Sermon 79 — Young man, I say to you: arise

Pfeiffer Sermon 79Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Adolescens, tibi dico: surge (Luc. VII, 14.).

Hiute liset man in dem êwangelîô von einer witewen, diu hâte einen sun, der was tôt. Dô kam unser herre zuo im unde sprach ‘jungelinc, stant ûf!’ und er stuont ûf.

Bî der witewen nemen wir die sêle; wan der man tôt was, dar umbe was ouch der sun tôt. Bî dem sune nemen wir die vernünftekeit. Unser herre saz bî dem brunnen unde sprach zuo der frouwen ‘ganc heim unde bring mir dînen man.’ Er meinte, daz si niht lebete in vernünftekeit, diu der man ist in der sêle. Dar umbe enwirt ir niht daz lebende wazzer, daz der heilig geist ist, wan daz wirt alleine geschenket den, die dâ lebent in vernünftekeit. Vernünftekeit ist daz oberste teil der sêle. Daz hât ein mitesîn und ein îngeflozzenheit mit den engeln in engelischer nâtûre. Engelische nâtûre die rüeret kein zît, alsô tuot vernünftekeit, die rüeret kein zît. Swenne man dar inne niht lebet, sô stirbet der sun. Dar umbe was si ein witewe. Ez enist kein crêatûre, si enhabe etwaz guotes und etwaz gebrestelicheit. Dâ von was si witewe; wan vernünftekeit an ir tôt was, dar umbe verdarp ouch diu fruht, der sun.

Adolescens, tibi dico: surge (Luc. VII, 14.).

Today one reads in the Gospel of a widow who had a son who was dead. Then our Lord came to him and said: “Young man, arise!” And he arose.

By the widow we understand the soul, for because the man was dead, the son too was dead. By the son we understand intellect. Our Lord sat by the well and said to the woman: “Go home and bring me your husband.” He meant that she did not live in intellect, which is the man in the soul. Therefore the living water, which is the Holy Spirit, was not given to her, for it is given only to those who live in intellect. Intellect is the highest part of the soul. It has a co-being and an inflowing with the angels in angelic nature. Angelic nature is touched by no time, and so too intellect is touched by no time. When one does not live within it, the son dies. Therefore she was a widow. There is no creature that does not have something good and something defective. Therefore she was a widow, for because intellect was dead in her, the fruit, the son, also perished.

Witewe sprichet in einer andern wîse als vil als der verlâzen ist oder verlâzenheit. Alsô müezen wir alle crêatûren lâzen und abe scheiden. Der wîssage sprichet ‘diu frouwe, diu unberhaftic ist, der kint ist vil mêr, denne der, diu berhaft ist.’ Alsô ist diu sêle, diu geistlîche gebirt: der geburt ist manicvaltic, in einem ougenblicke gebirt si ir fruht. Diu sêle, diu got hât, diu ist alle zît berhaft. Von nôt muoz got würken alliu sîniu werc. Got ist alle zît würkende in einem nû in êwekeit unde sîn würken ist sînen sun gebern; den gebirt er alle zît. In der geburt sint elliu dinc her ûz geflozzen und er hât sô grôzen lust in dirre geburt, daz er alle sîne maht in ir verzert. Got gebirt sich ûz im selber in sich selber; ie vollekômener diu geburt ist, ie mê si gebirt. Ich spriche: got ist alzemâle ein, er bekennet niht denne sich alleine. Got kunde sich niemer bekennen, er enbekande dan alle crêatûre. Got gebirt sich alzemâle in sînem sune, er sprichet alliu dinc in im. Dar umbe sprichet er ‘jungelinc, stant ûf!’

Got würket alle sîne maht in sînem sune unde daz ist der sêle ze tuonde, daz si île, daz si wider kome ze gote. Unt daz ist ein wîse eigenlîche, daz diu sêle sô dicke dâ von velle, dâ got alle sîne maht würket, unt daz hœret dar zuo, daz diu sêle wider lebendic werde. Got machet alle crêatûre in eime spruche, aber daz diu sêle lebendic werde, dar zuo verzeret er alle sîne kraft in sîme sune, daz diu sêle dar inne werde widerbrâht. In der geburt wirt si lebendic unde gote gebirt sînen sun in die sêle, daz si lebendic werde. Got sprichet sich selber in sîme sune. In dem spruche, dâ er sich selber sprichet in sich selber, in dem selben sprichet er sich in die sêle. Alle crêatûre hânt, daz sie gebernt. Welhiu crêatûre niht geburt hête, diu enwêre ouch niht. Her ûf sprichet ein meister: daz ist ein zeichen götlîcher geburt, daz alle crêatûre her ûz getragen sint. Dar umbe sprach er ‘jungelinc, stant ûf!’

