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Sermon 65 — The righteous shall live forever, and their reward is with the Lord

Pfeiffer Sermon 65Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)
English Translation
Justi autem in perpetuum vivent et apud dominum est merces eorum (Sap. IV, 19.).

‘Die gerehten süllent leben êweclîche und ir lôn ist bî gote.’ Nû merkent disen sin gar eben; alleine er grob liute unde gemeine, sô ist er doch gar merklich unde gar guot. ‘Die gerehten süllent leben.’ Welhez sint die gerehten? Ein geschrift sprichet: der ist gereht, der eim iegelîchen gît daz sîn ist. Alsô sint diz die gerehten, die dâ gote gebent daz sîn ist unde den heiligen unde den engeln daz ir ist unde dem ebenmenschen daz sîn ist. Gotes ist diu êre. Wer sint, die got êrent? Die ir selbes alzemâle sint ûz gegangen unde des iren alzemâle niht suochent an dekeinen dingen, swaz ez joch sî, grôz noch klein, die niht suochent weder under sich noch über sich noch nebent sich, die niht enmeinent noch guot noch êre noch gemach noch lust noch innekeit noch heilikeit noch lôn noch himelrîche. Und dise sint ûz gegangen alles des iren, der liute hât got êre unde die êrent got eigenlîche unde gebent im daz sîn ist.

Man sol geben den heiligen unde den engeln fröude. Eyâ, wunder über allez wunder! Mag ein mensche in disem lebenne fröude geben den, die in dem êwigen lebenne sint? Jâ, wêrlîche! ein iegelîch heilige hât sô grôzen lust unde sô unsprechlîche vröude von eime iegelîchen guoten werke, von einem guoten willen oder einer begerunge, daz ez ein wunder ze sagenne wêre und ungelouplich; jâ, sie habent hie von sô grôze vröude, daz ez kein munt ûz sprechen kan noch kein herze erdenken, als ich gesprochen habe. War umbe ist daz? Dâ minnent si got als unmêzlîchen sêre unde habent in sô rehte liep, daz sîn êre in lieber ist denne ir sêlekeit. Niht alleine die heiligen unde die engel, mêr: got selber hât sô grôzen lust dar abe, reht als ob ez sîn sêlekeit sî unde sîn wesen swebe dar an unde sîn genüegede unde sîn wollust. Eyâ, nû merkent! Enwolten wir gote niht dienen umbe kein ander sache wan umbe die grôzen vröude, die sie dar an habent, die in dem êwigen lebenne sint, unde got selber, wir möhten ez gerne tuon unde mit allem flîze. Man möhte ouch den geben, die in dem vegefiure sint, hilfe, unde bezzerunge den, die noch lebent.

Justi autem in perpetuum vivent et apud dominum est merces eorum (Sap. IV, 19.).

“The righteous shall live forever, and their reward is with God.” Now take very careful note of this meaning. Although it sounds coarse and commonplace, it is nevertheless very noteworthy and very good. “The righteous shall live.” Who are the righteous? A text says: he is righteous who gives to each what belongs to him. Thus the righteous are those who give to God what belongs to God, to the saints and the angels what belongs to them, and to their fellow human being what belongs to him. Honor belongs to God. Who are those who honor God? Those who have wholly gone out of themselves and seek absolutely nothing of their own in any thing whatsoever, whether great or small; who seek nothing beneath themselves or above themselves or beside themselves; who intend neither good nor honor nor comfort nor pleasure nor inwardness nor holiness nor reward nor the kingdom of heaven. These have gone out of everything that is their own. From such people God has honor, and they properly honor God and give him what belongs to him.

One should give joy to the saints and the angels. Ah, wonder above every wonder! Can a human being in this life give joy to those who are in eternal life? Yes, truly! Every saint has such great delight and such unspeakable joy in every good work, in every good will or desire, that it would be a wonder to tell and unbelievable; indeed, they have such great joy from it that no mouth can speak it forth and no heart conceive it, as I have said. Why is this? There they love God so immeasurably and hold him so truly dear that his honor is dearer to them than their own blessedness. And not only the saints and the angels: God himself takes such great delight in it, just as though it were his blessedness and as though his being hinged upon it, together with his contentment and his delight. Ah, now take note! Even if we did not wish to serve God for any other reason than for the great joy that those who are in eternal life—and God himself—have in it, we might gladly do so and with all diligence. One may also give help to those who are in purgatory, and betterment to those who are still living.

