Sermon 84 — Like a morning star in the midst of the mist
Pfeiffer Sermon 84Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition
‘Als ein morgensterne miten in dem nebel und als ein voller mâne in sînen tagen und als ein widerschînendiu sunne alsô hât dirre geliuhtet in dem tempe gotes. Disiu wort leit man gemeinlîche zuo den heiligen götlîchen lêrêren, die mit ir tugentrîchem lebenne unde götlîcher kunst den weltlîchen herzen, diu mit den crêatûren verhaftet in dem nebel unde gebruch oder vinsternüsse der unwizzenheit als die blinden ûf dem wege zuo dem êwigen heile irre gênt, geschinen unde geliuhtet hânt, als vor ûz dirre heiliger vater, des wir hiute gedenken, sant Dominicus genant, ein ûfenthalter der kristenheit und ein stifter bredier ordens, den er, ze verkündenne daz gotes wort unde ze helfenne dem armen sünder, ane gevangen und ûf gesetzet hât.
Nû sprichet diu geschrift, er habe geliuhtet als ein morgensterne in dem tempel gotes. Waz ist got unde waz ist der tempel gotes? Vierundzweinzic meister kâmen zesamen unde wolten sprechen, waz got wêre unde enmohten ez niht. Dar nâch kâmen sie wider ze rehter zît unde brâhte ir ieglîcher wider sînen spruch, der nim ich iezuo zwei oder drie. Der ein sprach: got ist etwaz, gegen dem alliu wandelbêriu unde zîtlîchiu dinc niht sint, und allez daz wesen hât daz ist von im und ist gegen im kleine. Der ander sprach: got ist etwaz, daz dâ ist über wesen unde daz in im selber niemannes bedarf unde des elliu dinc bedürfent. Der dritte sprach: got ist ein vernünftekeit, diu dâ minnet ir selbes bekantnüsse.
“As a morning star in the midst of the mist, and as a full moon in its days, and as a resplendent sun, so this man shone in the temple of God.” These words are commonly applied to the holy teachers of divine things, who through their virtuous lives and divine knowledge have shone and cast light upon worldly hearts that, bound to creatures in the mist and obscurity or darkness of ignorance, wander like the blind upon the way to eternal salvation. Above all they apply to this holy father whom we commemorate today, Saint Dominic, a supporter of Christendom and founder of the Order of Preachers, which he began and established in order to proclaim God’s Word and to help the poor sinner.
Now Scripture says that he shone like a morning star in the temple of God. What is God, and what is the temple of God? Twenty-four masters came together and wished to say what God was, and they could not do so. Afterward they came together again at the appointed time, and each brought his own saying. Of these I shall now take two or three. One said: God is something in comparison with which all changeable and temporal things are nothing, and everything that has being is from him and is small in comparison with him. Another said: God is something that is above being, that needs no one in itself, and that all things need. The third said: God is an intellect that loves its own knowledge.
Ich lâze daz êrste unt daz dritte unde spriche von dem anderen, daz got etwaz ist, daz von nôt über wesen sîn muoz. Waz wesen hât, zît oder stat, daz hœret ze gote niht, er ist über daz selbe; daz er ist in allen crêatûren, daz ist er doch dar über; waz dâ in vil dingen ein ist, daz muoz von nôt über diu dinc sîn. Etlîche meister wolten, daz diu sêle alleine in dem herzen wêre. Daz ist niht unt dâ hânt grôze meister an geirret. Diu sêle ist ganz und ungeteilt alzemâle in dem fuoze und in dem ougen. Nim ich ein stücke von der zît, sô enist ez weder der tac hiute noch der tac gester. Nim ich aber nû, daz begrîfet in sich alle zît. Daz nû, dâ got die welt inne machte, daz ist alse nâhe dirre zît, als daz nû, dâ ich iezuo inne spriche, unde der jungeste tac ist alse nâhe disem nû, alse der tac gester was.