“Widow” in another sense means as much as one who is abandoned, or abandonment. Thus we must leave and separate ourselves from all creatures. The prophet says: “The barren woman has far more children than the fruitful woman.” Thus it is with the soul that gives birth spiritually. Her birth is manifold, and in a single instant she gives birth to her fruit. The soul that has God is fruitful at all times. Of necessity God must work all his works. God is always working in one now in eternity, and his working is the begetting of his Son. He begets him at all times. In the birth all things have flowed forth, and he has such great delight in this birth that he expends all his power in it. God gives birth to himself out of himself into himself. The more perfect the birth is, the more it gives birth. I say: God is altogether one. He knows nothing but himself alone. God could never know himself unless he knew all creatures. God gives birth to himself altogether in his Son, and in him he speaks all things. Therefore he says: “Young man, arise!”

God works all his power in his Son, and what the soul must do is hasten so that she may return to God. And it belongs especially to this way that the soul so often falls away from that in which God works all his power, and this belongs to the soul’s becoming alive again. God makes all creatures in one speaking, but for the soul to become alive he expends all his power in his Son, so that the soul may be brought back within him. In the birth she becomes alive, and God gives birth to his Son in the soul so that she may become alive. God speaks himself in his Son. In the speaking in which he speaks himself into himself, in that same speaking he speaks himself into the soul. All creatures have this, that they give birth. Any creature that had no birth would not exist. Concerning this a master says: it is a sign of divine birth that all creatures have been brought forth from it. Therefore he said: “Young man, arise!”

Diu sêle enhât niht, dâ got în gesprechen müge, denne vernünftekeit. Etlîche krefte sint sô snœde, daz got niht in sie gesprechen mac. Er sprichet wol in sie, sie enhœrent sîn aber niht. Wille enpfâhet niht als er wille ist, deheine wîse niht: wille ist an eime ûftragen. Dar umbe sprichet er ‘jungelinc, stant ûf!’ Man wil, die krefte, die der sêle zuo gehœrent, die alten niht. Daz vermüegent die lîplîchen krefte niht: sie vliesent unde nement abe. Ie mê der mensche bekennet, ie baz er bekennet, unde daz edelt die sêle. Aber die lîplîchen krefte enmüegent des niht erziugen, dar umbe sprichet er ‘jungelinc, stant ûf!’ unde meinet die edeln krefte der sêle.

Die meister sprechent, daz ist junc, daz sînem anevange nâhe ist. Vernünftekeit in der ist man alzemâle junc: ie mêr man in der würkende ist, ie nêher man der geburt ist, unt daz heizet junc, daz sîner geburt nâhe ist. Der êrste ûzbruch von der sêle ist vernünftekeit, dar nâch wille, dar nâch alle die andern krefte. Nû sprichet er ‘jungelinc, stant ûf!’ Diu sêle in sich selber ist ein einvaltic werc; daz got wirket in dem einvaltigen liehte der sêle daz ist schœner unde lustlîcher denne alliu diu werc, diu er geworhte an allen crêatûren. Aber tôrehte liute die nement bœse für guot unde guot für bœse. Aber der ez rehte verstêt, sô ist ein einic werc, daz got würket in der sêle, bezzer und edeler unde hœher denne alliu diu welt.

The soul has nothing into which God can speak except intellect. Some powers are so base that God cannot speak into them. He does indeed speak into them, but they do not hear him. The will receives nothing insofar as it is will, in no way at all: the will is concerned with execution. Therefore he says: “Young man, arise!” It is held that the powers belonging to the soul do not grow old. The bodily powers cannot do this: they pass away and diminish. The more the human being knows, the better he knows, and this ennobles the soul. But the bodily powers cannot bring this forth. Therefore he says: “Young man, arise!” and means the noble powers of the soul.

The masters say that what is young is what is near to its beginning. In intellect one is always young: the more one works in intellect, the nearer one is to the birth, and that is called young which is near to its birth. The first breaking-forth from the soul is intellect, then will, and then all the other powers. Now he says: “Young man, arise!” The soul in herself is one simple work. What God works in the simple light of the soul is more beautiful and more delightful than all the works he ever worked in all creatures. But foolish people take evil for good and good for evil. Yet to one who understands it rightly, a single work that God works in the soul is better and nobler and higher than the whole world.