Der mensche ist gereht in einer wîs, und in einem anderen sinne sô sint die gereht, die alliu dinc gelîch enpfâhent von gote swaz ez joch sî, grôz oder klein, liep oder leit, allez gelîch, minre noch mêr, einz als daz ander. Wigestû daz ein iht mêr denne daz ander, sô ist im unreht. Dû solt dînes eigen willen alzemâle sîn ûz gegangen.

Ich gedâhte niuwelîche umb ein dinc: wölte got niht als ich, sô wölte ich doch als er. Sumlîche liute wellent ir willen hân an allen dingen; daz ist bœse, dar în vellet gebreste. Die andern sint ein wênec bezzer, die wellent wol, waz got wil, unde wider sînen willen sô wellent sie niht; wêren sie aber siech, sô wölten sie wol, daz ez gotes wille wêre, daz sie gesund wêren. Alsô wölten dise liute, daz got nâch ir willen wêre, lieber denne sie nâch sînem willen. Man muoz ez vertragen, im ist aber unreht. Die gerehten hânt zemâle keinen willen: waz got wil, daz ist in alzemâle gelîch, swie grôz der ungemach sî.

The human being is righteous in one way; and in another sense the righteous are those who receive all things equally from God, whatever they may be, great or small, dear or painful, all alike, neither less nor more, one just as the other. If you weigh one thing at all more than another, there is unrighteousness in you. You should have wholly gone out of your own will.

I was thinking recently about one thing: if God did not will as I do, I would nevertheless will as he does. Some people wish to have their own will in all things; that is evil, and defect lies in it. Others are a little better: they willingly desire what God wills and wish nothing contrary to his will; but if they were sick, they would gladly wish that it were God’s will that they should be healthy. Thus these people would rather that God’s will accord with their will than that they accord with his will. One may put up with this, but there is unrighteousness in it. The righteous have altogether no will of their own: whatever God wills is wholly equal to them, however great the hardship may be.

Den gerehten menschen den ist alsô ernst zuo der gerehtekeit, wêre, daz got niht gereht wêre, sie enahteten ein bône niht ûf got, jâ sie stênt alsô vaste in der gerehtekeit unde sint ir selbes alsô gar ûz gegangen, daz sie noch pîne der helle ahtent noch fröude des himels noch keines dinges. Jâ wêre alliu diu pîne, die dâ hânt die in der helle sint, oder alliu diu pîne, diu ûf ertrîche ie geliten wart oder iemer sol werden geliten, wêre diu gesetzet bî der gerehtekeit, sie enahteten sîn niht umb einen bast, sô vaste stênt sie an gote und an der gerehtekeit. Dem gerehten menschen ist niht pînlicher noch swêrre denne daz der gerehtekeit wider ist, daz ez in allen gelîch ist. Alse wie? Mag sie ein dinc fröuwen und ein anderz betrüeben, sô ensint sie niht gereht, mêr: sint sie ze einer zît frô unde ze der andern minner oder niht, sô ist im unreht. Wan swer die gerehtekeit minnet, der stêt sô vaste dar ûf, swaz er minnet daz ist sîn wesen, dem enmac dekein dinc abe ziehen noch keines dinges ahtet er anders. Sant Augustînus sprichet: dâ diu sêle minnet, dâ ist si eigenlîcher denne dâ si leben gît. Daz wort lûtet grob unde gemeine, unde verstêt doch wênec ieman, wie im sî, und ist doch wâr. Swer underscheit verstêt von gerehtekeit unde von gerehten, der verstêt allez, daz ich sage: ‘die gerehten süllent leben.’

