Sermon 66 — Proclaim the Word

Pfeiffer Sermon 66Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Prædica verbum (2. Tim. IV, 2.).

Ein wörtelîn liset man von mînem herren sante Dominicus unde schrîbet daz sânt Paulus unde sprichet ze diutsche alsô ‘sprich ez her ûz, sprich ez her für, bring ez her für unde gebir daz wort.’ Ez ist ein wunderlîch dinc, daz ein dinc ûz fliuzet unde doch inne belîbet. Daz daz wort ûz fliuzet unde doch inne belîbet, daz ist gar wunderlîch; daz alle crêatûre ûz fliezent unde doch inne belîbent, daz ist gar wunderlîch; daz got gegeben hât unde daz got gelobet hât ze gebenne, daz ist gar wunderlîch und ist unbegrîflîch und ungelouplich. Unde dem ist rehte, unde wêre ez begrîfenlîch und gelouplich, sô enwêre ime niht rehte. Got ist in allen dingen. Ie mêr er ist in den dingen, ie mêr ist er ûz den dingen: ie mê er inne, ie mêr er ûze ist. Ich hab ez etewenne mê gesprochen, daz got alle dise welt beschepfet nû alzemâle. Allez, daz got ie geschuof vor sehs tûsent jâren unde mêr, dô got die welt machte, die beschepfet got nû zemâle. Got ist in allen dingen, aber als got götlîch ist und als got vernünftig ist, sô ist got niendert als eigenlîch als in der sêle, und in dem engel ob dû wilt, in dem innigesten der sêle und in dem hœhsten der sêle. Unde swenne ich spriche: daz innigest, sô meine ich daz hœhste, unde swenne ich spriche: daz hœhste, sô meine ich daz innigeste. In dem innigesten und in dem hœhsten der sêle, dâ inne sint sie beide in eim. Dâ diu zît nie în enkâm, dâ nie bilde în geliuhte, in dem innigesten und in dem hœhsten der sêle schepfet got alle die welt. Allez daz got beschuof vor sehs tûsent jâren und allez daz got noch beschaffen sol über tûsent jâr, ob diu welt sô lange bestêt, daz schepfet got in dem innigesten und in dem hœhsten der sêle. Allez daz vergangen ist und allez daz künftic ist, daz schepfet got in dem innigesten der sêle. Allez daz got würket in allen heiligen, daz würket got in dem innigesten der sêle. Der vater gebirt sînen sun in dem innigesten der sêle unde gebirt dich mit sîme eingebornen sune, niht minner. Sol ich sun sîn, sô muoz ich in dem selben wesen sun sîn, dâ er sun inne ist, und in keinem andern. Sol ich ein mensche sîn, ich muoz in eines menschen wîse ein mensche sîn. Sol ich aber der mensche sîn, sô muoz ich in disem wesen der mensche sîn.

Nû sprichet sant Johannes ‘ir sint kinder gotes.’ ‘Sprich daz wort, sprich ez her ûz, sprich ez her für, bring ez her für, gebir daz wort.’ ‘Sprich ez her ûz!’ Daz von ûzen în wirt gesprochen, daz ist ein grob dinc: ez ist în gesprochen. ‘Sprich ez her ûz!’ daz ist: bevint, daz diz in dir ist. Der prophête sprichet ‘got sprach einez und ich hôrte zwei.’ Daz ist wâr: got ensprach nie dan einez. Sîn spruch ist niht wan ein. In dem spruche sprichet er sînen sun unde den heiligen geist und alle crêatûre und ist niht dan éin spruch in gote. Aber der prophête sprichet ‘ich hôrte zwei.’ Daz ist: ich verstuont got unde crêatûre. Dâ ez got sprichet, dâ ist ez got; aber hie ist ez crêatûre. Die liute wênent, daz got dort mensche sî worden. Des enist niht, wan got ist hie als wol mensche worden als dort, und umb und umbe ist er mensche worden, daz er dich gebere sînen einbornen sun, und niht minner.

Prædica verbum (2. Tim. IV, 2.).

