Sermon 43 — Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness

Pfeiffer Sermon 43Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Beati, qui esuriunt et sitiunt justitiam etc. (Matth. V, 6.) und Qui sequitur justitiam, diligetur a domino (Prov. XXI, 21.).

Ich hân ein wortelîn genomen von der epistel, die man hiute liset von zwein heiligen, und ein ander wort von dem êwangeliô. Künic Salomôn sprichet hiute in der epistel 'die der gerehtekeit nâch volgent, die minnet got'. Ein ander wortlî sprichet mîn herre sant Matthêus 'sêlic sint die armen unde die dâ hungert und türstet nâch der gerehtekeit unde der nâch volgent.' Merkent diz wort. Got minnet und ist mir gar ein grôz lôn und alse grôz, ob wir des begeren solten, als ich mê gesprochen hân, daz mich got minnet. Waz minnet got? Got minnet niht wan sich selber und als vil er sîn gelîch vindet in mir unde mich in ime. In dem buoche der wîsheit stêt geschrieben got der enminnet nieman, wan der dâ wonet in der wîsheit.' Ein ander wort stêt ouch in der geschrift, daz ist noch bezzer 'got minnet die nâch volgent der gerehtekeit unde der wîsheit.' Die meister koment des alle über ein, daz gotes wîsheit ist sîn einborner sun. Diz wort sprichet: die nâch volgent der gerehtekeit unde der wîsheit, unde dar umbe, die im nâch volgent, die minnet er, wan er niht in uns minnet dan als vil als er uns in im vindet. Ez ist verre von einander: gotes minne unde daz wir minnen. Wir minnen niht mê dan als vil als wir got vinden in dem, daz wir minnen. Und hête ich ez gesworn, ich künde niht geminnen dan güete. Aber got minnet als vil als er guot ist, niht daz er iht vinde in dem menschen daz er minne dan sîn eigen güete, und als vil als wir in ime sîn und in sîner minne, daz ist geben: daz git uns sîne minne, daz wir in im sîn unde wonen in der wîsheit.

Sant Paulus sprichet wir werden überworfen in der minne. Merkent diz wort: got minnet. Ein wunder. Waz ist gotes minne? Sîn nâtûre unde sîn wesen daz ist sîn minne. Der gote daz benême, daz er uns minnet, der benême im sîn wesen unde sîne gotheit, wan sîn wesen swebet dar an, daz er mich minnet. Und in dirre wise sô gêt ûz der heilige geist. Got segen! waz wunders ist diz? Minnet mich got mit aller sîner nâtûre (wan diu hanget hie ane), sô minnet mich got rehte, als sîn gewerden unde sîn wesen dar an hange. Got hât niht dan ein minne: mit der selben minne, dâ der vater sînen einbornen sun mit minnet, dâ mite minnet er mich.

Beati, qui esuriunt et sitiunt justitiam etc. (Matth. V, 6.) und Qui sequitur justitiam, diligetur a domino (Prov. XXI, 21.).

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness," etc. (Matthew 5:6), and "Whoever follows righteousness shall be loved by the Lord" (Proverbs 21:21). I have taken a little word from the epistle that is read today concerning two saints, and another little word from the Gospel. King Solomon says today in the epistle: "Those who follow after righteousness, those God loves." Another little word says my lord Saint Matthew: "Blessed are the poor and those who hunger and thirst after righteousness and follow after it." Mark this word. God loves, and that is to me a very great reward and as great as if we should desire it, as I have often said, that God loves me. What does God love? God loves nothing but himself, and insofar as he finds his likeness in me and me in him. In the Book of Wisdom it is written: "God loves no one except him who dwells in wisdom." Another word also stands in Scripture, which is even better: "God loves those who follow after righteousness and wisdom." The masters agree altogether on this, that God's wisdom is his only-begotten Son. This word says: those who follow after righteousness and wisdom, and therefore those who follow after him, he loves, for he loves nothing in us except insofar as he finds us in him. It is far from one another: God's love and that we love. We love no more than insofar as we find God in that which we love. And if I had sworn it, I could not love anything but goodness. But God loves as much as he is good, not that he finds anything in the human being which he loves except his own goodness, and insofar as we are in him and in his love, that is gift: his love gives us that we are in him and dwell in wisdom.