Ob dem liehte ist genâde. Gnâde kumt niemer in vernünftekeit noch in willen. Sol genâde in vernünftekeit unde in willen komen, sô muoz vernünftekeit unde wille über sich selber brâht werden. Dâ von sprichet ein meister: ez ist neizwaz gar heimlîchez, daz dar über ist, unt dâ meinet er daz fünkelî der sêle, daz dâ alleine enpfenclich ist gotes. Dâ geschiht diu rehte einunge zwischen gote unt der sêle in dem kleinen ganster, daz der sêle geist heizet. Gnâde geworhte nie kein guot werc, daz ist: si geworhte nie kein werc, si fliuzet wol ûz an einer tugende üebunge. Gnâde eineget niht an keinem werke. Gnâde ist ein inwonên und ein mitewonen der sêle in gote. Allez, daz ie werc gehiez ûzwendic oder inwendic, daz ist ze snœde dar zuo. Alle crêatûre suochent etwaz gote gelîch; sô sie ie snœder sint, sô sie ie ûzwendiger suochent. Als der luft unt daz wazzer zerfliezent, aber der himel loufet stêteclîche umbe und in sîme loufe bringet er her ûz alle crêatûre; dar an gelîchet er sich gote alse verre, als ez an im ist. Daz ander: an sîme loufe suochet er sîne stille. Niemer geveilet der himel an kein werk, dâ mite er der crêatûre dienet, die under im ist. Dâ mite gelîchet er sich nêher gote. Dâ got sich selber gebirt in sîme sune, daz ist unenpfenclich allen crêatûren. Dennoch krieget der himel nâch dem werke, daz got in ime selber würket. Tuot diz der himel und ander crêatûre, die verre snœder sint denne diu sêle, des habe si undanc unde scheme sich, daz si sô seltsêne strebende unde kriegende ist nâch den werken, diu sich glîchent den werken, diu got würket in êwekeit.

Die meister sprechent: diu sêle mac sich gebern in sich selber unde gebirt sich ûz ir selber wider in sich selber. Si vermac wunder nâtûrlîchem liehte, si ist sô kreftic, si scheidet, daz ein ist; fiur unde hitze ist ein: vellet ez in vernunft, si scheidet ez. Wîsheit unde güete ist an got: vallet wîsheit in vernunft, si gedenket niemer der güete. Waz meinet daz? Dâ treit wîsheit nêher in got. Diu sêle gebirt ûzer ir got ûz got in got, si gebirt rehte ûzer ir, daz tuot si in dem, dâ si gote nâhe ist, dâ ist si ein bilde gotes.

Above this light is grace. Grace never comes into intellect or into will. If grace is to come into intellect and will, intellect and will must be carried above themselves. Concerning this a master says that there is something altogether hidden above them, and by this he means the little spark of the soul, which alone is receptive of God. There the true union between God and the soul takes place, in the little spark that is called the spirit of the soul. Grace never worked any good work, that is, it never worked any work. It does indeed flow forth in the exercise of virtue. Grace does not unite in any work. Grace is an indwelling and a dwelling-together of the soul in God. Everything that has ever been called a work, outward or inward, is too base for this. All creatures seek something like God. The baser they are, the more outwardly they seek it. Thus air and water flow apart, but heaven continually runs its course, and in its course it brings forth all creatures. In this it makes itself like God as far as it is able. Second, in its course it seeks its stillness. Heaven never gives itself over to any work by which it serves the creature beneath it. In this it makes itself still more like God. Where God gives birth to himself in his Son, this is beyond the receptivity of all creatures. Nevertheless heaven strives after the work that God works in himself. If heaven does this, and other creatures that are far baser than the soul, then shame on the soul, and let her be ashamed that she so seldom strives and contends after the works that resemble the works God works in eternity.

The masters say that the soul can give birth to herself in herself and gives birth to herself out of herself back into herself. She can do wonders by natural light. She is so powerful that she separates what is one. Fire and heat are one. When they fall into intellect, it separates them. Wisdom and goodness are in God. When wisdom falls into intellect, it does not think of goodness. What does this mean? In this, wisdom bears one nearer into God. The soul gives birth out of herself to God from God into God. She truly gives birth out of herself. She does this where she is near to God. There she is an image of God.

Ich hab ez mê gesprochen: ein bilde, als ez ein bilde ist, daz ist ein bilde, alsô enkan ez nieman gesunderen. Swenne diu sêle dâ inne lebet, dâ si gotes bilde ist, dâ hât si rehte einunge, daz künnent alle crêatûre niht gescheiden. Trutz got selber, trutz den engeln, trutz allen crêatûren, daz sie daz mügen gescheiden, dâ diu sêle ein bilde gotes ist. Daz ist rehtiu einunge unt dâ lît rehtiu sêlikeit. Etlîche meister suochent sêlikeit. Ich spriche: sêlikeit lît weder an vernünftekeit noch an willen, mêr: obe den zweien lît sêlikeit unde si lît dâ als sêlikeit unde niht als vernünftekeit unde got lît als got unde sêle lît als si gotes bilde ist. Dâ ist sêlikeit, dâ diu sêle got minnet, als er got ist. Daz er uns mit im alsô vereine, des helf uns got. Âmen.

I have said it before: an image, insofar as it is an image, is an image, and no one can separate it. When the soul lives there where she is God’s image, there she has true union, which all creatures cannot separate. I defy God himself, I defy the angels, I defy all creatures to separate that in which the soul is an image of God. That is true union, and there lies true blessedness. Some masters seek blessedness. I say: blessedness lies neither in intellect nor in will. Rather, blessedness lies above these two, and it lies there as blessedness and not as intellect, and God lies there as God, and the soul lies there as she is God’s image. There is blessedness where the soul loves God as he is God. That he may thus unite us with himself, may God help us. Amen.