Sermon 82 — They died by the sword

Pfeiffer Sermon 82Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

In occisione gladii mortui sunt (Hebr. XI, 37.).

Man liset von den heiligen marterêren, der man hiute gedenket, daz sie gestorben sîn mit umbringunge des swertes. Unser herre sprach zuo sînen jungern ‘sêlic sît ir, sô ir etwaz lîdet umbe mînen namen.’ Nû sprichet diu geschrift von disen marterêren, daz sie umbe Kristî namen den tôt geliten haben unde durch daz swert umbrâht sîn.

Hie sullen wir driu dinc merken. Daz êrste, daz sie tôt sîn. Swaz man lîdet in dirre welte, daz endet. Sant Augustînus sprichet: alliu pîne unde werc der pîne daz nimt ein ende unde der lôn ist êwic. Daz ander, daz wir ane sehen süllen, daz allez diz leben toetlich ist, daz wir niht vörhten süllen alle pîne und alle die arbeit, die uns zuo komen, wan ez nimt ende. Daz dritte, daz wir uns halten als wir tôt sîn, daz uns niht betrüebe weder liep noch leit noch elliu pînlicheit. Ez sprichet ein meister: den himel mac niht berüeren. Diz meinet, daz der mensche ein himelisch mensche ist, dem alliu dinc niht sô vil sint, daz sie in berüeren mügen. Ez sprichet ein meister: sît daz alle crêatûre sô snoede sint, wâ von kumt ez denne, daz sie den menschen sô lihte von gote kêrent: diu sêle ist doch an irem snoedesten bezzer denne der himel und alle crêatûren? Ez sprichet ein meister: ez kumt dâ von, daz er gotes wênic ahtet als er solte. Ahte er gotes, als er solte, ez wêre bî nâhe unmügelich, daz er iemer geviele. Und ist uns ein guotiu lêre, daz sich der mensche alsô halte in dirre welte, als ob er tôt sî. Sant Gregorius sprichet, daz gotes nieman sô vil habe denne der ze grunde tôt sî.

In occisione gladii mortui sunt (Hebr. XI, 37.).

One reads of the holy martyrs whom we commemorate today that they died by the slaying of the sword. Our Lord said to his disciples: “Blessed are you when you suffer anything for my name.” Now Scripture says of these martyrs that they suffered death for Christ’s name and were slain by the sword.

Here we should take note of three things. The first is that they are dead. Whatever one suffers in this world comes to an end. Saint Augustine says: all pain and every work of suffering comes to an end, but the reward is eternal. The second is that we should consider that this whole life is mortal, so that we should not fear any pain or any hardship that comes upon us, for it comes to an end. The third is that we should conduct ourselves as though we were dead, so that neither pleasure nor pain nor any suffering should trouble us. A master says: nothing can touch heaven. This means that the human being is a heavenly human being when all things count for so little to him that they cannot touch him. A master says: since all creatures are so base, how does it come about that they so easily turn the human being away from God, since the soul even in her basest part is better than heaven and all creatures? A master says: it comes from this, that he esteems God too little, not as he ought. If he esteemed God as he ought, it would be almost impossible for him ever to fall. And this is a good teaching for us, that the human being should conduct himself in this world as though he were dead. Saint Gregory says that no one possesses God so fully as one who is thoroughly dead.

Diu vierde lêre ist aller beste. Er sprichet, daz sie tôt sîn. Der tôt gît in ein wesen. Ez sprichet ein meister: diu nâtûre gebrichet niemer, si engebe ein bezzers dar gegen. Alse luft ze fiure wirt, daz ist bezzer; aber sô luft ze wazzer wirt, daz ist ein zerstœren und irret. Sît diz diu nâtûre tuot, vil mê tuot ez got: der gebrichet niemer, er gebe ein bezzerz. Die merterêre sint tôt unde hânt verlorn ein leben unde hânt enpfangen ein wesen. Ein meister sprichet, daz edelste daz sî wesen unde leben, unde bekantnisse ist hœher denne leben und edeler denne wesen, wan in dem, daz ez bekennet, sô hât ez leben unde wesen. Aber dar nâch ist leben edeler denne wesen, als der boum, der lebet; sô hât der stein ein wesen. Nû nemen wir wider wesen blôz unde lûter, als ez in im selber ist, sô ist wesen hœher denne bekantnisse oder leben, wan in dem, daz ez wesen ist, sô hât ez bekantnisse unde leben. Sie hânt, spriche ich, verlorn ein nâtûrlich leben unde hânt enpfangen ein wesen. Ein meister sprichet, daz gote niht sô gelîch sî als wesen: sô vil ez wesen hât, sô vil ist ez gote gelîch. Ein meister sprichet: wesen ist sô lûter unde sô hôch, allez daz got ist daz ist ein wesen. Got enbekennet niht dan alleine wesen, er enweiz niht denne wesen, wesen ist sîn rinc. Got enminnet niht denne sîn wesen, er gedenket niht dan sîn wesen. Ich spriche, alle crêatûre sint ein wesen. Ein meister sprichet, daz etlîche crêatûre sîn, die sô nâhe gote sint unde hânt sô vil götlîches liehtes gedrücket in sich, daz sie andern crêatûren wesen gebent. Daz ist niht wâr, wan wesen ist sô lûter unde sô hôch unde got sô sippe, daz nieman wesen geben kan wan got alleine. Gotes eigenschaft ist wesen. Ein meister sprichet: ein crêatûre mac wol der andern leben geben. Dar umbe alleine in wesen lît allez, daz iht ist. Wesen ist ein êrster name. Allez, daz gebrestlich ist, daz ist abeval von wesen. Allez unser leben solte ein wesen sîn. Als verre unser leben ein wesen ist, alse verre ist ez in gote. Als verre unser leben in geslozzen ist in sippe, alse verre ist ez gote sippe. Ez enist kein leben sô kranc, der ez nimt als ez wesen ist, sô ist ez edeler dan allez, daz ie leben gewan. Ich bin des gewis, bekante ein sêle daz minste daz wesen hât, si enkêrte niemer einen ougenblic dannân. Daz snoedeste, daz man in gote bekennet, als der einen bluomen bekante als er ein wesen in gote hât, daz wêre edeler dann alliu diu welt. Daz snoedeste, daz in got ist als ez wesen ist, daz ist bezzer dan der einen engel bekante.

