein mitel, zuoversiht unde hoffenunge unde pîne ez ist allez ein mitel. Die wîle sô dû ez an sihest und ez dich wider an siht, sô sihestû gotes niht.

Der ander meister sprichet: wêre enkein mitel, mîn ouge gesêhe niht. Lege ich mîne hant ûf mîn ouge, sô ensihe ich der hant niht. Hân ich sî für mich, alzehant sihe ich sî. Daz kumt von gropheit, die an der hende ist, unde dâ von muoz ez geliutert unde kleinfüege werden in der luft und in dem liehte und als ein bilde getragen in mîn ouge. Daz merkent in einem spiegel. Hêstû den für dich, sô erschînet dîn bilde in dem spiegel. Daz ouge unde diu sêle ist ein solich spiegel, daz allez daz dar inne erschînet daz dar entgegen gehabet wirt. Dar umbe sihe ich niht die hant oder den stein, mêr: ich sihe ein bilde von dem steine, aber daz selbe bilde daz ensihe ich niht in einem anderen bilde oder in eime mitel, mêre: ich sihe ez âne mitel und âne bilde, unt daz bilde ist daz mitel, wan bilde ist âne bilde unde loufen âne loufen: ez machet wol loufende, unde grœzi ist âne grœzi, mêr: si machet grôz, unde dâ von ist bilde âne bilde, wan ez wirt gesehen in eim andern bilde. Daz êwic wort ist daz mitel unde daz bilde selbe, daz dâ ist âne mitel und âne bilde, ûf daz diu sêle in dem êwigen worte got begrifet unde bekennet âne mitel und âne bilde.

The first says: if there were no means, the eye would see an ant in heaven. And he means truly. If there were no means between God and the soul, immediately it would see God, for God has no means at all, nor can he endure any means. If the soul were altogether stripped bare or uncovered of every means, then God would be uncovered or revealed to it, and God would give himself to it altogether. As long as the soul is not uncovered nor stripped bare of every means, however little that is, so long it does not see God. If there were something of a means between body and soul as great as the breadth of a hair, there would never be true union. Since this is so in bodily things, how much more is it so in spiritual things. Boethius says: "If you wish to know the truth purely, lay aside joy and fear, expectation and hope and pain." Joy is a means, fear a means, expectation and hope and pain, it is all a means. As long as you look at it and it looks back at you, so long you do not see God.

The other master says: if there were no means, my eye would see nothing. If I place my hand upon my eye, then I do not see the hand. If I hold it before me, immediately I see it. That comes from the coarseness which is in the hand, and therefore it must be purified and made fine in the air and in the light and carried as an image into my eye. Observe this in a mirror. If you hold it before you, your image appears in the mirror. The eye and the soul are such a mirror, that everything which appears within it is that which is held opposite to it. Therefore I do not see the hand or the stone; rather, I see an image of the stone, but that same image I do not see in another image or in a means, rather: I see it without means and without image, and the image is the means, for image is without image and running without running: it makes one running, and greatness is without greatness, rather: it makes great, and therefore image is without image, for it is seen in another image. The eternal Word is the means and the image itself, which is there without means and without image, so that the soul in the eternal Word may grasp and know God without means and without image.

Ein kraft ist in der sêle: vernünftekeit, von êrste, sô diu sêle gotes gewar wirt oder gesmeket; diu hât fünf eigenschaft an ir. Daz êrste ist, daz si abe scheidet von hie unde von nû. Daz ander, daz si nihte gelîch ist. Daz dritte, daz si ist lûter und unvermenget. Daz vierde, daz si in sich selber wirkende oder suochende ist. Daz fünfte, daz si ein bilde ist.

Daz êrste, daz si scheidet abe von hie unde von nû. Hie unde nû daz sprichet als vil als zît unde stat. Nû, daz ist daz aller minste von der zît, ez ist noch ein stüke der zît noch ein teil der zît: ez ist wol ein smak der zît und ist ein sippe der zît und ein ende der zît. Nochdenne wie kleine ez sî, ez muoz abe; allez, daz die zît rüeret, daz muoz abe. Daz ander: si scheidet abe von hie. Hie, daz ist alse vil gesprochen als stat. Diu stat, dâ ich stân, diu ist gar kleine. Wie kleine ez ist, ez muoz doch abe, sol man got sehen.

There is a power in the soul: intellect, first of all, when the soul becomes aware of God or tastes him; this has five properties in itself. The first is that it separates itself from here and now. The second, that it is like nothing. The third, that it is pure and unmixed. The fourth, that it is working or seeking within itself. The fifth, that it is an image.

The first is that it separates itself from here and from now. Here and now signifies as much as time and place. Now, that is the very least of time; it is neither a piece of time nor a part of time: it is indeed a taste of time and is a kindred of time and an end of time. Nevertheless, however little it is, it must depart; everything that time touches must depart. The second: it separates itself from here. Here, that is spoken as much as place. The place where I stand, that is very little. However little it is, it must nevertheless depart, if one is to see God.