A little word is read concerning my lord Saint Dominic, written by Saint Paul, and in German it says thus: “Speak it forth, speak it out, bring it forth, and give birth to the Word.” It is a wondrous thing that something flows forth and yet remains within. That the Word flows forth and yet remains within is very wondrous; that all creatures flow forth and yet remain within is very wondrous; what God has given and what God has promised to give is very wondrous, incomprehensible, and unbelievable. And rightly so: if it were comprehensible and believable, it would not be right for it. God is in all things. The more he is in things, the more he is outside things: the more he is within, the more he is without. I have sometimes said before that God is creating this whole world now, all at once. Everything that God ever created six thousand years ago and more, when God made the world, God creates now all at once. God is in all things; but insofar as God is divine and insofar as God is intellectual, God is nowhere so properly as in the soul—and, if you will, in the angel—in the innermost of the soul and in the highest of the soul. And when I say “the innermost,” I mean the highest; and when I say “the highest,” I mean the innermost. In the innermost and in the highest of the soul, there the two are one. There, where time never entered and no image ever shone in, in the innermost and in the highest of the soul, God creates the whole world. Everything God created six thousand years ago, and everything God shall yet create a thousand years hence, if the world endures so long, God creates in the innermost and in the highest of the soul. Everything that is past and everything that is to come, God creates in the innermost of the soul. Everything that God works in all the saints, God works in the innermost of the soul. The Father begets his Son in the innermost of the soul and begets you together with his only-begotten Son, no less. If I am to be Son, I must be Son in the same being in which he is Son, and in no other. If I am to be a human being, I must be a human being in the mode of a human being. But if I am to be the human being, I must be the human being in this being.

Now Saint John says: “You are children of God.” “Speak the Word, speak it forth, speak it out, bring it forth, give birth to the Word.” “Speak it forth!” What is spoken inward from without is a coarse thing: it is spoken inward. “Speak it forth!” means: discover that this is within you. The prophet says: “God spoke one thing, and I heard two.” This is true: God never spoke more than one. His speaking is nothing but one. In that speaking he speaks his Son and the Holy Spirit and all creatures, and there is nothing but one speaking in God. But the prophet says: “I heard two.” That is: I understood God and creature. Where God speaks it, there it is God; but here it is creature. People imagine that God became human there. It is not so, for God became human here just as truly as there; and he became human through and through so that he might beget you as his only-begotten Son, and no less.

Ich sprach gester ein wörtelîn: daz stêt in dem paternoster unde sprichet ‘dîn wille der werde.’ Mêr: ez wêre bezzer, ez werde sîn wille, denne daz mîn wille sîn wille werde. Daz ich ez werde, daz meinet daz paternoster. Daz wort hât zwêne sin. Daz êrste: slâfe vor allen dingen, daz ist, daz dû noch umbe zît noch umbe crêatûren noch umbe bilde niht enwizzest. Die meister sprechent: ein mensche, der rehte sliefe, sliefe er hundert jâr, er enweste umbe dekeine crêatûre, er enweste noch umbe zît noch umbe bilde; unde dannoch mahtû vernemen, daz got in dir würket. Dar umbe sprichet diu sêle in der minne buoche ‘ich slâfe und mîn herre wachet.’ Dar umbe, slâfen alle crêatûre in dir, sô maht dû vernemen, waz got in dir würket.

Ein wort sprichet: arbeite in allen dingen, daz hât drie sinne in im. Ez sprichet als vil als: schaf dînen frumen in allen dingen, daz ist: nim got in allen dingen, wan got ist in allen dingen. Sant Augustînus sprichet: got hât alliu dinc geschaffen, niht daz er sie lieze werden unde gienge er sînen wec, mêr: er ist in in belîben. Die liute wênent, daz sie mêr haben, sô sie diu dinc haben mit gote, dan ob sie got hêten âne diu dinc. Aber dem ist unreht, wan alliu dinc mit got enist niht mêr dan got alleine, unde swer daz wânde, der den sun hête unde den vater mit im, daz er mêr hête dan ob er den sun hête âne den vater, dem wêre unreht. Wan der vater mit dem sune enist niht mêr denne der sun alleine, noch der sun mit dem vater ist niht mêr denne der vater alleine. Dar umbe sô nim got in allen dingen, unde daz ist ein zeichen, daz er dich geborn hât sînen einbornen sun, unde niht minner.

