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Sermon 69 — Know that the kingdom of God is near

Pfeiffer Sermon 69Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)
English Translation
Scitote, quia prope est regnum dei (Luc. XXI, 31.).

Unser lieber herre sprichet, daz daz rîche gotes uns nâhe bî ist. Jâ, daz rîche gotes ist in uns. unde sant Paulus sprichet, daz unser heil nêher bî uns ist, denne wir glouben. Nû sult ir wizzen, wie daz rîche gotes uns nâhe ist. Hie von müezen wir den sin mit vlîze merken. Wan wêre ich ein künic und enwiste des selbe niht, sô enwêre ich kein künic.

Aber hête ich ein ganz gedünken, daz ich ein künic wêre, unde meinten unde diuhte des alle menschen mit mir und ich weste für wâr, daz alle menschen daz meinden unde geloupten, sô wêre ich ein künic unde sô wêre aller der rîchtuom des küniges mîn. Und wenne mir der drîer dinge einez gebrêche, sô kunde ich kein künic gesîn. Alsô ist ouch unser sêlikeit dar an gelegen, daz man bekenne unde wizze daz hœhste guot, daz got selbe ist. Ich habe eine kraft in mîner sêle, diu gotes alzemâle enpfenclîch ist. Ich bin des sô gewis als ich lebe, daz mir kein dinc alsô nâhe ist als got. Got ist mir nâher denn ich mir selber bin, mîn wesen hanget dar an, daz mir got nâhe unde gegenwertic sî. Alsô ist er ouch eime steine unde eime holze, aber sie enwizzens niht. Wiste daz holz got und erkennete, wie nâhe er im ist, als daz der hœhste engel erkennet, daz holz wêre alsô sêlic als der hœhste engel. Unt dar umbe ist der mensche sêliger dan ein holz, daz er got bekennet unde weiz, wie nâhe ime got ist. Und alsô vil ist er mê sêlic, als er des mê bekennet, und alsô vil minr ist er sêlic, als er des minr bekennet. Niht ist er dâ von sêlic, daz got in im ist und im sô nâhe ist unt daz er got hât; aber dâ von, daz er got bekennet, wie nâhe er im ist unt daz er got wizzende unde minnende ist, und der sol bekennen, daz gotes rîche nâhe ist.

Scitote, quia prope est regnum dei (Luc. XXI, 31.).

Our dear Lord says that the kingdom of God is near to us. Indeed, the kingdom of God is within us. And Saint Paul says that our salvation is nearer to us than we believe. Now you should know how the kingdom of God is near to us. For this we must take careful note of the meaning. If I were a king and did not myself know it, then I would be no king.

But if I had the full conviction that I were a king, and all people thought and believed this together with me, and I knew for certain that all people thought and believed it, then I would be a king, and all the riches of the king would be mine. And if any one of these three things were lacking to me, I could not be a king. Thus our blessedness too depends upon our knowing and recognizing the highest good, which is God himself. I have a power in my soul that is wholly receptive of God. I am as certain as I live that no thing is so near to me as God. God is nearer to me than I am to myself. My being hinges upon this: that God is near and present to me. He is just as near to a stone and to a piece of wood, but they do not know it. If the wood knew God and recognized how near he is to it as the highest angel recognizes this, the wood would be as blessed as the highest angel. And therefore the human being is more blessed than a piece of wood because he knows God and knows how near God is to him. And he is the more blessed the more he knows this, and the less blessed the less he knows it. He is not blessed because God is in him and is so near to him and because he has God, but because he knows God, knows how near God is to him, and is knowing and loving God. And he should know that the kingdom of God is near.

