Sermon 73 — Beloved by God and by people

Pfeiffer Sermon 73Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Dilectus deo et hominibus etc. (Eccles. XLV, 1.).

Diz wort stêt geschrieben in dem buoche der wîsheit unde sprichet ez der wîse man ‘der geminnete von gote unde den menschen, des man nû mit lobe gedenket. Got hât in gelîch gemachet sînen heiligen in der klârheit.’ Disiu wort mac man eigenlîche sprechen von disem heiligen, des hôchzît man hiute begêt, wan sîn name ist Benedictus, ein gesegenter, unde füeget im gar wol diz wort, daz man ouch von im an dem orte liset ‘cuius memoria in benedictione est’, daz ist: des gedêhtnisse in dem segen des lobes ist, unt dar umbe, als man ouch von im liset, daz im geoffenbâret wart ein klârheit, dar inne er sach vor im die ganze welt als in einer kugel alzemâle versamenet, unt diz wort sprichet alsô ‘got der hât in gelîch gemachet sînen heiligen in der klârheit.’

Nû merkent von der klârheit. Sant Gregorius sprichet, daz der sêle, diu in dirre klârheit ist, kleine und enge sîn alliu dinc. Daz natürlich lieht, daz got in die sêle gegozzen hât, daz ist sô edel unde sô kreftic, daz im enge unde klein ist allez, daz got ie geschuof an lîplichen dingen. Diz lieht ist ouch edeler danne elliu lîplîchiu dinc, diu got ie geschuof, wan daz aller minneste unde daz aller snœdeste, daz dâ ist an lîplichen dingen, daz ie beschinen oder belihtet wart von disem liehte, daz vernünftêkeit ist, daz wirt edeler denne allez, daz lîplich ist. Ez wirt lûterr unde liehter denne diu sunne, wan ez scheidet von den dingen lîplicheit unde zîtlîcheit. Diz lieht ist ouch sô wît, daz ez der wîte entwahset. Ez ist wîter dan diu wîte, ez entwahset der grœze unde der güete, alse got entwahset der wîsheit unde der güete, wan got der enist weder wîsheit noch güete, mêr: von gote kumet wîsheit unde güete. Vernünftêkeit enwirt niht von der wîsheit noch vernünftêkeit engât niht ûz von der wârheit noch enwirt von ir niht geborn alse der wille von der güete. Wan von der güete wil der wille unde wirt dâ von geborn unde gât ûz von vernünftêkeit, unde niht vernünftêkeit von der wârheit, und ist diz lieht bekantnüsse, daz dâ fliuzet von der vernünftêkeit, und ist reht als ein ûzfluz und ein ûzbruch oder ein strâm gegen dem, daz vernünftêkeit in ir selber ist in irem wesen. Unt dirre ûzbruch ist sô verre dâ von geverret, als der himel ist über der erde.

Dilectus deo et hominibus etc. (Eccles. XLV, 1.).

This word stands written in the Book of Wisdom, and the wise man says: “Beloved by God and by human beings, whose memory is now held in praise. God has made him like his saints in radiance.” These words may properly be spoken of this saint whose feast is celebrated today, for his name is Benedictus, a blessed one, and this word fits him very well. For in the same place one also reads of him, cuius memoria in benedictione est, that is: “whose memory is in the blessing of praise.” And likewise one reads of him that a radiance was revealed to him, in which he saw before him the whole world gathered together as though in a single sphere. And this word says: “God has made him like his saints in radiance.”

Now take note concerning this radiance. Saint Gregory says that to the soul who is in this radiance all things are small and narrow. The natural light that God has poured into the soul is so noble and so powerful that everything God has ever created among bodily things is narrow and small to it. This light is also nobler than all bodily things that God has ever created, for the very least and most insignificant thing among bodily things, when it is illumined or enlightened by this light, which is intellect, becomes nobler than everything bodily. It becomes purer and brighter than the sun, for it separates corporeality and temporality from things. This light is also so wide that it outgrows width. It is wider than width; it outgrows greatness and goodness, just as God outgrows wisdom and goodness, for God is neither wisdom nor goodness; rather, from God come wisdom and goodness. Intellect does not come from wisdom, nor does intellect proceed from truth or become born from it as the will does from goodness. For from goodness the will wills and is born from it and proceeds from intellect, but intellect does not proceed from truth. And this light is knowledge, which flows from intellect, and is like an outflow and a breaking-forth or a stream in comparison with what intellect is in itself, in its being. And this breaking-forth is as far removed from that as heaven is above earth.

Nû ist ein ander lieht, daz ist daz lieht der genâde; wider dem ist daz natürlich lieht alse klein als einer nâdeln spitze mac begrîfen des ertrîches wider dem ganzen ertrîche, oder daz einer nâdeln spitze möhte begrîfen des himels, der unglouplich grœzer ist dan allez ertrîche. Daz got mit gnâden in der sêle ist, daz treit mê liehtes in sich dan alliu vernünftêkeit geleisten müge, und allez daz lieht, daz vernünftêkeit geleisten mac, ist wider disem liehte als ein einiger tropfe wider dem mer, unde noch tûsentmâl kleiner. Alsô ist der sêle, diu in gotes gnâden ist, der sint klein und enge alliu dinc und allez, daz vernünftêkeit begrîfen mac.