Ein meister sprichet: got ist etwaz, daz dâ würket in êwikeit ungeteilt in ime selber, daz niemannes hilfe noch gezöuwes bedarf und in ime selber blîbende ist, daz nihtes bedarf unde des alliu dinc bedürfent unde dâ alliu dinc în kriegent als in ir lezest ende. Diz ende enhât keine wîse, ez entwehset der wîse unde gêt in die breite. Sant Bernhart sprichet: got minnen daz ist wîse âne wîse. Ein arzât, der einen siechen gesunt wil machen, der hât niht wîse der gesuntheit, wie gesunt er den siechen welle machen: er hât wol wîse, wâ mite er in gesunt welle machen, aber wie gesunt er in welle machen, daz ist âne wîse, wan er wil in gesunt machen alse verre er iemer mac.
I leave aside the first and the third and speak of the second, that God is something that of necessity must be above being. Whatever has being, time, or place does not belong to God. He is above all this. Although he is in all creatures, he is nevertheless above them. Whatever is one in many things must of necessity be above those things. Some masters held that the soul was only in the heart. That is not so, and great masters have erred in this. The soul is wholly and undividedly in the foot and in the eye. If I take a part of time, it is neither today nor yesterday. But if I take the now, it comprehends all time within itself. The now in which God made the world is as near to this time as the now in which I am speaking at this moment, and the Last Day is as near to this now as yesterday was.
A master says: God is something that works in eternity, undivided in himself, that needs neither anyone’s help nor any instrument, and that remains in himself, needing nothing, while all things need him and all things strive into him as toward their final end. This end has no mode. It outgrows mode and passes into breadth. Saint Bernard says: to love God is a mode without mode. A physician who wishes to make a sick person healthy has no mode of health, as to how healthy he wishes to make him. He indeed has a mode by which he wishes to make him healthy, but how healthy he wishes to make him is without mode, for he wishes to make him as healthy as ever he can.
Wie süllen wir got minnen? daz ist âne wîse. Ein ieglich dinc würket in wesen, dekein dinc mac würken über sîn wesen. Daz fiur enmac niht würken denne in dem holze. Got würket über wesen in der wîte, dâ er sich geregen mac, er würket in unwesen wesen; ê danne wesen wêre, dô worhte got, er worhte, dô niht wesen enwas. Grôze meister sprechent, got sî ein lûter wesen; er ist hôch über wesen, als der oberste engel ist über eine muggen. Und ich spriche, ez ist als unreht, daz ich got heize ein wesen, als ob ich die sunne hieze bleich oder swarz. Got enist weder diz noch daz. Unde sprichet ein heiliger: swer dâ wênet, daz er got bekant habe, unde bekante er iht, sô bekante er iht unde bekante got niht.
Daz ich aber gesprochen habe, got sî niht ein wesen unde sî über wesen, hie mit enhabe ich im niht wesen abe gesprochen, sunder ich habe ez in ime gewirdiget unde gehœhet. Nim ich kupfer in dem golde, sô ist ez dâ und ist dâ in einer hœhern wîse, danne ez ist an im selber. Sant Augustînus sprichet: got ist wîse âne wîse, güete âne güete, gewalt âne gewalt.
How should we love God? Without mode. Every particular thing works within being. No thing can work above its being. Fire can work only in wood. God works above being, in the breadth in which he can move himself. He works being in nonbeing. Before there was being, God worked. He worked when there was no being. Great masters say that God is pure being. He is high above being, as the highest angel is above a gnat. And I say that it is as wrong for me to call God a being as it would be to call the sun pale or black. God is neither this nor that. And a saint says: whoever supposes that he has known God, if he knew anything, knew something and did not know God.
But when I have said that God is not a being and is above being, I have not thereby denied being to him. Rather, I have dignified and elevated it in him. If I take copper in gold, it is there, but it is there in a higher mode than it is in itself. Saint Augustine says: God is wise without wisdom, good without goodness, powerful without power.