Swenne ich gedenke ûf gotes rîche, daz tuot mich dicke sweigen, sîner grôzheit wegen; wan gotes rîche daz ist got selbe mit allem sînem rîchtuome. Gotes rîche ist kein kleine dinc: der alle welten bedêhte, die got machen möhte, daz ist gotes rîche niht. In welcher sêle gotes rîche erschînet unde diu gotes rîche erkennet, der darf man niht predien noch lêren: si wirt dâ von gelêret unde versichert des êwigen lebens. Der weiz und erkennet, wie nâhe ime gotes rîche ist, der mac sprechen mit Jacobe ‘got ist in dirre stat unt des enwiste ich niht.’

Got ist in allen crêatûren gelîch nâhe. Der wîse man sprichet got hât sîne netze unde stricke ûf alle crêatûren ûz gespreitet, alsô daz man in in einer iegelîchen vinden mac unde bekennen, der des war nemen wil.’ Ein meister sprichet: der bekennet got rehte, der in gelîch kennet in allen dingen; unde der gote mit vorhten dienet, daz ist guot; der im ûz minne dienet, daz ist bezzer; aber der die minne kan nemen in vorhten, daz ist aller beste. Daz ein mensche ein ruowic oder rastlich leben in gote hât, daz ist guot; daz der mensche ein pînlich leben hât mit gedult, daz ist bezzer; aber daz man denne rast habe in pînlichem lebenne, daz ist daz allerbeste. Ein mensche gê ûf dem velde unde spreche sîn gebet unde bekenne got, oder er sî in der kirchen unde bekenne got: bekennet er got mêr dar umbe, daz er in einer rastlîchen stat ist, daz kumt von sîner gebrestlîcheit, niht von gotes wegen, want got ist gelîch in allen dingen und in allen steten und ist bereit gelîch sich ze gebenne sô verre ez an im ist, unde der bekande got rehte, der in gelîch bekande.

Whenever I think of the kingdom of God, its greatness often makes me fall silent; for the kingdom of God is God himself with all his riches. The kingdom of God is no small thing. If one were to consider all the worlds that God could make, that would still not be the kingdom of God. In whatever soul the kingdom of God appears and which recognizes the kingdom of God, there is no need to preach to her or teach her: she is taught by it and assured of eternal life. Whoever knows and recognizes how near the kingdom of God is to him can say with Jacob: “God is in this place, and I did not know it.”

God is equally near in all creatures. The wise man says that God has spread his nets and snares over all creatures, so that one may find and know him in every one of them, if one wishes to take heed of it. A master says: he knows God rightly who knows him equally in all things. Whoever serves God in fear, that is good; whoever serves him out of love, that is better; but whoever can take love within fear, that is best of all. For a human being to have a restful and reposeful life in God is good; for a human being to have a painful life with patience is better; but to have rest within a painful life is best of all. A human being may go out into the field and say his prayer and know God, or he may be in church and know God. If he knows God more because he is in a peaceful place, that comes from his own deficiency, not from God; for God is equally in all things and in all places and, insofar as it lies with him, is equally ready to give himself. And that person knows God rightly who knows him equally.

Sant Bernhart sprichet: war umbe bekennet mîn ouge den himel unde niht mîn füeze? Daz ist dar umbe, wan mîn ouge gelîcher ist dem himel dan mîn füeze. Sol mîn sêle nû got bekennen, sô muoz si himelisch sîn. Waz bringet nû die sêle dar zuo, daz si got in sich erkenne unde wizze, wie nâhe ir got sî? Nû merket. Der himel enmac keinen fremden indruk enpfangen, ime mac kein pînlichiu nôt în gedrücket werden daz in entsetze. Alsô muoz diu sêle gevestet unde bestêtet sîn in gote, diu got bekennen sol, daz sich niht in si drücken müge, noch hoffenunge noch vorhte, noch vröude noch jâmer, noch liebe noch leit, noch niht, daz sî entsetzen müge.