Yesterday I spoke a little word that stands in the Paternoster and says: “Thy will be done.” But it would be better that I become his will than that my will become his will. That I become it—that is what the Paternoster means. This word has two meanings. The first is: be asleep to all things; that is, know nothing of time, nor of creatures, nor of images. The masters say: if a human being truly slept, even if he slept a hundred years, he would know nothing of any creature, nor of time, nor of image; and yet you may perceive that God is working in you. Therefore the soul says in the Book of Love: “I sleep, and my Lord watches.” Therefore, if all creatures sleep within you, you may perceive what God works within you.

A saying says: “Work in all things.” This has three meanings. It means first: find your profit in all things; that is, take God in all things, for God is in all things. Saint Augustine says: God created all things not in such a way that he let them come to be and then went his way; rather, he remains in them. People imagine that they have more when they have things together with God than if they had God without the things. But there is unrighteousness in this, for all things together with God are no more than God alone. And whoever imagined that, if he had the Son and the Father with him, he had more than if he had the Son without the Father, there would be unrighteousness in that. For the Father together with the Son is no more than the Son alone, nor is the Son together with the Father any more than the Father alone. Therefore take God in all things; and this is a sign that he has begotten you as his only-begotten Son, and no less.

Der ander sin ist: schaf dînen frumen in allen dingen, unde daz ist: minne got ob allen dingen und dînen nêhsten als dich selben, unde daz ist ein gebot von gote. Ich spriche aber, daz ez niht alleine ein gebot sî, mêr: ouch daz ez got gegeben hât unde gelobet hât ze gebenne. Unde minnest dû hundert mark mêr in dir denne in eim andern, dem ist unreht. Hâst dû einen menschen lieber denne einen andern, dem ist unreht; unde hâst dû dînen vater unde dîne muoter unde dich selber lieber dan einen andern, im ist unreht; unde hâstû die sêlikeit lieber in dir dan in eime andern, im ist unreht. ‘Got segene! waz sagent ir? sol ich die sêlikeit niht in mir lieber haben dan in eime andern?’ Ez ist vil gelêrter, die daz niht begrîfent, unde dunket sie gar swêre. Aber ez ist niht swêre, ez ist gar lîhte. Ich wil dir wîsen, daz ez niht swêre ist. Seht, diu nâtûre hât zwô meinunge, daz ein ieglîch gelit dâ würket an deme menschen. Diu êrste meinunge, die ez meinet an sînen werken, daz ist, daz ez dem lîchame zemâle diene unde dar nâch eime ieglîchen sunderlîch als ime selber, unde niht minr als ime selber, noch enmeinet sich selben niht mêr in sînen werken dan ein ander gelit. Vil mê sol ez von genâden sîn. Got sol ein regel sîn dîner minne. Diu ander meinunge: dîn minne sol blôz sîn an got und dar nâch minne dînen nêhsten alse dich selben unde niht minner dan dich selber. Unde minnestû die sêlikeit in dir mê dan in eime andern, im ist unreht. Wenne dû die sêlikeit mêr in dir minnest dan in eim andern, dâ ist got niht dîn minne blôz, unde dem ist denne unreht. Wan minnest dû die sêlikeit in sant Pêter und in sant Paulô als in dir selben, dû besitzest die selben sêlikeit, die ouch sie habent. Unde minnest dû die sêlikeit in den engeln als in dir, dû gebrûchest der selben sêlikeit als sie selbe eigenlîche: si ist dîn als eigen als ir. Dar umbe sprichet man in der wîsheit buoche ‘er hât in gelîch gemachet sînen heiligen.’

Aber daz wort: schaf dînen frumen in allen dingen, daz ist: minne got als gerne in armuot als in rîchtuome und habe in als lieb in siechthum als in gesuntheit, hab in alsô lieb in bekorunge und alsô lieb in lîden als âne lîden. Jâ ie grœzer lîden ie ringer lîden, als zwêne eimer: ie swêrer einer, ie ringer der ander, unde ie mê der mensche begibet, ie lîhter ist ime ze begeben. Ein mensche, daz got minnet, dem wêre alsô lîhte alle die welt ze begebenne als ein ei. Ie mêr er begibet, ie lîhter ist ime ze begeben, als die apostelen: sô sie ie swêrer lîden hâten, ie lîhter sie ez liten.