Saint Paul says we shall be overwhelmed in love. Mark this word: God loves. A wonder. What is God's love? His nature and his being, that is his love. Whoever were to take from God that he loves us, would take from him his being and his Godhead, for his being hangs upon this, that he loves me. And in this way the Holy Spirit goes forth. God bless! What a wonder this is! Does God love me with all his nature (for that hangs upon this), then God loves me truly, just as his becoming and his being hang upon it. God has only one love: with the same love with which the Father loves his only-begotten Son, with that he loves me.

Nû ein ander sin. Merkent gar ebene, der geschrift ist gar rehte, der si enteket unde si entblœzen wil. Er sprichet 'die nâch volgent der gerehtikeit in der wîsheit.' Dem gerehten menschen ist sô nôt zuo der gerehtekeit, daz er niht anders kan geminnen denne gerehtekeit. Wêre got niht gereht (als ich mê gesprochen hân), er ahtete niht ûf got. Wîsheit unde gerehtekeit ist ein in gote, unde der dâ minnet die wârheit, der minnet ouch die gerehtekeit, und wêre der tievel gereht, er minnete in al vil als er gereht wêre, und niht eins hâres mêr. Der gerehte mensche der minnet niht an gote weder diz noch daz, unde gêbe im got alle sîne wîsheit und allez, daz er geleisten mac ûzer ime, er enahte sîn niht und ensmakete im niht, wan er enwil niht noch ensuochet niht, wan er enhât enkein warumbe, dar umbe er iht tüeje. Alsô als got wirket sunder warumbe und enkein warumbe hât, in der wise alse got wirket als wirket ouch der gerehte sunder warumbe; und alsô alse daz leben lebet umbe sich selber unde suochet enkein warumbe, dar umbe ez lebe, alsô enhât ouch der gerehte enkein warumbe, dar umbe er iht tüeje.

Nû merkent diz wortelîn, daz er sprichet 'sie hungert unde türstet nâch der gerehtekeit.' Unser herre sprichet 'die mich ezzent, die sol hungeren; die mich trinkent, die sol noch mê turstende werden.' Wie sol man diz verstân? Wan des ist an lîplichen dingen niht: sô man der ie mê izzet, sô man der ie seter wirt. Aber an geistlichen dingen ist enkein seti: wan ie mê man ir hât, ie mê man ir gelustet. Dar umbe sprichet diz wort: sie sol noch mê turstende werden, die mich trinkent, unde hungrende, die mich ezzent. Dise die hungert sô sêre nâch dem willen gotes unde smaket in der sô wol, daz allez daz, daz got über sie verhenget, daz ist in sô genüeglich unde behaget in sô wol, daz sie niht anders möhtin gewellen noch begeren. Die wîle den menschen hungert, die wîle smaket ime diu spîse; unde ie daz der hunger grœzer ist, ie genübteclîcher ime ist, daz er ezze. Alsô ist den, die dâ hungeret nâch gerehtekeit unde nâch dem willen gotes: den smaket sô wol sîn wille und allez daz daz got wil, unt daz er über sie verhenget daz behaget in sô wol, unde wolte sie joch got es erlâzen, sie enwolten sîn niht erlâzen sîn. Alsô wol gevallet in der êrste wille gotes. Wolte ich mich einem menschen lieben unde wolte dem alleine behagen, allez, daz dem menschen behegelich wêre unde ime wol geviele, daz wolte ich lieber dan kein dinc. Und wêre, daz ich im baz geviele in einem bœsen kleide dan in einem semîte, des enist kein zwîvel, ich trüege daz kleit lieber denne kein ander kleit. Alsô ist dem, dem gotes wille behaget: allez daz, daz im got git, ez sî siechtage oder armuot oder swaz ez ist, daz hât er lieber dan ein anderz, wan ez got wil. Dar umbe smaket ez im baz dan iht anders.

Now another meaning. Observe very carefully: the Scripture is quite right for whoever uncovers it and wishes to strip it bare. It says: "Those who follow after righteousness in wisdom." To the righteous human being righteousness is so necessary that he can love nothing other than righteousness. If God were not righteous (as I have said before), he would pay no attention to God. Wisdom and righteousness are one in God, and whoever loves truth also loves righteousness, and if the devil were righteous, he would love him altogether as much as he were righteous, and not a hair more. The righteous human being loves neither this nor that in God, and if God were to give him all his wisdom and all that he can accomplish outside himself, he would pay no heed to it and would have no taste for it, for he neither wills nor seeks anything, because he has no why for which he should do anything. Just as God works without a why and has no why, in that way, just as God works, so also the righteous works without a why; and just as life lives for itself and seeks no why for which it lives, so also the righteous has no why for which he does anything.