Kleine meister lesent in der schuole, daz alliu wesen sîn geteilt in zwô wîse unde die selben sprechent sie gote zemâle abe. Dirre wîse berüeret got keine und er enbirt ir ouch keine. Diu êrste, diu des wesens aller meist hât, dâ alliu dinc wesen inne nement, daz ist substancie, unde daz leste, daz des wesens aller minnest treit, daz heizet relatio, daz ist gelîch in gote dem aller grœsten, daz des wesens aller meist hât; sie habent ein gelîch bilde in gote. In gote sint aller dinge bilde gelîch; aber sie sint ungelîch der dinge bilde. Der hœhste engel unde diu sêle unt diu mugge hânt ein gelîch bilde in gote. Got ist niht wesen noch güete. Güete klebet an wesenne und ist niht breiter dan wesen, wan wêre niht wesen, sô enwêre niht güete, unde wesen ist noch lûterr denne güete. In gote ist weder güete noch bezzerz noch allerbestez. Wer sprichet, daz got guot wêre, der tête im als unrehte, als der die sunnen swarz hieze. Nû sprichet doch got: nieman ist guot dan alleine got. Waz ist guot? Daz sich gemeinet. Den heizen wir einen guoten menschen, der gemeine unde nütze ist. Dar umbe sprichet ein heidenischer meister, ein einsidel sî weder guot noch bœse (nâch dem sinne), wan er niht gemeine noch den liuten nütze ist. Got ist daz aller gemeineste, dekein dinc gemeinet sich von dem sînen, wan alle crêatûre von in selber niht ensint. Swaz sie gemeinent, daz habent sie von eime anderen. Sie gebent sich ouch niht selbe. Diu sunne gît iren schîn unde blîbet doch dâ stênde, daz fiur gît sîne hitze unde belîbet doch fiur; aber got gemeinet daz sîne, wan er von im selber ist, daz er ist, und in allen den gâben, die er gît, sô gibet er sich selber ie zem êrsten. Er gît sich got als er ist in allen sînen gâben, alse verre ez an im ist, der in enpfâhen möhte. Sant Jacob sprichet ‘alle guote gâben sint von oben her abe fliezende von dem vater der liehte.’
Als wir got nemen in dem wesenne, sô nemen wir in in sîner vorburg, dâ er inne wonet, wan wesen ist in gote unde er wonet in sîner vorburg, und ist sîn vorburg dâ er inne wonet. Wâ ist er dan in sînem tempel (diz ist vernünftekeit)? Dâ er heilig schînet, als der ander meister sprach, daz got ist ein vernunft, diu dâ lebet in sîner bekantnüsse alleine, in im selber alleine blîbende, dâ in nie niht beruorte, wan er alleine dâ ist in sîner stilheit. Got in sîn selbes bekantnüsse bekennet sich selber in sich selber.
Lesser masters teach in the schools that all beings are divided into two modes, and they altogether deny these same modes of God. Neither of these modes touches God, nor is he deprived of either. The first, which has the greatest share of being and in which all things receive being, is substance. The last, which bears the least of being, is called relatio, relation. In God this is equal to the greatest, which has the most being. They have an equal image in God. In God the images of all things are equal, but as images of things they are unlike. The highest angel, the soul, and the gnat have an equal image in God. God is neither being nor goodness. Goodness adheres to being and is no broader than being, for if there were no being, there would be no goodness. And being is still purer than goodness. In God there is neither goodness nor better nor best. Whoever says that God is good does him as much wrong as someone who called the sun black. Yet God himself says: “No one is good except God alone.” What is good? That which communicates itself. We call a human being good who communicates himself and is useful. Therefore a pagan master says that a hermit is neither good nor evil, in this sense, because he does not communicate himself and is not useful to people. God is the most communicative of all. No thing communicates what is its own, for all creatures are nothing of themselves. Whatever they communicate, they have from another. Nor do they give themselves. The sun gives its radiance and yet remains where it is. Fire gives its heat and yet remains fire. But God communicates what is his own, for he is from himself what he is, and in all the gifts that he gives, he always gives himself first. He gives himself as God, as he is, in all his gifts, insofar as it lies in him, to whoever could receive him. Saint James says: “Every good gift flows down from above, from the Father of lights.”