The second meaning is: find your profit in all things; and that means: love God above all things and your neighbor as yourself. This is a commandment of God. But I say further that it is not only a commandment; it is also something God has given and has promised to give. If you love a hundred marks more when they are yours than when they belong to another, there is unrighteousness in that. If you love one human being more than another, there is unrighteousness in that. And if you love your father and your mother and yourself more than another, there is unrighteousness in that. And if you love blessedness more in yourself than in another, there is unrighteousness in that. “God bless us! What are you saying? Am I not to love blessedness in myself more than in another?” There are many learned people who do not comprehend this, and it seems very difficult to them. But it is not difficult; it is very easy. I will show you that it is not difficult. See, nature has two intentions in what each member works in the human being. The first intention it has in its works is that it should serve the body as a whole, and thereafter each particular member as itself, no less than itself; nor does it intend itself in its works more than another member. Much more should this be so by grace. God should be the rule of your love. The other intention is this: your love should be bare toward God, and thereafter love your neighbor as yourself and no less than yourself. And if you love blessedness more in yourself than in another, there is unrighteousness in that. For when you love blessedness more in yourself than in another, God is not the bare object of your love, and therefore there is unrighteousness in that. For if you love blessedness in Saint Peter and in Saint Paul as in yourself, you possess the same blessedness that they possess. And if you love blessedness in the angels as in yourself, you enjoy the same blessedness as they themselves: it is as much your own as theirs. Therefore it is said in the Book of Wisdom: “He has made him equal to his saints.”

But the saying “find your profit in all things” also means this: love God as gladly in poverty as in riches, and hold him as dear in sickness as in health; hold him as dear in temptation and as dear in suffering as without suffering. Indeed, the greater the suffering, the lighter the suffering—as with two buckets: the heavier the one, the lighter the other. And the more the human being gives up, the easier it becomes for him to give up. For a human being who loves God, it would be as easy to give up the whole world as an egg. The more he gives up, the easier it becomes for him to give up, as with the apostles: the heavier the sufferings they had, the more easily they suffered them.

Daz dritte: arbeite in allen dingen, daz ist: swâ dû dich vindest ûf manicvaltigen dingen und anders denne ûf einem blôzen lûtern einvaltigen wesenne, daz lâz dir ein arbeit sîn; daz ist: arbeit in allen dingen füllet dînen dienst. Daz sprichet alsô vil als: heb ûf dîn houbet. Daz hât zwêne sinne. Der êrste ist: leg abe allez daz dîn ist und eigen dich gote, sô wirt got dîn eigen, als er sîn selbes eigen ist, und er ist dir got, als er ime selber got ist, unde niht minr. Waz mîn ist daz hân ich von nieman. Hân ich ez aber von eim andern, sô enist ez niht mîn, sô ist ez jenes, von dem ich ez habe. Der ander sin ist: heb ûf dîn houbet, daz ist: rihte alliu dîniu werc in got. Ez sint vil liute, die diz niht begrîfent, unde bedunket mich niht wunderlîch: wan der mensche, der diz begrîfen sol, der muoz sêre abe gescheiden sîn und erhaben über alliu disiu dinc. Daz wir komen zuo dirre vollekomenheit, des helf uns got. Amen.

The third meaning is: “Work in all things.” Wherever you find yourself among manifold things and otherwise than in one bare, pure, simple being, let that be a labor for you. That is: working in all things fulfills your service. This means as much as: lift up your head. This has two meanings. The first is: lay aside everything that is yours and make yourself God’s own; then God becomes your own, just as he is his own, and he is God to you just as he is God to himself, and no less. What is mine I have from no one. But if I have it from another, then it is not mine; it belongs to the one from whom I have it. The second meaning is: “Lift up your head”—that is, direct all your works into God. There are many people who do not comprehend this, and that does not seem strange to me; for the human being who is to comprehend this must be greatly detached and raised above all these things. That we may come to this perfection, may God help us. Amen.