Now mark this little word, where he says: "They hunger and thirst after righteousness." Our Lord says: "Those who eat me shall hunger; those who drink me shall thirst still more." How should one understand this? For it is not so in bodily things: the more one eats of them, the more satisfied one becomes. But in spiritual things there is no satiety: for the more one has of them, the more one desires them. Therefore this word says: they shall thirst still more, those who drink me, and hunger, those who eat me. Those who hunger so greatly after the will of God and taste it so well that everything that God sends upon them is so satisfying to them and pleases them so well that they could not will or desire anything else. As long as the human being hungers, so long the food tastes good to him; and the greater the hunger is, the more satisfying it is to him that he eats. So it is with those who hunger after righteousness and after the will of God: his will and everything that God wills tastes so good to them, and what he sends upon them pleases them so well, and even if God wanted to release them from it, they would not want to be released from it. Thus God's will is very pleasing to them in the first place. If I wanted to endear myself to a person and wanted to please that one alone, everything that would be pleasing to that person and would please him well, I would love more than any thing. And if it were that I pleased him better in a bad garment than in silk, there is no doubt I would wear that garment more gladly than any other garment. So it is with him to whom God's will is pleasing: everything that God gives him, whether it be sickness or poverty or whatever it is, he has that more gladly than another, because God wills it. Therefore it tastes better to him than anything else.

Nû sprechent ir gerne: waz weiz ich, ob ez gotes wille ist? Ich spriche, unde wêre ez gotes wille niht, in eime ougenblicke sô enwêre ez niht: ez muoz iemer sîn wille sîn. Smakte dir nû der wille gotes, sô wêrist dù rehte als in eime himelrîche, swaz dir geschêhe oder niht geschêhe, wan den geschihet gar rehte, die iht anders gerent dan gotes willen; wan sie sint alwegent in jâmer und in unsêlden, wan tuot in dicke gewalt und unreht unde sie hânt alwege leit. Und ez sol ouch von rehte alsô sîn. Sie tuont rehte als sie got verkoufen, als Judas in verkoufte. Sie minnent got umbe anders iht daz got niht ist. Und eht in wirt, daz sie dâ minnent, sô enruochent sie umb got niht, ez sî andâht oder lust oder swaz dir wol kêmi: ez enist allez got niht swaz dâ geschaffen ist.

Ein schrift sprichet 'diu welt ist gemachet dur in unde daz dâ gemachet ist, daz bekande sîn niht.' Swer des wânde, daz tûsent welte, mit gote genomen, iht mê genomen wêre denne got alleine, der bekande got niht noch enwisti ein hâr niht, waz got wêre, unde wêre ein gebûre. Dar umbe ensol der mensche nihtes niht ahten mit gote. Swer noch iht suochet an gote, als ich mê gesprochen hân, der enweiz niht, waz er suochet.

Now you gladly say: "What do I know whether it is God's will?" I say, and if it were not God's will, in a moment it would not be: it must always be his will. If God's will now tasted good to you, then you would truly be as in a heavenly kingdom, whatever happened to you or did not happen to you, for those who desire anything other than God's will are dealt with altogether rightly; for they are always in misery and unhappiness, for violence and injustice often happen to them and they always have suffering. And rightly it should also be so. They act as though they were selling God, as Judas sold him. They love God for something else which God is not. And when what they love happens to them, they care nothing about God, whether it be devotion or pleasure or whatever might come well to you: it is all not God, whatever is created there.

A Scripture says: "The world was made through him, and that which was made there did not know him." Whoever thought that a thousand worlds, taken together with God, would be something more than God alone, that one knew God neither and did not know a hair of what God was, and would be a peasant. Therefore the human being should esteem nothing together with God. Whoever still seeks anything in God, as I have said before, does not know what he seeks.