When we take God in being, we take him in his forecourt, where he dwells, for being is in God and he dwells in his forecourt, and his forecourt is where he dwells. Where then is he in his temple, which is intellect? There he shines in holiness, as the other master said that God is an intellect that lives solely in his own knowledge, remaining solely in himself, where nothing ever touched him, for there he alone is in his stillness. God, in his own knowledge, knows himself in himself.
Nû nemen wir in der sêle, diu ein tröpfelîn hât vernünftekeit, ein fünklîn, ein zwîc, diu hât krefte, die dâ würkent in dem lîbe. Ein kraft ist, dâ von der mensche töuwet, diu würket mê in der naht dan in dem tage, dâ von der mensche zuo nimt unde wehset. Diu sêle hât eine kraft in den ougen, dâ von ist daz ouge sô subtil unde sô kleinlîch unde sô verwenc, daz ez diu dinc niht nimet in der grobheit, alse sie an in selber sint: sie müezent vor hin gebiutelt werden unde klein gemachet in dem lufte und in dem liehte; daz ist dâ von, daz ez die sêle bî im hât. Ein ander kraft ist in der sêle dâ mite si gedenket. Disiu kraft bildet in sich diu dinc, diu niht gegenwürtic sint, daz ich diu dinc alsô wol bekenne, als ob ich sie sêhe mit den ougen, unde noch baz. Ich bekenne wol eine rôsen in dem winter, unde mit dirre kraft würket diu sêle in unwesen unde volget gote, der in unwesen würket.
Ein heidenischer meister sprichet: diu sêle, diu got minnet, diu nimet in under dem velle der güete (noch sint ez allez heidenischer meister wort, diu hie vor gesprochen sint, die niht bekanten denne in eime nâtûrlîchen liehte, noch enbin ich nit komen zuo der heiligen lêrêre worten, die dâ bekanten in eime vil hœhern liehte); er sprichet, daz diu sêle, diu got minnet, diu nimet in under dem velle der güete. Vernünftekeit ziuht gote diz vel der güete abe unde nimet in blôz, dâ er entkleidet ist von güete unde von wesen unde von allen namen.
Now let us consider the soul. She has a little drop of intellect, a little spark, a branch, and she has powers that work in the body. There is a power by which the human being digests. It works more at night than during the day, and through it the human being increases and grows. The soul has a power in the eyes through which the eye is so subtle and so fine and delicate that it does not receive things in the coarseness in which they are in themselves. They must first be sifted and made small in the air and in the light. This is because the eye has the soul with it. There is another power in the soul with which she thinks. This power images within itself things that are not present, so that I know those things as well as if I saw them with my eyes, and even better. I can know a rose in winter. With this power the soul works in nonbeing and follows God, who works in nonbeing.
A pagan master says: the soul that loves God takes him beneath the veil of goodness. These are still all words of pagan masters that have been spoken thus far, who knew only in a natural light. I have not yet come to the words of the holy teachers, who knew in a much higher light. He says that the soul that loves God takes him beneath the veil of goodness. Intellect draws this veil of goodness away from God and takes him bare, where he is stripped of goodness and of being and of all names.
Ich sprach in der schuole, daz vernünftekeit edeler wêre danne wille, unde hœrent doch beide in diz lieht. Dô sprach ein meister in einer andern schuole, wille wêre edeler danne vernünftekeit, wan wille nimet diu dinc, als sie in in selber sint, unde vernünftekeit nimt diu dinc, als sie in ir sint. Daz ist wâr. Ein ouge ist edeler in ime selber dan ein ouge, daz an eine want gemâlet wêre. Ich spriche aber, daz vernünftekeit edeler ist dan wille. Wille nimt got under dem kleide der güete. Vernünftekeit nimt got blôz, als er entkleidet ist von güete unde von wesen. Güete ist ein kleit, dâ got under verborgen ist, unde wille nimt got under dem kleide der güete. Wêre güete an gote niht, mîn wille wölte sîn niht. Der einen künic kleiden wolte an dem tage, als man in ze künig machte, unde kleidete in in grâwiu kleit, der hête in niht wol gekleidet. Dâ von enbin ich niht sêlic, daz got guot ist. Ich enwil des niemer begern, daz mich got sêlic mache von sîner güete, wan er enmöhte ez niht getuon. Dâ von bin ich alleine sêlic, daz got vernünftic ist und ich daz bekenne. Ein meister sprichet: vernünftekeit gotes ist, dâ des engels wesen zemâle ane hanget.