Der himel ist ouch an allen orten gelîch verre von der erde. Alsô sol ouch diu sêle gelîch verre sîn von allen irdensichen dingen, daz sî dem einen niht nêher sî denne dem anderen, unde si sol sich gelîch halten in liebe, in leit, in haben, in enbern, swaz des ist, des sol si zemâle gestorbe, gelâzen und ûf erhaben stên. Der himel ist reine unde klâr sunder alle vlecke, den himel berüeret noch zît noch stat. Alliu lîplîchiu dinc habent dar inne keine stat. Er enist ouch niht in der zît, sîn umbelouf ist ungelouplich snelle, sîn louf ist sunder zît, aber von sîme loufe kumt diu zît. Niht enhindert die sêle sô sêre an der bekantnisse gotes als zît unde stat. Zît unde stat sint stücke unde got ist ein. Dar umbe, sol diu sêle got erkennen, sô muoz si in erkennen oben zît und oben stat; want got enist weder diz noch daz, als disiu manicvaltiu dinc: want got ist ein.

Saint Bernard says: “Why does my eye know the heavens and not my feet?” It is because my eye is more like the heavens than my feet are. If my soul is to know God, she must therefore be heavenly. What, then, brings the soul to know God within herself and to know how near God is to her? Now take note. Heaven can receive no alien impression; no painful affliction can be impressed upon it that might disturb it. Thus the soul that is to know God must be made firm and established in God, so that nothing may impress itself upon her: neither hope nor fear, neither joy nor sorrow, neither love nor suffering, nor anything that might disturb her.

Heaven is also equally distant from the earth at every point. Thus the soul too should be equally distant from all earthly things, so that she is no nearer to one than to another. She should hold herself equally in love and suffering, in having and lacking, whatever it may be. To all this she should be wholly dead, have let go, and stand raised above it. Heaven is pure and clear, without any stain. Neither time nor place touches heaven. No bodily thing has any place within it. Nor is heaven in time. Its circular movement is unbelievably swift; its course is without time, but from its course time comes. Nothing hinders the soul so greatly in the knowledge of God as time and place. Time and place are parts, and God is one. Therefore, if the soul is to know God, she must know him above time and above place; for God is neither this nor that, as these manifold things are: God is one.

Sol diu sêle got sehen, sô muoz si ûf kein dinc sehen in der zît; want die wîle diu sêle erkennet zît oder stat oder des glîches einic bilde, sô enmac si got niemer erkennen. Als daz ouge die varwe sol erkennen, sô muoz ez vor von aller varwe gescheiden sîn. Sol diu sêle got erkennen, sô muoz si mit dem nihte kein gemeine hân. Der got siht, der erkennet, daz alle crêatûre niht sint. Alse man eine crêatûre setzet gegen die andern, sô schînet si schône unt ist etwas; aber als man sî setzet gegen got, sô ist si niht.

Ich spriche mêr: sol diu sêle got erkennen, sô muoz si ouch ir selber vergezzen unde muoz sich selber verliesen; want als si sich selber siht und erkennet, sô siht noch erkennet si got niht. Als si sich durch got verliuret und alliu dinc verlât, sô vindet si sich wider in gote, wan si got erkennet, unde danne erkennet si sich selber und alliu dinc (dâ si sich von gescheiden hât) in gote vollekomelîche. Sol ich daz hœhste guot unde die êwigen guotheit erkennen, wêrlîchen, sô muoz ich sî bekennen, dâ si guot ist in sich selber, niht dâ diu guotheit geteilt ist. Sol ich daz wâr wesen bekennen, sô muoz ich ez bekennen, dâ daz wesen ist in sich selber, daz ist in gote, niht dâ ez geteilt ist in crêatûren.

If the soul is to see God, she must look upon no thing in time; for as long as the soul knows time or place or any image of that kind, she can never know God. If the eye is to know color, it must first be free of every color. If the soul is to know God, she must have nothing in common with nothing. Whoever sees God recognizes that all creatures are nothing. If one sets one creature beside another, it appears beautiful and is something; but if one sets it beside God, it is nothing.

