← Back to Overview

Sermon 75 — It is good for you; I go to prepare a place for you

Pfeiffer Sermon 75Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)
English Translation
Expedit vobis etc. vado parare vobis locum etc. (Joh. XVI, 7. XIV, 2.).

Dô Kristus von dirre welt zuo sînem himelischen vater varn wolte, dô seite er zuo sînen jungern ‘ez ist iu nütze unde füeget iu wol, daz ich von iu var, wan die wîle ich bî iu bin, sô enmac der heilig geist der trôster niht zuo iu komen.’ Mit disen worten trôste unser herre sîne junger, wan er vaste wol weste, daz sie betrüebet wären, wan er hâte in geseit von sîner himelverte. Unser herre enmac niht lîden, daz ieman betrüebet sî, der in minnet, wan diu vorhte ist pînlich. Ouch sprichet sant Johannes ‘diu minne trîbet ûz die vorhte.’ Dar umbe enmac diu minne kein vorhte noch pîne gelîden, wan sô der mensche ie mêr zuo nimet an der minne, ie mêr er abe nimet an der vorhte, und als er vollekomen ist an der minne, sô gât ime diu vorhte zemâle gar abe. Aber an dem anvange eines guoten lebens sô ist si dem menschen nütze und ist im ein zuoganc zuo der minne. Als diu sûle oder âle rûmet dem drâte, daz der drât bindet den schuoch unde niht daz îsen, und als diu bürst an dem drâte tuot, daz der drât hin durch gêt, unde sô der drât ze samene heftet, sô blîbet diu bürst hie ûzen: alsô în füeret diu vorhte an der êrste zuo der minne und diu minne bindet zuo gote unde gêt diu vorhte ûz.

Nû lâzen wir dise rede unde nemen für uns daz wort, daz ich in latîne gesprochen habe, daz unser herre sprach ‘ich gên hin, daz ich iu die stat bereite.’ An disen worten sullen wir merken zwei dinc, diu unser herre bewîset und erzeiget hât an sîner himelverte. Daz êrste ist, daz diu sêle von natûre zuo dem himel geschaffen ist, wan got ist ir rehtiu erbestat, wan nieman mac die sêle geschöpfen wan got. Got hât si âne underscheit geschaffen. Etliche meister wolten villîhte, daz daz götlich lieht, daz in die engel gegozzen ist, unde daz bilde aller crêatûren, daz got in die engel gebildet hât, ê ez gebildet würde an andern crêatûren, daz daz götliche lieht unde daz bilde in den engeln solte schöpfen die sêle. Des enmac niht sîn. Diu sêle enmac kein gemenge noch verwerfunge des götlîchen werkes an ir gelîden; wan alsô lûter und alsô frisch, alz ez âne underscheit von gote fliuzet, alsô lûter fliuzet diu sêle ûz gote. Got hât die sêle sô heimlîche bewunden unde geschaffen, daz nieman endelîche wizzen mac, waz si ist.

Expedit vobis etc. vado parare vobis locum etc. (Joh. XVI, 7. XIV, 2.).

When Christ was about to depart from this world to his heavenly Father, he said to his disciples: “It is profitable for you and good for you that I depart from you, for as long as I am with you, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, cannot come to you.” With these words our Lord comforted his disciples, for he knew very well that they were troubled because he had told them of his ascension into heaven. Our Lord cannot bear that anyone who loves him should be troubled, for fear is painful. Saint John also says: “Love casts out fear.” Therefore love cannot endure fear or pain, for the more the human being increases in love, the more he decreases in fear; and when he is perfect in love, fear falls away from him altogether. But at the beginning of a good life fear is useful to the human being and is an approach to love. Just as the awl makes room for the thread, so that the thread binds the shoe and not the iron, and just as the bristle on the thread causes the thread to pass through, while once the thread has fastened things together the bristle remains outside, so fear first leads into love, and love binds to God, and fear goes out.