Alsus sô wirt der sun in uns geborn, daz wir sîn sunder warumbe unde werden wider în geborn in dem sune. Orienes der schribet gar ein edel wort unde sprêche ich ez, ez diuhte iuch ungeloubelich: niht alleine werden wir în geborn in dem sune, wir werden ûz geborn unde wider în geborn unde werden niuwe geborn und âne mitel geborn in dem sune. Ich spriche, und ez ist wâr: in eime iegellîchen guoten gedanken oder guoter meinunge oder guotem werke werden wir alle zit niuwe geborn in gote. Dar umbe, als ich hân niuweliche gesprochen: der vater hât niht dan ein einigen sun, und als vil als wir minre haben meinunge oder ahtunge ûf ihtes iht anders denne ûffe got, und alse vil alse wir an nihte ûz luogen, alsô vil werden wir überbildet in dem sune und alsô vil wirt der sun in uns geborn unde wir werden geborn in dem sune unde werden ein sun. Unser herre Jêsus Kristus der ist ein einic sun des vater und er alleine ist mensche unde got. Sô enist dâ niht dan ein sun in eime wesenne, unde daz ist gotlich wesen. Alsô werden wir ein in ime, ob wir niht denne in meinen. Got der wil iemer alleine sîn, daz ist ein nôtwârheit, und ez enmac niht anders sîn denne daz man iemer got alleine meinen muoz.

Got der hât wol genüegde unde lust gegozzen in die crêatûre, aber diu wurzele aller genüegde unde daz wesen aller lust daz hât got alleine in im selber behalten. Ein glîchnisse. Daz fiur daz wirfet wol sîne wurzele ûz in daz wazzer mit der hitze, und alse man daz fiur abe tuot, sô blibet dâ wol eine wîle diu wermi in dem wazzer und ouch in dem holze, nâch gegenwertikeit des fiures sô belibet dâ alsô lange diu hitze, alse kreftic daz fiur gewesen ist. Aber diu sunne erliuhtet wol den luft unde durliuhtet in: si wirfet aber ir wurzelle niht dar în, wan swenne diu sunne niht mê gegenwertig ist, sô hân wir ouch niht mê liehtes. Alsô tuot got mit den crêatûren: er wirfet schîn der genüegde in die crêatûren, aber die wurzele aller genüegde die hât er alleine in im selben behalten, dar umbe, daz er uns alleine zuo im haben wil unde ze nieman anders. Got der smuket und erbiutet sich alsô entgegen der sêle unde hât sich mit aller sîner gotheit des geflizzen, daz er der sêle behegelich werde, wan got der wil alleine der sêle behagen und er enwil enkeinen glîchen haben. Got der enlîdet enkein getrenge, er wil ouch niht, daz man iht anders ûzer ime meine oder begere.

Thus the Son is born in us, that we are without a why and are born again into the Son. Origen writes a very noble word, and if I say it, it would seem unbelievable to you: not only are we born into the Son, we are born out and born again in and are newly born and born without means in the Son. I say, and it is true: in every good thought or good intention or good work we are always newly born in God. Therefore, as I have recently said: the Father has only one single Son, and insofar as we have less intention or attention toward anything else than toward God, and insofar as we look out upon nothing, so much are we formed again into the Son, and so much is the Son born in us, and we are born in the Son and become one Son. Our Lord Jesus Christ is one only Son of the Father, and he alone is human and God. Thus there is only one Son in one being, and that is divine being. Thus we become one in him, if we mean nothing but him. God wishes always to be alone; that is a necessary truth, and it cannot be otherwise than that one must always mean God alone.

God has indeed poured satisfaction and pleasure into the creature, but the root of all satisfaction and the being of all pleasure God alone has kept in himself. A likeness: fire indeed casts its root into the water with its heat, and when one removes the fire, the warmth remains there for a while in the water and also in the wood; according to the presence of the fire, the heat remains there as long as the fire has been powerful. But the sun indeed illumines the air and shines through it; yet it does not cast its root into it, for when the sun is no longer present, then we have no more light. Thus God does with creatures: he casts the appearance of satisfaction into creatures, but the root of all satisfaction he alone has kept in himself, because he wishes to have us alone to himself and to no one else. God adorns and offers himself thus toward the soul and has busied himself with all his Godhead that he may become pleasing to the soul, for God wishes alone to please the soul and does not wish to have any equal. God endures no crowding; he also does not wish that one should mean or desire anything else outside him.