Daz ander, daz si nihte gelîch ist. Ein meister sprichet: got ist ein wesen, dem niht gelîch ist noch niht gelîch mac werden. Nû sprichet sant Johannes ‘wir sullen gotes kinder geheizen werden.’ Süllen wir der gotes kinder sîn, sô müezen wir ime gelîch sîn. Wie sprichet denne der meister? Got ist ein wesen, deme niht gelîch ist. Daz verstânt alsô. In dem, daz disiu kraft nihte gelîch ist, in dem daz si nihte glîch ist, sô ist si gote gelîch. Reht als got niht gelîch ist, als ist ouch disiu kraft nihte gelîch. Wizzent, alle crêatûren die jagent unde wirkent nâtûrlich dar umbe, daz sie gote gelîch werden. Der himel lüfte niemer, enjagete oder ensuohte er niht got oder ein gelîchnisse gotes. Enwêre got niht in allen dingen, diu nâtûre enwürhte noch enbegerte nihtes an dekeime dinge; wan ez sî dir liep oder leit, dû wizzest es oder dû wizzest es niht (doch heimlich): diu nâtûre in dem innigosten diu suochet unde meinet got. Nie dekeinen menschen geturste sô sêre, der im trinken gêbe, er bege rte sîn niht und enwêre etwaz gotes dar inne niht. Diu nâtûre enmeinet weder ezzen noch trinken noch kleider noch gemach, nihtes an allen dingen und wêre gotes dar inne niht, unde suochet heimlich unde gejaget unde gnaget iemer mê nâch dem, daz si gotes dar inne vindet.

Daz dritte, daz si lûter und unvermenget ist. Gotes nâtûre ist, daz si niht gemanges lîden mac noch vermischunge. Alsô hât ouch disiu kraft dekein gemanc noch dekeine vermischunge: dâ ist niht frömedes inne noch dâ enmac niht frömedes în gevallen. Sprêche ich einem schœnen menschen, daz er bleich unde swarz wêre, ich tête im unreht. Diu sêle diu sol sîn alzemâle âne gemanc. Swer an mîne kapun iht hafte oder dar ûf iht bûwete, der die kapun züge, der züge daz der mite daz dar an haftet. Gienge ich dâ hin ûz, allez daz ûf mich gebûwen wêre daz gienge mit mir. Swar ûf der geist gebûwen und gehaftet ist, der ziuhet den geist mit im. Der mensche, der nienâ ûf gebûwen wêre, noch an niht enhaftete, der denne umbe kêrte himel und erde, der mensche blibe zemâle unbewegelich.

The second is that it is like nothing. A master says: God is a being to which nothing is like, nor can anything become like. Now Saint John says: "We shall be called God's children." If we are to be God's children, then we must be like him. How then does the master speak? God is a being to which nothing is like. Understand it thus. In that this power is like nothing, in that it is like nothing, it is like God. Just as God is like nothing, so also is this power like nothing. Know that all creatures naturally strive and work for this reason, that they become like God. Heaven would never run, if it did not pursue or seek God or a likeness of God. If God were not in all things, nature would work nothing nor desire anything in any thing; whether it is pleasing or painful to you, whether you know it or do not know it (yet secretly): nature, in its innermost, seeks and means God. No person ever thirsted so greatly that, if someone gave him drink, he would desire it if there were not something of God within it. Nature does not mean food nor drink nor clothing nor comfort, nothing in all things, if God were not within it, and secretly seeks and pursues and gnaws ever more after that which it finds of God within it.

The third is that it is pure and unmixed. It is the nature of God that it can endure no mixture nor mingling. Thus also this power has no mixture nor any mingling: there is nothing foreign within it, nor can anything foreign fall into it. If I said to a beautiful person that he were pale and black, I would do him wrong. The soul should be altogether without mixture. Whoever fastened anything onto my hood or built anything upon it, he who pulled the hood would pull that which is attached to it along with it. If I went out there, everything that had been built upon me would go with me. Whatever the spirit is built upon and fastened to, that draws the spirit with it. The human being who is built upon nowhere, nor fastened to anything, if he then turned heaven and earth around, that human being would remain altogether unmoved.

Daz vierde ist, daz si allewege inwendic suochende oder würkende ist. Got ist ein solich wesen, daz allewent wenet in dem aller innigosten. Dar umbe vernünftikeit ist alle wege sîn suohende. Aber der wille gât ûz ûf daz, daz er dâ minnet. Alsô kumet mir mîn friunt, sô grüezet sich diu minne ze mâle ûf in unde benüeget im dar an. Nû sprichet sant Paulus ‘wir sullen got bekennen, als wir von gote bekant sîn.’ Sant Johannes sprichet ‘wir sullen got bekennen alse er ist.’ Sol ich gewerwet sîn, sô muoz ich an mir hân, daz zuo der varwe hœret. Niemer mê wirde ich gewerwet, ich enhabe daz wesen der varwe an mir. Niemer mê mac ich got gesehen wan in dem selben, dâ got sich selber inne siht. Dâ von sprichet ein heilige: got wonet in einem liehte, dâ niht zuoganges ist. Nieman verzage har umbe: wan wonet wol in dem wege oder in eime zuogange, und ez ist guot: ez ist aber der wârheit verre, wan ez ist got niht.