Now let us leave this discourse and take up the word that I spoke in Latin, which our Lord said: “I go to prepare a place for you.” In these words we should take note of two things that our Lord manifested and showed in his ascension. The first is that the soul is by nature created for heaven, for God is her rightful inheritance and place, since no one can create the soul except God. God created her without distinction. Some masters might perhaps have held that the divine light poured into the angels, and the image of all creatures that God formed in the angels before it was formed in the other creatures, should create the soul. This cannot be. The soul can endure no mixture or corruption of the divine work in herself; for just as purely and freshly as it flows from God without distinction, so purely does the soul flow forth from God. God has fashioned and created the soul so secretly that no one can finally know what she is.

Ein meister heizet si ein lieht unde sprichet wol; wan als daz lieht schînet von der sunnen unde giuzet sich in alle crêatûren, alsô ist diu sêle âne underscheit geschaffen von gote. Sant Augustînus sprichet: diu sêle ist geschaffen von gote unt dar umbe enmac si niene ruowen dan in gote. Ein ander meister sprichet, si sî ein geist, unde daz ist wâr nâch einer wîse, wan got ist ein geist unt diu sêle ist gebildet nâch gote, dar umbe mac si wol heizen ein geist, wan si füeget zuo gote alse geist ze geiste. Der dritte meister sprach, si wäre ein fiur, der sprichet ouch wâr nâch einer gelîchnüsse, wan fiur ist aller hoehest in sînem wesen und aller kreftigist in sîme würken, wan ez geruowet niemer danne dâ ez den himel treffen mac. Wan ez ist umb alle die elementen und ist verre wîter unde hoeher denne der luft oder daz wazzer oder die erde, wan ez besliuzet diu andern alle in sich. Dar umbe ist ez dem himel aller nâhest unde loufet mit im umbe. Der luft volget ein teil, wan er grob ist, aber daz wazzer ist zemâle gröber, dar umbe mac ez niht gevolgen, sunder ez fliuzet her nâch. Alsô dar umbe ist diu sêle geheizen ein fiur, wan si mit der begerunge gote volget als daz fiur dem himel, wan diu sêle enmac niemer geruowen danne in gote. Etliche sêlen die sint grob, die volgent ein teil, als der luft ein teil volget dem fiure. Aber etliche sêlen sint zemâle grob als daz wazzer unde haltent mit der erden zuo, die mügent gote niht gevolgen, sunder sie fliezent, wan sô sie iht guotes sehent oder hoerent, sô werdent sie beweget unde wolten gerne guot sîn und fliezent har nâch, als daz wazzer wider unde vort fliuzet und sich doch niht erhebet, alsô werdent die liute beweget unde belîbent doch in der ahte, alse sie vor wären. Der vierde meister heizet si einen funken götlîcher unde himelischer natûre, unde daz füeget wol zuo dirre rede durch daz, wan diu sêle zuo dem himel hoeret von natûre, wan swâ ein ertscholle hin vellet, dâ vellet diu erde alzemâle hin, wan ein ertscholle bewîset, daz diu erde sîn rehtiu ruowestat ist, unde swâ ein funke vert von eime fiure, der bewîset, daz daz fiur sîn rehtiu ruowestat ist.

Nû hân wir einen funken gesant zuo dem himel, daz ist diu sêle unsers herren Jêsû Kristî, diu bewîset uns, daz aller sêlen ruowestat nieman sî dan in dem himel, unt dar an ist uns bewîset, daz diu sêle genzliche zuo dem himel gehoere. Aber der lîp ist gemachet von den vier elementen unde des ruowestat ist von natûre ûf der erden. Nû ist diu sêle alsô genzliche vereinet mit dem lîchamen, daz sie êweclîche mit einander belîben sullent, und doch gehoeret der lîp zuo der erde unde diu sêle zuo dem himel. Nû hât got einen wîsen rât funden und ist selber mensche worden und ist mit eigener kraft gên himel gevarn unde dar umbe haben wir in im einen erdenklotz gên himel gesant. Dâ von sô hoeret ouch alliu diu erde gelîch zuo dem himel, wan unsers herren Jêsû Kristî ruowestat ist anders niemân dan an der einunge sînes vaters, wan als got drîvaltic ist an den persônen, alsô ist er einz in der natûre unde hânt ein wesen und ein leben. Alsô hât uns unser herre Kristus bereitet, daz unser wesen und ouch unser leben êweclîch sîn sulle an götlîcher einunge.