Der engel dâ er sich kêret zuo der crêatûre bekennen dâ wirt ez naht. Sant Augustînus sprichet: swenne der engel die crêatûre in gote bekennet, dâ wirt ein âbent; bekennet diu sêle got in den crêatûren, daz ist ein âbent. Aber der die crêatûren in gote bekennet, daz ist ein morgenlieht. Daz si aber got bekennet, als er alleine in sich wesen ist, daz ist der liehte mittag. Unt diz solte der mensche begern, als in einem unsinne, und ansehen, daz daz wesen sô edel ist. Wir loben in gote sterben, ûf daz er uns setze in ein wesen, daz bezzer ist denne ein leben: ein wesen, dâ unser leben inne lebet, dâ unser leben ein wesen wirt. Der mensche sol sich willeclîche geben in den tôt unde sterben, daz im ein bezzer leben werde.

The fourth teaching is the best of all. Scripture says that they are dead. Death gives them being. A master says: nature never destroys without giving something better in return. When air becomes fire, that is something better. But when air becomes water, that is a destruction and a going astray. Since nature does this, much more does God. He never destroys without giving something better. The martyrs are dead and have lost a life and received being. A master says that the noblest things are being and life, and that knowledge is higher than life and nobler than being, for insofar as something knows, it has life and being. But after this, life is nobler than being, as the tree lives while the stone has being. Now if we take being again bare and pure, as it is in itself, then being is higher than knowledge or life, for insofar as it is being, it has knowledge and life. They have, I say, lost a natural life and received being. A master says that nothing is so like God as being. Insofar as something has being, so far is it like God. A master says: being is so pure and so high that everything God is is one being. God knows nothing but being alone; he knows nothing but being; being is his ring. God loves nothing but his being; he thinks of nothing but his being. I say: all creatures are one being. A master says that there are certain creatures that are so near to God and have impressed so much divine light into themselves that they give being to other creatures. That is not true, for being is so pure and so high and so akin to God that no one can give being except God alone. God’s own property is being. A master says: one creature can indeed give life to another. Therefore everything that is anything lies in being alone. Being is a first name. Everything that is defective is a falling-away from being. Our whole life should be a being. Insofar as our life is a being, so far is it in God. Insofar as our life is enclosed in kinship, so far is it akin to God. There is no life so feeble that, if one takes it insofar as it is being, it is nobler than everything that ever received life. I am certain of this: if a soul knew the least thing that has being, she would never turn away from it for a single instant. The basest thing that one knows in God, even if one knew a flower as it has being in God, would be nobler than the whole world. The basest thing that is in God insofar as it is being is better than knowing an angel.

When the angel turns toward knowing creatures, there it becomes night. Saint Augustine says: when the angel knows the creature in God, there is an evening. When the soul knows God in creatures, that is an evening. But when one knows creatures in God, that is a morning light. But when she knows God as he is being alone in himself, that is the bright midday. And the human being should desire this as though beside himself and consider how noble being is. We praise dying in God so that he may set us into a being that is better than a life, a being in which our life lives, where our life becomes a being. The human being should willingly give himself into death and die so that a better life may come to him.