Ich wart gefrâget, wâ von daz wäre, daz guoten liuten als wol mit gote wäre, daz sie alsô ernstlîche gote dieneten? Dô antwurte ich unde sprach, ez wäre dâ von, daz sie gotes gesmacket hêten, und ez wäre ein wunder, daz diu sêle, diu gotes einest gesmacket unde versuochet hête, daz der iht anders gesmacken möhte. Daz sprichet ein heilig, daz der sêle, diu gotes gesmacket hât, missesmeckende wirt oder mazleidic wirt allez, daz got niht enist.

Now there is another light, which is the light of grace. Compared with this, the natural light is as small as what the point of a needle could encompass of the earth compared with the whole earth, or as what the point of a needle could encompass of heaven compared with the whole heaven, which is incomparably greater than the whole earth. That God is in the soul with grace bears more light within itself than all intellect could ever bring forth; and all the light that intellect can bring forth is, compared with this light, like a single drop compared with the sea, and a thousand times smaller still. Thus, to the soul who is in God’s grace, all things and everything that intellect can comprehend are small and narrow.

I was once asked why it is that good people fare so well with God that they serve God so earnestly. I answered and said that it was because they had savored God, and it would be a wonder if the soul who had once savored and tasted God could savor anything else. A saint says that to the soul who has savored God, everything that is not God becomes distasteful and repugnant.

Nû nemen wir daz wort ûf einen andern sin, daz der wîse man sprichet ‘der geminnete von gote unde den menschen,’ unde geswîget des wortes ‘ist’, daz er niht sprichet: er ist geminnet von gote unde den menschen, unde gedenket des niht umbe wandelbêrikeit unde bewegelicheit der zîtlîcheit, dâ daz wesen ist sô hôch über erhaben. Daz wesen hât in ime begrîffen alliu dinc und ist doch sô hôch überhaben, daz ez noch nie berüeret wart von allem dem, daz ie geschaffen wart. Alle, die dâ wænent, daz sie hie von iht wizzen, die wizzent dâ von nihtes niht. Ez sprichet sant Dionysius: allez, daz wir bekennen, daz wir teilen oder dem wir underscheit geben mügen, daz ist got niht, wan in gote ist weder diz noch daz, daz wir abe geziehen mügen, oder mit underscheit. Niht ist in im wan einez, daz ist er selbe. Und hie von ist ein nôtrede under den meistern, wie daz zuogên müge, daz diz unbewegelîche unde diz unberüerlîche abegescheiden wesen gemeine müge werden der sêle, daz sich haltet in eim ûzluogen der sêle, unde sint sêre hie mite bekümbert, wie es diu sêle enpfenclich werden müge. Und ich spriche, daz sîn gotheit hanget dar an, daz er sich gemeinen müeze allem dem, daz sîner güete enpfenclich ist, unde gemeinete er sich niht, sô enwêre ez niht got.

Diu sêle, diu got minnet unde der er sich gemeinen sol, diu muoz sô gar enblœzet sîn von zîtlîcheit unde von allem gesmacke der crêatûren, daz got in ir smacke nâch sînem gesmacke. Diu geschrift sprichet, daz in mitter zît der naht, dô alliu dinc in eim swîgen wären, dô kom, herre, dîn wort her abe von den küniclîchen stüelen. Daz ist in der naht, sô kein crêatûre in die sêle liuhtet noch luoget, und in dem stilleswîgen, dâ niht in die sêle sprichet, dâ wirt daz wort gesprochen in die vernünftêkeit. Daz wort ist ein eigen der vernunft unde sprichet, als daz wort ist unde stêt in der vernunft.

Now we take the word in another sense, where the wise man says: “beloved by God and by human beings,” and omits the word “is,” so that he does not say: “he is beloved by God and by human beings.” He does not think of this in terms of the changeability and mobility of temporality, above which being is so highly raised. Being comprehends all things within itself and yet is raised so high above them that it has never been touched by anything that was ever created. All those who imagine that they know anything of this know nothing at all about it. Saint Dionysius says: everything that we know, that we can divide or to which we can give distinction, is not God, for in God there is neither this nor that which we could abstract or distinguish. Nothing is in him but one, and that is he himself. And concerning this there is a difficult question among the masters: how can it come about that this immovable and untouchable detached being can be communicated to the soul, which subsists in an outward-looking of the soul? They are greatly concerned with how the soul can become receptive of it. And I say that his Godhead hinges upon this: that he must communicate himself to everything that is receptive of his goodness; and if he did not communicate himself, he would not be God.