Ez ist kein dinc sô liep noch sô begirlich alse leben under allen dingen. Sô ist kein leben sô bœse noch sô swêrlich, ein mensche welle dannoch leben. Ein geschrift diu sprichet: ie daz dinc dem tôde nâher ist, sô ez ie pînlîcher ist. Nochdenne swie bœse daz leben ist, sô wil ez leben. War umbe izzest dû? War umbe slâfest dû? Umbe daz dû lebest. War umbe begerst dû guotes oder êren? Daz weist dû harte wol. Mêr: war umbe lebest dû? Umbe leben, unde enweist dannoch niht, war umbe dû lebest. Sô begirlich ist daz leben in ime selber, daz man ez umbe sich selber begert. Die in der helle sint in êwiger pîne, die wölten niht ir leben verliesen noch viende noch sêle, wan ir leben daz ist sô edel, daz ez sunder alle mitel fliuzet von gote in sie. Dar umbe wellent sie leben. Waz ist leben? Gotes wesen ist mîn leben. Ist mîn leben gotes wesen, sô muoz daz gotes sîn mîn sîn unde gotes istikeit mîn istikeit, weder minner noch mêr. Sie lebent êweclîch bî gote, jâ ebengelîch, noch unden noch oben. Sie würkent alliu ir werc bî gote unde got bî in. Sant Johannes sprichet ‘daz wort was bî gote.’ Ez was alzemâle gelîch unde bî nebent, noch undenân noch obenân, sunder gelîch.

The righteous human beings are so earnest about righteousness that, if God were not righteous, they would not care a bean for God. Indeed, they stand so firmly in righteousness and have so completely gone out of themselves that they heed neither the pain of hell nor the joy of heaven nor any thing whatsoever. Indeed, if all the pain suffered by those who are in hell, or all the pain that has ever been suffered upon earth or ever shall be suffered, were set beside righteousness, they would not care a straw for it, so firmly do they stand in God and in righteousness. Nothing is more painful or burdensome to the righteous human being than what is contrary to righteousness: namely, not to be equal in all things. How so? If one thing can gladden them and another sadden them, then they are not righteous; indeed, if they are joyful at one time and less joyful or not joyful at another, then there is unrighteousness in them. For whoever loves righteousness stands so firmly upon it that whatever he loves is his being; no thing can draw him away from it, nor does he regard any thing otherwise. Saint Augustine says: where the soul loves, there she is more properly than where she gives life. This word sounds coarse and commonplace, and yet hardly anyone understands how it is, though it is true. Whoever understands the distinction between righteousness and the righteous understands everything that I say: “The righteous shall live.”

Among all things there is nothing so dear or so desirable as life. There is no life so evil or so burdensome that a human being does not nevertheless wish to live. A text says: the nearer a thing is to death, the more painful it is. Yet however evil life may be, it wishes to live. Why do you eat? Why do you sleep? So that you may live. Why do you desire goods or honors? That you know very well. But why do you live? For the sake of living—and yet you do not know why you live. So desirable is life in itself that one desires it for its own sake. Those who are in hell in eternal pain would not wish to lose their life, neither fiends nor souls, for their life is so noble that it flows from God into them without any means. Therefore they wish to live. What is life? God’s being is my life. If my life is God’s being, then God’s being must be my being and God’s is-ness my is-ness, neither less nor more. They live eternally with God, indeed exactly equal, neither below nor above. They work all their works with God and God with them. Saint John says: “The Word was with God.” It was altogether equal and beside him, neither beneath nor above, but equal.

Dô got den menschen beschuof, dô machte er die frouwen von des mannes sîten, dar umbe daz si ime gelîch wêre. Er machte sî niht von dem houbte noch von den füezen, daz si wêre weder frouwe noch man, sunder daz si gelîch wêre. Alsô sol diu gerehte sêle gelîch bî gote sîn unde bî nebent gote, rehte ebengelîch, noch unden noch oben.

Wer sint die alsô gelîch sint? Die niht gelîch sint die sint alleine gote gelîch. Götlîch wesen dem ist niht gelîch, in im ist noch bilde noch forme. Die sêle, die alsô gelîch sint, den git der vater gelîch und enthaltet in nihtes niht vor. Swaz der vater geleisten mac, daz git er dirre sêle gelîch, jâ obe si gelîch stêt ir selber, niht mêr dan eime andern. Ir eigen êre, ir nutz unde swaz ir ist, des ensol si niht mê begern noch ahten denne eines fremeden. Swaz iemannes ist daz sol ir wider sîn, frömde unde verre, ez sî bœse oder guot. Alliu minne dirre welte ist gebûwen ûf eigenminne. Hêtest dû die gelâzen, sô hêtestû al die welt gelâzen.

When God created the human being, he made the woman from the man’s side so that she might be equal to him. He did not make her from his head nor from his feet, so that she should be neither mistress nor vassal, but equal. Thus the righteous soul should be equal beside God and alongside God, truly equal, neither beneath nor above.