One master calls her a light, and speaks rightly; for just as light shines from the sun and pours itself into all creatures, so the soul is created without distinction from God. Saint Augustine says: the soul is created by God, and therefore she can rest nowhere but in God. Another master says that she is a spirit, and this is true in one sense, for God is a spirit and the soul is imaged after God. Therefore she may rightly be called a spirit, for she is joined to God as spirit to spirit. The third master said that she is a fire. He too speaks truly according to a likeness, for fire is the highest of all in its being and the most powerful in its working, since it never rests until it can reach heaven. For it surrounds all the elements and extends much wider and higher than air or water or earth, since it encloses all the others within itself. Therefore it is nearest to heaven and runs around together with it. The air follows it in part, because it is coarse; but water is much coarser, and therefore it cannot follow, but only flows after it. Thus the soul is called a fire because with her desire she follows God as fire follows heaven, for the soul can never rest except in God. Some souls are coarse and follow only in part, just as the air follows the fire in part. But some souls are altogether coarse like water and cling to the earth. They cannot follow God, but merely flow after him. When they see or hear something good, they are moved and would gladly be good and flow after it, just as water flows backward and forward and yet does not raise itself. Thus these people are moved and yet remain in the same state in which they were before. The fourth master calls the soul a spark of divine and heavenly nature, and this fits this discourse well, because the soul by nature belongs to heaven. Wherever a clod of earth falls, the whole earth tends in that direction, for a clod of earth shows that the earth is its proper resting-place; and wherever a spark from a fire goes, it shows that the fire is its proper resting-place.

Now we have sent a spark to heaven, namely the soul of our Lord Jesus Christ, which shows us that the resting-place of all souls is nowhere except in heaven. By this it is shown to us that the soul belongs wholly to heaven. But the body is made from the four elements, and its resting-place by nature is upon the earth. Now the soul is so wholly united with the body that they are to remain together eternally, and yet the body belongs to the earth and the soul to heaven. Therefore God found a wise counsel and himself became human, and by his own power ascended into heaven. Thus in him we have sent a clod of earth into heaven. Therefore all the earth likewise belongs to heaven, for the resting-place of our Lord Jesus Christ is nowhere other than in union with his Father. For just as God is threefold in the Persons, so he is one in nature, and they have one being and one life. Thus our Lord Christ has prepared for us that our being and also our life should eternally be in divine union.

Daz ander, daz uns unser herre bewîset hât und erzeiget an sîner himelverte, daz ist, in welcher wîse wir uns bereiten sullen, daz wir nâch im varn, daz ist als er sprach ‘ich gên hin, daz ich die stat bereite.’ Wan als diu sêle von disen vier dingen hât, daz si heizet lieht, geist, fiur und ein funke götlîcher und himelischer natûre, alsô sol der mensche ûf getragen oder bereitet werden mit vier dingen, diu sint zemâle schœne bewîset in der alten ê an dem heiligen propheten Moyse, von dem wir lesen, daz er treip sîn vihe ze samen in einen boschen in eine heimlîche wüeste unt dô sach er ûf dem berge gotes einen boschen brinnen unde wolte doch niht verbrinnen. Dô wolte Moyses hin zuo gên und wolte sehen diz wunder, daz der bosche bran unt doch niht verbran. Dô rette der herre ûz dem boschen zuo im unde sprach ‘ganc niht für baz, ziuch ûz dîne schuoch’, an welcher figûre uns bediutet werdent vier guoter lêre.

Diu êrste an dem namen Moyses, wan Moyses wirt ûz geleit, als der von dem wazzer genomen ist. Alsô sol der mensche ûz gezogen sîn von der unstêtekeit unde von den stürmen dirre welt.