Man frâget, wâ daz wesen des bildes aller eigenlîchest sî: in dem spiegel oder in dem, von dem ez ûz gêt? Daz bilde ist in mir, von mir, zuo mir. Die wîle der spiegel gelîch stêt gegen mînem antlite, sô ist mîn bilde dâ inne; viele der spiegel, sô zergienge ouch daz bilde. Des engels wesen hanget dar an, daz im götlîch vernünftekeit gegenwürtic ist, dar inne er sich bekennet als ein morgensterne miten in dem nebel. Ich meine allez diz wörtelîn quasi, daz heizet als, unde diz ist, daz ich in allen mînen bredien meine. Daz heizent diu kint in der schuole ein bîwort.
I said in the school that intellect was nobler than will, although both belong to this light. Then a master in another school said that will was nobler than intellect, because will takes things as they are in themselves, whereas intellect takes things as they are in it. That is true. An eye is nobler in itself than an eye painted upon a wall. But I say that intellect is nobler than will. Will takes God beneath the garment of goodness. Intellect takes God bare, as he is stripped of goodness and of being. Goodness is a garment beneath which God is hidden, and will takes God beneath the garment of goodness. If goodness were not in God, my will would not want him. If someone wished to clothe a king on the day on which he was made king and clothed him in gray garments, he would not have clothed him well. I am not blessed because God is good. I shall never desire that God make me blessed through his goodness, for he could not do it. I am blessed solely because God is intellectual and I know this. A master says: God’s intellect is that upon which the angel’s being depends entirely.
One asks where the being of the image most properly is, in the mirror or in that from which it proceeds. The image is in me, from me, and toward me. As long as the mirror stands directly before my face, my image is in it. If the mirror fell, the image too would pass away. The angel’s being depends upon divine intellect being present to him, in which he knows himself as a morning star in the midst of the mist. By all this I mean the little word quasi, which means “as,” and this is what I mean in all my sermons. The children in the school call this a “beside-word.”
Daz aller eigenlîchest, daz man von gote gesprechen mac, ist wort unde wârheit. Got nante sich selber ein wort. Sant Johannes sprach ‘in dem anevange was daz wort’, unde meinet, daz man bî dem worte sî ein bîwort. Als der frîe sterne Venus, der frîtac genennet wirt, der hât manigen namen. Als er vor der sunnen gêt und er ê ûf gêt dan diu sunne, sô heizet er ein morgensterne; als er aber der sunnen nâch gêt, alsô daz diu sunne ê under gêt, sô heizet er ein âbentsterne. Etwenne sô loufet er ob der sunnen, etwenne bî niden der sunnen. Vor allen sterren ist er alwege gelîch nâhe der sunnen, er enkumt ir niemer verrer, unde bediutet oder meinet, daz ein mensche, der hie zuo komen wil, der sol gote alle zît bî unde gegenwürtic sîn, alsô daz in gote niht müge geverren weder gelücke noch ungelücke noch keinerleie crêatûre.
Er sprichet ouch ‘als ein voller mâne in sînen tagen.’ Der mâne hât hêrschaft über fiuhte nâtûre. Niemer ist der mâne der sunnen sô nâhe denne sô er vol ist und als er sîn lieht von der sunnen zem êrsten nimt, unde dâ von, daz er der erden nêher ist denne kein sterne, sô hât er zwêne schaden: daz er bleich unde vleckeht ist unde daz er sîn lieht verliuret. Niemer ist er sô kreftic denne sô er der erden aller verrest ist, denne sô wirfet er daz mer aller verrest ûz; ie mêr er abe nimt, ie minner er ez ûz gewerfen mac. Ie mêr diu sêle ûf erhaben ist von irdeschen dingen, ie kreftiger si ist. Der niht denne die crêatûre bekante, der bedörfte niemer gedenken ûf dekeine bredie. Ein ieglîchiu crêatûre ist vol gotes und ist ein buoch. Der mensche, der hie zuo komen wil, dâ von hie vor gesprochen ist (hie gêt elliu diu rede zemâle ûf), der sol sîn als ein morgensterne in eim gotgegenwürtigen menschen und im iemer bî unde gelîch nâhe und erhaben über elliu irdeschiu dinc unde bî dem worte sîn ein bîwort, daz ist der engel unde der mensche und alle crêatûren. Ez ist ein ander wort bedâht unde für brâht, daz in mich bilde. Noch ist ein ander wort, daz dâ ist unfürbrâht und unbedâht, daz niemer ûz kumet, sunder ez ist êweclîch in dem, der ez sprichet; ez ist iemer mê in eim ûzgange in dem vater, der ez sprichet, und inblîbende.