Who are those who are thus equal? Those who are like nothing are alone like God. Nothing is like divine being; in it there is neither image nor form. To the souls who are thus equal the Father gives equally and withholds absolutely nothing from them. Whatever the Father can impart, he gives equally to this soul—provided that she stands equally toward herself, no more toward herself than toward another. Her own honor, her own advantage, and whatever belongs to her she should neither desire nor esteem more than that of a stranger. Whatever belongs to anyone should be contrary to her, alien and far from her, whether it be evil or good. All love of this world is built upon self-love. If you had let that go, you would have let go the whole world.

Der vater gebirt sînen sun in der êwikeit ime selber gelîch. Daz wort was bî gote unde got was daz wort: daz selbe in der selben nâtûre. Noch spriche ich mêr: er hât in geborn in mîner sêle. Niht alleine ist si bî ime noch er bî ir gelîch, sunder er ist in ir unde gebirt der vater sînen sun in der sêle in der selben wîse, als er in in der êwikeit gebirt, unde niht anders. Er muoz ez tuon, ez sî ime liep oder leit. Der vater gebirt sînen sun âne underlâz, unde ich spriche mêr: er gebirt mich sînen sun unde den selben sun. Ich spriche mêr: er gebirt mich niht alleine sînen sun, mêr: er gebirt mich sich unde sich mich unde mich sîn wesen unde sîn nâtûre. In dem nidersten quille ich ûz in dem heiligen geiste, dâ ist ein leben und ein wesen und ein werc. Alsô waz got würket daz ist ein, dar umbe gebirt er mich sînen sun ân allen underscheit. Mîn lîplîcher vater ist niht eigenlîch mîn vater, sunder an einem kleinen stückelîn sîner nâtûre, und ich bin gescheiden von im; er mac tôt sîn und ich lebe. Dar umbe sô ist der himelische vater wârlîche mîn vater, wan ich sîn bin und allez daz von im habe daz ich habe und ich der selbe sun bin unde niht ein ander. Wan der vater ein werc würket, dar umbe würket er mich sînen sun ân allen underscheit. Ez sprichet Paulus ‘wir werden alzemâle transformieret in got unde verwandelt.’

Merk ein gelîchnüsse. Ze glîcher wîse, als an dem sacramente verwandelt wirt brôt in unsers herren lîchamen, swie vil der brôte wêre, sô wirt doch niht mê dan ein lîcham. Ze glîcher wîse wêren alliu diu brôt verwandelt in mînen vinger, sô würde doch niht mê dan ein vinger. Mêr: würde mîn vinger verwandelt in daz brôt, sô wêre diz alsô vil als jenez; wan waz in daz ander verwandelt wirt, daz wirt einz mit ime. Alsô, wirde ich verwandelt in in, daz er würket mich sîn wesen ein unde gelîch, bî dem lebentigen got, sô ist daz wâr, daz kein underscheit enist. Der vater gebirt sînen sun âne underlâz. Dâ der sun geborn ist, dâ ennimet er niht von dem vater, wan er hât ez allez: aber dâ er geborn wirt, dâ nimet er von dem vater.

The Father begets his Son in eternity equal to himself. “The Word was with God, and God was the Word”: the same in the same nature. I say still more: he has begotten him in my soul. Not only is she with him and he equally with her, but he is in her, and the Father begets his Son in the soul in the same way as he begets him in eternity, and in no other way. He must do it, whether it be pleasing or painful to him. The Father begets his Son without ceasing, and I say still more: he begets me as his Son and as the same Son. I say still more: he does not merely beget me as his Son; rather, he begets me as himself and himself as me, and me as his being and his nature. In the lowest depth I well forth in the Holy Spirit; there is one life and one being and one work. Thus whatever God works is one, and therefore he begets me as his Son without any distinction. My bodily father is not properly my father except in a little piece of his nature, and I am separate from him; he may be dead while I live. Therefore the heavenly Father is truly my Father, for I am his and whatever I have I have from him, and I am the same Son and not another. For because the Father works one work, therefore he works me as his Son without any distinction. Saint Paul says: “We shall be wholly transformed into God and changed.”