The second thing that our Lord manifested and showed us in his ascension is the manner in which we should prepare ourselves to follow him, as he said: “I go to prepare the place.” For just as the soul has these four things, so that she is called light, spirit, fire, and a spark of divine and heavenly nature, so the human being should be raised up or prepared through four things. These are very beautifully shown in the Old Law in the holy prophet Moses. We read that he drove his cattle together into a bush in a hidden wilderness, and there upon the mountain of God he saw a bush burning and yet not being consumed. Moses wished to approach and see this wonder, that the bush burned and yet was not consumed. Then the Lord spoke to him from the bush and said: “Go no further; take off your shoes.” In this figure four good teachings are signified to us.

The first lies in the name Moses, for Moses is interpreted as “one taken from the water.” Thus the human being should be drawn out of the instability and storms of this world.

Daz ander, daz der mensche sîne vihelichen sinne unde begerunge zesamene trîben sol an die hoehsten kraft der sêle. Wan ez ensî denne, daz diu sêle werde erhaben und ûf getragen von geschaffenen dingen, sô mac der heilig geist niht in si komen noch in ir gewürken. Wan alliu diu götlîchen werc, diu got würket, diu muoz er würken ob zît unde stat in dem geiste, wan lîplîchiu dinc sint ein verderbnüsse götlîches fluzes. Wan sô götlich lieht fliuzet ûf geistlîche crêatûre, sô würket ez leben; swenne ez aber vellet ûf lîplîchiu dinc, sô erleschet ez unde verwirdet oder vergêt alzemâle. Dar umbe sprach unser herre ‘ez ist iu nütze unde füeget iu wol, daz ich von iu var.’ Wan sîn jungern minneten in als einen menschen, der noch toetlîch was. Nû ist daz âne zwîvel wâr, daz unser herre edeler was denne allez daz, daz got ie geschuof. Sît er denne sînen jungern ein hindernüsse was, sô ist ez âne zwîvel wâr, daz andriu dinc vil mê hindernt diu man minnet, diu minr sint denne got. Dar umbe muoz diu sêle erhaben sîn über got, ob si wil, daz got sîn götlich werc in ir würke. Nû lêret sant Augustînus offenbâr, daz man mit bekantnisse unde mit minne kome über diu welt, und âne bekantnisse und âne minne sô ist der mensche niht in der welte.

Daz dritte, daz der mensche sihet und erkennet götlich werc unde mac aber in disem lîbe niht dar zuo komen vollekomenlîche, als ouch Moyses sach den boschen brinnen unde mohte doch niht dar zuo komen; er wolte aber dar zuo komen: daz ist diu minne, die man âne verzerunge des lîbes hât unde âne vermüegen des geistes.

The second is that the human being should gather together his animal senses and desires into the highest power of the soul. For unless the soul is raised and lifted above created things, the Holy Spirit cannot come into her or work within her. For all the divine works that God works must be worked above time and place in the spirit, since bodily things are a corruption of the divine flow. When divine light flows upon a spiritual creature, it works life; but when it falls upon bodily things, it is extinguished and corrupted or passes away altogether. Therefore our Lord said: “It is profitable for you and good for you that I depart from you.” For his disciples loved him as a human being who was still mortal. Now it is without doubt true that our Lord was nobler than everything God ever created. Since, then, he was a hindrance to his disciples in this way, it is without doubt true that other things that one loves, which are less than God, hinder much more. Therefore the soul must be raised above God if she wishes God to work his divine work within her. Saint Augustine now teaches openly that through knowing and love one comes above the world, and without knowing and without love the human being is not in the world.

The third is that the human being sees and recognizes divine work and yet cannot in this body come to it perfectly, just as Moses saw the bush burning and yet could not come to it, though he wished to come to it. This is the love that one has without the consumption of the body and without the power of the spirit.

Daz vierde, daz dû die schuoch solt ûz ziehen, daz bediutet, daz diu begerunge der sêle sulle gelœset sîn und ûz gezogen von allen tœtlîchen unde zergenclichen dingen. Diu und daz dar über ist, des helf uns got. Âmen.

The fourth is that you should take off your shoes. This signifies that the desire of the soul should be released and drawn away from all mortal and perishable things. For this, and for what lies beyond it, may God help us. Amen.