The most proper thing that one can say of God is Word and truth. God called himself a Word. Saint John said: “In the beginning was the Word,” and he means that one should be a beside-word beside the Word. The free star Venus, from which Friday takes its name, has many names. When it goes before the sun and rises earlier than the sun, it is called a morning star. But when it follows the sun, so that the sun sets before it, it is called an evening star. At times it runs above the sun, at times below the sun. Of all the stars it is always equally near the sun. It never becomes farther from it. This signifies and means that a human being who wishes to come to what has been spoken of here should always be near and present to God, so that neither fortune nor misfortune nor any creature whatsoever can distance him from God.
He also says: “as a full moon in its days.” The moon has dominion over moist nature. The moon is never so near the sun as when it is full and when it first receives its light from the sun. And because it is nearer the earth than any star, it has two defects: it is pale and spotted, and it loses its light. It is never so powerful as when it is farthest from the earth. Then it casts the sea farthest outward. The more it wanes, the less it can cast the sea outward. The more the soul is raised above earthly things, the more powerful she is. Whoever knew nothing but creatures would never need to reflect upon any sermon. Every creature is full of God and is a book. The human being who wishes to come to what has been spoken of here, and to this all the discourse is directed, should be like a morning star, a human being present to God, always beside him and equally near to him, raised above all earthly things, and beside the Word he should be a beside-word, as are the angel, the human being, and all creatures. There is another word that is thought and brought forth, which forms an image in me. There is still another Word that is unbrought-forth and unthought, which never comes out, but remains eternally in the one who speaks it. It is always in a going-forth in the Father who speaks it, and remaining within.
Vernünftekeit ist allez inwert würkende, eigenlîcher und eigenlîcher, ie mêr unde ie kreftiger ez inwert würkende ist. In dirre würkunge ist got sêlic. Hie sol diu sêle sîn ein bîwort unde sol ir sêlekeit nemen, dâ gotes sêlekeit an lît. Alsô enist ez niht an lîplîchen dingen: ie kreftiger diu sint, ie mêr sie ûzwert würkent; unde diu vernunft, ie kreftiger unde kleinlîcher si ist, ie mêr daz vereinet wirt, daz si bekennet, unde mê ein mit ir wirt. Gotes sêlekeit lît an der înwertwürkunge der vernünftekeit, dâ daz wort inneblîbende ist, dâ sol diu sêle sîn ein bîwort und mit gote würken ein werc, in der inswebenden bekantnüsse ze nemenne ir sêlekeit in dem selben, dâ got sêlic ist. Daz wir alle zît bî disem worte müezen sîn ein bîwort, des helfe uns der vater unt daz selbe wort unt der heilig geist. Âmen.
Intellect works entirely inwardly. The more properly and the more powerfully it works inwardly, the more properly it is intellect. In this working God is blessed. Here the soul should be a beside-word and should receive her blessedness where God’s blessedness lies. It is not so with bodily things. The more powerful they are, the more they work outwardly. But the more powerful and subtle intellect is, the more what it knows is united and becomes one with it. God’s blessedness lies in the inward working of intellect, where the Word remains within. There the soul should be a beside-word and work one work with God, taking her blessedness in inward-hovering knowledge, in that same place where God is blessed. That we may at all times be a beside-word beside this Word, may the Father and that same Word and the Holy Spirit help us. Amen.