Take note of a likeness. Just as in the sacrament bread is changed into the body of our Lord, however many loaves there might be, there nevertheless comes to be no more than one body. In the same way, if all those loaves were changed into my finger, there would nevertheless be no more than one finger. But if my finger were changed into the bread, then the one would be as much as the other; for whatever is changed into another becomes one with it. Thus, if I were changed into him, so that he worked me into his being, one and equal with it—by the living God, it is true that there is no distinction. The Father begets his Son without ceasing. Where the Son has been born, there he takes nothing from the Father, for he has everything; but where he is being born, there he takes from the Father.

In disem süllen wir ouch niht begern von gote als von einem frömden. Unser herre sprach ze sînen jungern ‘ich hân iuch niht geheizen knehte sunder friunde.’ Waz iht begert von dem andern daz ist kneht; waz dâ lônet daz ist herre. Ich gedâhte niuwelîche, ob ich von gote iht nemen wölte oder begern. Ich wil mich harte wol berâten, wan dâ ich von got wêre nemende, dâ wêre ich under gote als ein kneht under sîme herren an dem gebenne. Alsô süllen wir niht sîn in dem êwigen lebenne.

Ich sprach einst alhie und ist ouch wâr: waz der mensche ûzer got ziuht oder nimet, dem ist unreht. Man ensol got niht nemen ûzer im selber noch ahten, sunder als er mîn eigen und in mir ist; noch man ensol dienen noch würken umbe kein warumbe noch umbe got noch umbe sîn êre noch umbe nihtesniht, daz ûzer ime sî, wan alleine umbe daz, daz sîn wesen unde sîn eigen leben ist in ime.

In this we too should desire nothing from God as from a stranger. Our Lord said to his disciples: “I have not called you servants, but friends.” Whoever desires something from another is a servant; whoever gives the reward is lord. I was thinking recently whether I wished to receive or desire anything from God. I must consider this very carefully, for where I were receiving from God, there I would stand beneath God as a servant beneath his lord in the giving. Thus we shall not be in eternal life.

I once said here—and it is also true: whatever the human being draws or receives outside God, there is unrighteousness in him. One should not take or regard God outside oneself, but as one’s own and as being within oneself. Nor should one serve or work for any ‘why,’ neither for God nor for his honor nor for anything whatsoever that is outside oneself, but solely for what is one’s own being and one’s own life within oneself.

Sumlîche einveltige liute die wênent, sie süllen got sehen als stande er dâ unde sie hie. Des enist niht. Got und ich wir sîn ein mit bekennen. Nime ich alsô got in mich mit minne, sô gân ich in got. Etlîche sprechent, daz sêlikeit niht lige an bekantnisse, sunder alleine an willen. Die hânt unreht; wan lêge ez alleine an willen, sô wêre ez niht ein. Daz würken unde daz werden daz ist ein. Sô der zimerman niht würket, sô würket ouch daz hûs niht. Dâ diu barte lât, dâ lât ouch daz gewerden. Got und ich wir sîn ein in dem gewürke: er würket und ich gewirde. Daz fiur verwandelt in sich swaz im zuo gefüeget wirt unde wirt sîn nâtûre. Daz holz daz verwandelt daz fiur in sich niht, mêr: daz fiur daz verwandelt daz holz in sich. Alsô werden wir in got verwandelt, daz wir in danne bekennen als er ist, sprichet sant Paulus. Alsô sullen wir in bekennende sîn, reht ich in als er mich, noch minner noch mêr, gelîch blôz. ‘Die gerehten süllent leben êweclîch und ir lôn ist bî gote’ alsô gelîch als ich geseit hân. Daz wir die gerehtekeit minnen durch sich selben unde got âne warumbe, des helf uns got. Âmen.

Some simple people imagine that they shall see God as though he stood there and they here. It is not so. God and I, we are one in knowing. If I thus take God into myself in love, then I go into God. Some say that blessedness does not lie in knowing, but only in the will. They are wrong; for if it lay only in the will, it would not be one. Working and becoming are one. When the carpenter does not work, neither does the house come to be. Where the axe lies still, becoming also lies still. God and I are one in this work: he works and I become. Fire transforms into itself whatever is added to it, and what is added becomes the fire’s nature. The wood does not transform the fire into itself; rather, the fire transforms the wood into itself. Thus we are transformed into God, so that we then know him as he is, says Saint Paul. Thus we shall be in knowing: I know him just as he knows me, neither less nor more, simply equal. “The righteous shall live forever, and their reward is with God”—equal, as I have said. That we may love righteousness for its own sake and God without a why, may God help us. Amen.