I say still more: if the soul is to know God, she must also forget herself and lose herself. For as long as she sees and knows herself, she neither sees nor knows God. But when she loses herself for God and leaves all things, she finds herself again in God, for she knows God; and then she knows herself and all the things from which she has separated herself, perfectly in God. If I am truly to know the highest good and eternal goodness, I must know it where it is good in itself, not where goodness is divided. If I am to know true being, I must know it where being is in itself, that is, in God, not where it is divided among creatures.

In got alleine ist daz ganze götlîche wesen. In einem menschen enist niht ganzîu menscheit, want ein mensche enist niht alle menschen. Aber in gote bekennet diu sêle ganze menscheit und alliu dinc in dem hœhsten, want si bekennet sie nâch dem wesen. Wêre ein mensche in eime schône gemâlten hûse, der weiz vil mêr dâ von dan ein ander, der nie dar în kam unde wölte vil dâ von sagen. Alsô bin ich alsô gewis als ich lebe unde got lebet, sol diu sêle got bekennen, sô muoz si in bekennen boben zît unde stat. Unde ein solhiu sêle bekennet got unde wez, wie nâhe gotes rîche ist, daz ist got mit allem sîme rîchtuome. Die meister habent vil frâgen in der schuole, wie daz müglich sî, daz diu sêle got bekennen müge? Ez ist niht von gotes strengheit, daz er vil heischet von dem menschen: ez ist von sîner grôzer miltekeit, daz er wil, daz diu sêle sich wîter mache, ûf daz si vil enpfâhen und er ir vil geben müge.

Nieman sol denken, daz swêre sî hie zuo ze komen, wie wol ez swêre liutet und ouch swêre ist in dem anevange und in dem abescheiden unt sterben aller dinge. Aber swenne man dar în kumt, sô wirt kein leben lîhter noch lustlîcher noch minneclîcher; want got ist gar vlîzic, daz er alle zît bî dem menschen ist, unde lêret in, daz er in zuo sich bringe, sô er anders volgen wil. Ez begerte nie mensche einiges dinges sô sêre, als got begert, daz er den menschen dar zuo bringe, daz er in bekenne. Got ist alle zît bereit, aber wir sîn sêre unbereit; got ist uns nâhe, aber wir sîn im verre; got ist von binnen, wir sîn enbûzen; got ist heimelich, wir sîn fremde. Der prophête sprichet ‘got füeret die gerehten dur einen engen weg in die breite strâze, daz sie komen in die wîte und in die breite, daz ist: in wâre vrîheit des geistes, der ein geist mit gote worden ist.’ Daz wir im alle volgen, daz er uns bringe in sich, des helf uns got. Âmen.

In God alone is the whole divine being. In one human being there is not the whole of humanity, for one human being is not all human beings. But in God the soul knows the whole of humanity and all things in the highest, for she knows them according to being. If a human being were inside a beautifully painted house, he would know far more about it than another who had never entered it and nevertheless wished to say much about it. Thus I am as certain as I live and God lives that, if the soul is to know God, she must know him above time and place. And such a soul knows God and knows how near the kingdom of God is—that is, God with all his riches. The masters have many questions in the schools about how it is possible for the soul to know God. It is not because of God’s severity that he requires much of the human being; it is because of his great generosity that he wishes the soul to make herself wider, so that she may receive much and he may give her much.

No one should think that it is difficult to come to this, although it sounds difficult and is indeed difficult in the beginning, in the separation from and dying to all things. But when one has entered into it, no life becomes easier or more delightful or more lovable; for God is exceedingly diligent always to be near the human being and to teach him, so that he may bring him to himself, if only the human being is willing to follow. No human being ever desired any thing so greatly as God desires to bring the human being to know him. God is always ready, but we are very unready. God is near to us, but we are far from him. God is within; we are without. God is intimate; we are strangers. The prophet says: “God leads the righteous through a narrow way into the broad road, so that they may come into breadth and spaciousness”—that is, into the true freedom of the spirit that has become one spirit with God. That we may all follow him, so that he may bring us into himself, may God help us. Amen.