Nû wênent etlîche liute, daz sie gar heilic sîn unde gar vollekomen unde nement sich an grôzer dingen unde grôzer worten unde meinent unde begerent ouch vil unde wellent ouch sie vil hân unde hânt sô vil sehens ûfle sich und ûf diz und ûf daz unde sie meinent, sie wellen andâht hân, unde sie enkunnent niht ein wort vertragen. Sint des gewis wêrliche, daz sie gote verre sint und ûzer diser einunge. Der prophête sprichet 'ich hân mîne sêle ûz gegozzen in mir, und sprichet sant Augustînus ein bezzer wort, er sprichet: ich hân mîne sêle ûz gegozzen über mich: daz muoz von nôt sîn, daz si über mich komen muoz, sol si ein werden in dem sune; und alsô vil mê, alse si ir selbes ûz gêt, alse vil wirt si ein mit dem sune. Sant Paulus sprichet 'wir sülen überformieret werden in daz selbe bilde, daz er ist.

Ein geschrift sprichet: diu tugent enist niemer ein tugent, si kome dan von gote oder durch got oder in gote. Der drier muoz iemer einez sîn. Ob si joch wol anders wêri, sô enwêri ez doch niht ein tugent, wan swaz man meinet âne got, daz ist ze kleine. Diu tugent ist got oder âne mitel in gote. Welez aber daz beste sî, des enwil ich iu nû niht sagen. Nû möhtint ir sprechen: sagent, herre, waz ist diz? wie möhtin wir âne mitel gesîn in gote, daz wir niht anders meinen noch suochen denne got, unde wie solten wir alsus arm gesîn und alliu dinc alsus lâzen? daz ist gar ein swêriu rede, daz wir niht lônes begeren solten. Sint des gewis, daz got des niht enlât, er gebe uns al; unde hête er sîn gesworn, er künde sîn doch niht gelâzen, er müeze uns geben. Im ist vil nœter, daz er uns gebe, dan uns ze nemende; aber wir sullen es niht meinen: wan ie minre wir es meinen oder geren, ie mê got git. Dâ mite meinet got niht anders denne daz wir deste rîcher werden unde deste mê enpfâhen mügen.

Now some people think that they are very holy and very perfect and undertake great things and great words and think and desire much and also wish to have much, and have so much seeing upon themselves and upon this and upon that, and they think they wish to have devotion, and they cannot endure a single word. Be truly certain that they are far from God and outside this union. The prophet says: "I have poured out my soul within me," and Saint Augustine says a better word, he says: "I have poured out my soul over myself." That must necessarily be, that it must rise over me, if it is to become one in the Son; and insofar as it goes out of itself, so much does it become one with the Son. Saint Paul says: "We shall be transformed into the same image that he is."

A Scripture says: "Virtue is never a virtue unless it comes from God or through God or in God." Of the three, one must always be. Even if it were otherwise good, it would nevertheless not be a virtue, for whatever one means without God, that is too little. Virtue is God or without means in God. Which of the two is the best, I will not tell you now. Now you might say: "Tell us, sir, what is this? How might we be without means in God, so that we mean and seek nothing other than God, and how should we be so poor and leave all things thus? It is a very difficult saying that we should not desire reward." Be certain that God does not leave that undone; he gives us all. And if he had sworn it, he could not leave it undone, he must give it to us. It is much more necessary for him to give us than for us to receive; but we should not mean it: for the less we mean or desire it, the more God gives. By this God means nothing other than that we become all the richer and can receive all the more.

Ich pflige etwenne ein wortelîn ze sprechene, alse ich beten sol, sô spriche ich: herre, diz ist sô kleine, daz wir dich biten, der mich sîn bête, ich tête ez im, unde füeget dir hundertwerbe baz dan mir, und dù têtest ez ouch gerner; unde wêre daz, daz wir dich iht grœzers bêtin, ez füegete dir wol ze gebende; unde sô ez ie grœzer ist, sô dù ez ie gerner gibest, wan got der ist bereit grôziu dinc ze gebenne und künden wir alliu dinc gelâzen in der gerehtekeit. Daz wir alsus nâch volgen der gerehtekeit in der wîsheit unde nâch ir hungern unde türsten, daz wir gesetet werden, des helf uns got. Âmen.

I am accustomed sometimes to say a little word when I am to pray, I say: "Lord, what we ask you is so little; if someone asked it of me, I would do it for him, and it would suit you a hundred times better than me, and you would also do it more gladly; and if it were that we asked you for something greater, it would suit you well to give it; and the greater it is, the more gladly you give it, for God is ready to give great things, if we could leave all things in righteousness." May God help us to follow after righteousness in wisdom and to hunger and thirst after it, so that we may be satisfied. Amen.