Ich sprach etwenne, daz ein holz bezzer ist denne got; daz liutet gar wunderlich. Ein stein ist edeler (als er ein wesen hât) denne got unde sîn gotheit âne wesen, obe man ime wesen möhte abetuon. Ez muoz gar ein kreftic leben sîn, in dem tôtiu dinc lebende werdent, in dem joch der tôt ein leben wirt. Gote dem stirbet niht: alliu dinc werdent lebende in im. Sie sint tôt (sprichet diu geschrift von den marterêren) unde sint gesetzet in ein êwic leben, in daz leben, dâ daz leben ein wesen ist. Man sol ze grunde tôt sîn, daz uns berüere weder liep noch leit. Waz man bekennen sol, daz muoz man bekennen in sîner ursache. Niemer mac man ein dinc rehte in sich selber bekennen, man bekenne ez in sîner ursache. Niemer mac ez bekantnisse sîn, ez bekenne denne in sîner berlîchen sache. Alsô mac daz leben niemer volbrâht werden, ez enwerde denne brâht in sîner berlîchen sache, dâ daz leben ein wesen ist. Waz uns des hindert, daz wir hier inne niht stête sîn, daz bewîset ein meister unde sprichet: ez kumt dâ von, daz wir zît rüeren. Waz zît rüeret, daz ist zîtlich unde stirbet. Ein meister sprichet: des himels louf ist êwic; ez ist wol wâr, dâ kumt zît von, daz tuot ez im abevallen. In sîme loufe ist er êwic, er enweiz von zît niht, unde meinet, daz diu sêle gesetzet sî in ein lûter wesen. Daz ander ist, daz ez in sich treit widersatzunge. Waz ist widersatzunge? Lieb unde leit, wîz unde swarz daz hât widersatzunge unde diu enblîbet in wesenne niht.

Ein meister sprichet: diu sêle ist dar umbe dem lîbe gegeben, daz si geliutert werde. Diu sêle, als si von dem lîbe ist gescheiden, sô enhât si weder vernunft noch willen: si ist ein, si mühte die kraft niht geleiten, dâ mite si seit; si hât sî wol in irem grunde als in ir wurzeln unde niht in dem werke. Diu sêle wirt geliutert in dem lîchamen dar umbe, daz si samene daz zerspreitet ist und ûz getragen. Waz die fünf sinne în getragent, als daz wider în kumet, sô hât si eine kraft, dâ wirt ez allez ein. Daz ander, daz si geliutert wirt in üebunge der tugende, daz ist, swenne diu sêle ûf klimmet in ein leben, daz vereinet ist. Dar an lît der sêle lûterkeit, daz si geliutert ist von eime leben, daz geteilt ist, unde tritet in ein leben, daz vereinet ist. Allez daz geteilt ist in nidern sachen, daz wirt vereinet, als diu sêle ûf klimmet in ein leben, dâ kein widersatzunge ist. Swenne diu sêle kumt in daz lieht der vernünftekeit, sô weiz si niht widersatzunge. Waz dem liehte entveilet, daz vellet in toetlicheit unde stirbet. Daz dritte ist der sêle lûterkeit, daz si ûf niht sî geneiget. Waz ûf iht anders ist geneiget, daz stirbet unde mac niht bestân. Wir biten des unsern lieben herren got, daz er uns helfe von einem leben, daz geteilt ist, in ein leben, daz vereinet ist. Des helf uns got. Âmen.

I have sometimes said that wood is better than God. That sounds very strange. A stone is nobler, insofar as it has being, than God and his Godhead without being, if one could take being away from him. It must be an exceedingly powerful life in which dead things become living, in which even death becomes a life. Nothing dies to God. All things become living in him. “They are dead,” Scripture says of the martyrs, and they are set into an eternal life, into the life where life is being. One should be thoroughly dead, so that neither pleasure nor pain touches us. Whatever one is to know, one must know in its cause. One can never rightly know a thing in itself unless one knows it in its cause. It can never be knowledge unless it knows a thing in its productive cause. Thus life too can never be brought to perfection unless it is brought into its productive cause, where life is being. A master shows what hinders us from remaining steadfast within this and says: it comes from this, that we touch time. Whatever touches time is temporal and dies. A master says: the course of heaven is eternal. It is indeed true that time comes from it, but this occurs in a falling-away. In its course it is eternal and knows nothing of time. And this means that the soul should be set into pure being. The second is that something bears opposition within itself. What is opposition? Pleasure and pain, white and black, these have opposition, and opposition does not remain in being.

A master says: the soul is given to the body so that she may be purified. When the soul is separated from the body, she has neither intellect nor will. She is one. She could not exercise the power by which she turns herself. She indeed has these powers in her ground, as in their root, but not in their working. The soul is purified in the body so that she may gather together what has been scattered and carried outward. Whatever the five senses carry inward, when it comes back inward again, she has one power in which it all becomes one. The second way in which she is purified is through the exercise of virtue, that is, when the soul climbs upward into a life that is united. The soul’s purity lies in this, that she is purified from a life that is divided and enters into a life that is united. Everything that is divided among lower things becomes united when the soul climbs upward into a life where there is no opposition. When the soul comes into the light of intellect, she knows no opposition. Whatever falls away from this light falls into mortality and dies. The third aspect of the soul’s purity is that she should be inclined toward nothing. Whatever is inclined toward something else dies and cannot endure. We ask our dear Lord God to help us from a life that is divided into a life that is united. May God help us to this. Amen.