The soul who loves God and to whom he is to communicate himself must be so completely stripped of temporality and of every savor of creatures that God may savor in her according to his own savor. Scripture says that at midnight, when all things were in silence, “then, Lord, your Word came down from the royal thrones.” This is in the night, when no creature shines or looks into the soul; and in the still silence, when nothing speaks into the soul, there the Word is spoken into intellect. The word is proper to intellect and means the Word as it is and stands in intellect.

Ich erschricke ofte, sô ich von gote reden sol, wie gar abegescheiden diu sêle muoz sîn, diu zuo der einunge komen wil. Unt daz endarf nieman unmügelich dunken, ez enist niht unmügelich der sêle, diu dâ gotes gnâde hât. Ez enwart nie kein dinc eime menschen lihter ze lâzende: wanne der sêle, diu gotes genâde hât, sint alliu dinc ze lâzende. Ich spriche mê, ez enwart ouch nie keime menschen kein dinc lustlîcher ze tuonde: wanne der sêle, diu gotes genâde hât, sint zuo lâzen alliu dinc, enkein crêatûre mac ir geschaden. Daz sprichet sant Paulus ‘ich bin des gewis, daz kein crêatûre mich gescheiden mac von gote weder gelücke noch leben noch der tôt.’

Nû merkent. Niene ist got als eigenlich got als in der sêle. In allen crêatûren ist etwaz gotes, aber in der sêle ist got götlich, wan si ist sîn ruowestat. Dar umbe sprach ein meister, got minnet niht dan sich selber, er verzert alle sîne minne in sich selber. Er wære wol ein tôre, der mit einem begriffe begrîfen möhte hundert marc unde begriffe niwan einen pfenninc. Sîn minne ist in ein ûzblüejen des heiligen geistes. Ein ander wort hie von: got minnet niht in uns dan die güete, die er in uns wirket. Ein heilic sprichet: ez enwirt niht gekrœnet von gote dan sîn eigen werc, daz er in uns würket. Nieman sol erschrecken dâ von, daz ich spriche, daz got niht minne dann sich selber: ez ist unser aller bestez, wan er meinet unser allergrœsten sêlikeit dar inne. Er wil uns dâ mite in sich selber locken, daz wir geliutert werden, daz er uns in sich setze, ûf daz er uns in im unde sich in uns mit im selber müge minnen. Und im ist alsô nôt nâch unser minne, daz er uns in sich locket mit allem dem er uns in sich mac bringen, ez sî gemach oder ungemach. Trutz got, daz er iemer über uns verhenge, dâ mit er uns in sich niht locke. Ich wil des gote niemer gedanken, daz er mich minnet, wan er enmac es niht gelâzen, er welle oder enwelle, sîn natûre twinget in dar zuo. Ich wil im des danken, daz er es niht gelâzen mac von sîner güete, er müeze mich minnen. Daz wir uns selber bekennende werden unde in gote gesetzet werden, diz ist niht swêre, wan got der muoz selber würken in uns, wan ez ist götlich werc, der mensche volge unde widerstê niht, er lîde unde lâze got in sich würken. Daz wir gote alsô volgen, daz er uns in sich müge gesetzen, daz wir mit ime vereinet werden, daz er uns mit ime selber müge minnen, des helf uns got. Âmen.

I often tremble when I am to speak of God, considering how utterly detached the soul must be that wishes to come to union. Yet no one should think this impossible. It is not impossible for the soul who has God’s grace. There was never anything easier for a human being to leave behind, for to the soul who has God’s grace all things are things to be left behind. I say further: there was never anything more delightful for a human being to do, for to the soul who has God’s grace it is delightful to leave all things behind, and no creature can harm her. Saint Paul says: “I am certain that no creature can separate me from God, neither fortune nor life nor death.”

Now take note. Nowhere is God so properly God as in the soul. In all creatures there is something of God, but in the soul God is divine, for she is his resting-place. Therefore a master said: God loves nothing but himself; he expends all his love upon himself. A man would indeed be a fool who could comprehend a hundred marks in a single act of comprehension and yet comprehended only one penny. His love is in a blossoming-forth of the Holy Spirit. Another word concerning this: God loves nothing in us except the goodness that he works in us. A saint says: nothing is crowned by God except his own work that he works in us. No one should be frightened when I say that God loves nothing but himself. It is the best thing for us all, for in this he intends our greatest blessedness. By this he wishes to entice us into himself so that we may be purified, so that he may set us in himself, in order that he may love us in himself and himself in us with himself. And he has such need of our love that he entices us into himself with everything by which he can bring us into himself, whether it be comfort or discomfort. I defy God to let anything ever befall us by which he does not entice us into himself. I will never thank God for loving me, for he cannot leave it undone, whether he wills or not; his nature compels him to it. I will thank him that, because of his goodness, he cannot leave it undone, but must love me. That we may come to know ourselves and be set in God is not difficult, for God himself must work in us, since it is a divine work. The human being should follow and not resist; he should undergo and let God work in him. That we may thus follow God, so that he may set us in himself, so that we may be united with him, and so that he may love us with himself, may God help us. Amen.