Daz fünfte, daz ez ein bilde ist. Ejâ, nû merkent mit flîze unde gehaltent diz wol: in dem hânt ir die bredie alzemâle. Bilde unde bilde ist sô gar ein unde mit einander, daz man dekein underscheit verstân mac. Man verstât wol daz fiur âne die hitze unde die hitze âne daz fiur. Man verstât wol die sunnen âne daz lieht unde daz lieht âne die sunnen. Aber man enmac dekein underscheit verstân zwischent bilde unde bilde. Ich spriche mê: got mit sîner almehtikeit mac dekein underscheit dâ verstân, want ez wirt mit einander geborn und stirbet ouch mit einander. Sô mîn vater stirbet, dar umbe stirbe ich niht. Dâ dû es stirbt, dâ mac man niht mêre sprechen, er ist sîn sun, man sprichet wol: er was sîn sun. Machet man die want wîz, in dem daz si wîz ist sô ist si glîch aller wîzzi. Aber der sî swarz machet, sô ist si lôt aller wîzzi. Seht, alsô ist ez hie. Vergienge daz bilde, daz nâch gote gebildet ist, sô vergienge ouch daz bilde gotes. Ich wil ein wort sprechen: ir sint zwei worden, ir sint driu worden. Nû merkent mich rehte. Vernunft diu bliket în unde durbrichet alle die winkel der gotheit unde nimet den sun in dem herzen des vater und in dem grunde unde setzet in in iren grunt. Vernunft diu dringet în, ir genüeget niht an güeti noch an wîsheit noch an wârheit noch an gote selber. Jâ bî guoter wârheit, ir genüeget als wênig an gote als an einem steine oder an eime boume. Si geruowet niemer, si brichet in den grunt, dâ güete unde wârheit ûz brichet, unde nimet ez in principio, in dem beginne, dâ güeti unde wârheit ûz gânde ist, ê si ûz breche, in eime vil hœheren grunde denne güeti und wîsheit sî. Ir swester (dem wille) der genüeget wol an gote, als er guot ist. Aber diu vernunft diu scheidet diz allez abe unde gêt în unde durbrichet in die wurzellen, dâ der sun ûz quillet unde der heilige geist ûz blüegende ist. Daz wir diz begrîfen und êweklîche sêlic werden, des helfe uns der vater unde der sun unde der heilige geist. Âmen.

The fourth is that it is always inwardly seeking or working. God is such a being that he dwells always in the very innermost. Therefore intellect is always his seeker. But the will goes out toward that which it loves. Thus my friend comes to me, then love pours itself altogether upon him and is satisfied in him. Now Saint Paul says: we shall know God as we are known by God. Saint John says: "We shall know God as he is." If I am to be dyed, then I must have in me that which belongs to the color. Never shall I be dyed unless I have the being of the color in me. Never can I see God except in that same in which God sees himself. Therefore a saint says: God dwells in a light where there is no access. Let no one despair because of this: for one may well dwell in the way or in an access, and it is good; but it is far from the truth, for it is not God.

The fifth is that it is an image. Ah, now observe carefully and hold this well: in this you have the sermon altogether. Image and image are so completely one and with one another that one can understand no distinction. One can well understand fire without the heat and the heat without the fire. One can well understand the sun without the light and the light without the sun. But one cannot understand any distinction between image and image. I say more: God, with his almightiness, can understand no distinction there, for it is born together and also dies together. When my father dies, therefore I do not die. Where it dies, there one can no longer say, "He is his son"; one may well say, "He was his son." If one makes the wall white, in that it is white, it is like all whiteness. But when one makes it black, then it is dead to all whiteness. Behold, thus it is here. If the image that is formed according to God were to perish, then the image of God would also perish. I wish to speak a word: it has become two words, it has become three. Now understand me rightly. Intellect looks inward and breaks through all the corners of the Godhead and takes the Son in the heart of the Father and in the ground and sets him in its own ground. Intellect penetrates inward; it is not satisfied with goodness nor with wisdom nor with truth nor even with God himself. Yes, by good truth, it is as little satisfied with God as with a stone or a tree. It never rests; it breaks through into the ground where goodness and truth break forth, and takes it in principio, in the beginning, where goodness and truth are going forth, before they break forth, in a much higher ground than goodness and wisdom are. Its sister, the will, is well satisfied with God as he is good. But intellect separates all this away and goes inward and breaks through into the roots, where the Son wells forth and the Holy Spirit blossoms forth. May the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit help us to comprehend this and become blessed forever. Amen.