Sermon 86 — Beloved by God and by people

Pfeiffer Sermon 86Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

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

‘Er was geminnet gote unde den menschen, des wir nû gedenken, und ist gebenedeiet und in gote geheiliget in der klârheit der heiligen.’ Solhiu wort liset man hiute von mînem lieben herren sant Franciscô unt der wirt hie gelobet an zwein dingen, unde swer diu hât der ist ein grôz mensche.

Daz ein ist wâriu armuot. Man liset von ime, daz er einest gienc mit sînen gesellen, dô begegent in ein armer mensche. Dô sprach er zuo sînen gesellen: nû hât uns dirre mensche geschendet unde hât uns laster getân, daz er ermer ist dan wir. Diz wort merket, daz er dar abe geschant sich selber ahte, daz er ieman vant, der ermer was dan er. Ich pflac etwenne ein wort ze sprechen unt daz ist wêrlîche wâr: swer dâ wêrlîche minnet armuot, dem ist sô nôt dar zuo, daz er nieman gunnet, daz er minre habe dan er. Und alsô ist ez von allen dingen, ez sî reinikeit, ez sî gerehtikeit, ez sî swaz tugent er minne, an der wil er an dem hœhsten sîn, er wil immer den hœhsten grât haben, den man haben mac in der zît, und enmac niht lîden, daz iht ob im sî, er wil immer die obersten stat haben. Der minne engenüeget niht, die wîle iht dâ ist, dâ mite man minnen mac. Dirre heilige minnete armuot alsô sêre, daz er niht möhte lîden, daz ieman ermer wêre denne er. Ie ermer der mensche ist in dem geiste, ie abegescheidener unde vernihtende mê alliu dinc; ie ermer er ist in dem geiste, ie eigener alliu dinc sîn sint unde mê sîn eigen sint.

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

“He whom we now commemorate was beloved by God and by human beings, and is blessed and sanctified in God in the radiance of the saints.” These words are read today concerning my dear lord Saint Francis, and he is praised here for two things. Whoever has these is a great human being.

The first is true poverty. One reads of him that once he was walking with his companions when a poor man met him. Then he said to his companions: “Now this man has put us to shame and has done us dishonor, because he is poorer than we are.” Take note of this word, that he regarded himself as put to shame because he found someone who was poorer than he was. I used sometimes to say a word, and it is truly true: whoever truly loves poverty has such a need for it that he cannot bear that anyone should have less than he does. And so it is with all things, whether purity, righteousness, or whatever virtue he loves. In that virtue he wishes to be at the highest. He always wishes to have the highest degree that one can have in time, and cannot bear that anything should be above him. He always wishes to have the highest place. Love is not satisfied as long as there is anything more with which one can love. This saint loved poverty so greatly that he could not bear anyone to be poorer than he was. The poorer the human being is in spirit, the more detached he is and the more he annihilates all things. The poorer he is in spirit, the more all things are his own and the more properly they are his own.

Diu ander tugent, diu den menschen grôz machet, daz ist wâriu dêmuetikeit; die hête dirre heilige volkomenlîch unde vernihtikeit unde verworfenheit sîn selbes. Disiu tugent machet den menschen aller grœzest; der dise in dem allertiefesten und in dem volkomensten hât, der hât müglicheit alle volkomenheit ze enpfâhenne.

‘Er was geminnet’ sprichet diu schrift ‘gote unde den menschen.’ Nû wil ich iu sagen gar ein guotez mêre, der ez verstêt sô ist ez gar ein trœstlich dinc. Der mensche der got minnet der wirt geminnet von allen heiligen unde von allen engelen als unmêziclîchen sêre, daz alliu diu minne, die man erdenken kan, diu ist dirre minne ungelîch und ist ein niht gên diser minne. Alle die in himelrîche sint die minnent mich sô sêre (ob ich got minne), allez daz man von minne erdenken mac, daz ist ein ungelîch dinc, joch waz ir wellent unde wie ir wellent: ich bin geminnet von aller menige der engel, der sô unzallich vil ist.

The second virtue that makes the human being great is true humility. This saint possessed it perfectly, together with the annihilation and rejection of himself. This virtue makes the human being greatest of all. Whoever possesses it in the deepest and most perfect way has the capacity to receive all perfection.

“He was beloved,” Scripture says, “by God and by human beings.” Now I will tell you very good news. For whoever understands it, it is a very consoling thing. The human being who loves God is loved by all the saints and by all the angels so immeasurably greatly that all the love one can conceive is unequal to this love and is nothing compared with it. All those who are in the kingdom of heaven love me so greatly, if I love God, that everything one could conceive concerning love is incomparable with it, whatever you may think and however you may think it. I am loved by the whole multitude of angels, which is innumerably great.

Ich bin niulîche gefrâget, wie daz müge sîn, daz der engele mêr sî denne aller lîplîchen zal, der reht sô vil ist als an korn und an gras und an sô vil dinges? Sô spriche ich, diu dinc müezent grôz sîn, dâ sich got în eigent unde diu got in im eigent unde diu gote nâhe sint. Die meister sprechent (die wol sprechen wellent), daz ein ieglîch engel habe eine sundere nâtûre und enpfâhe sunderlîch alle die nâtûre in sich. Ze glîcher wîse, wêre ich ein mensche und hête aller menschen nâtûre in mir, sterke, wîsheit, schœne und allez daz, daz alle menschen hânt, sô wêre ich gar ein schœn mensche, unde wêren niht mê menschen dan ich, sô empfienge ich daz alle menschen enpfâhent. Ein ieglîch engel hât sîn sunder nâtûre: ie nêher er gote ist, ie edeler er ist, unde hât in sich gevazzet gotes alsô vil, als er sîn enpfâhen mac. Unde disiu menie minnet mich und alle die minnent mich, die got minnent, unde nieman hazzet mich, denne die gotes viende sint. Swer er joch sî, an dem selben wirt er gotes vient und ist im got wider an dem selben, ist denne daz er gotes vient ist. Vertreit denne got sîme viende, war umbe wolle ich ime denne niht ouch vertragen? unde richet mich got, wes nime ich mich denne an ze rechenne?

Nû mügent ir sprechen: bœse liute hânt ez sêre guot, sie habent ir willen mê denne ander liute. Salomôn sprichet: der bœse man sol niht sprechen: waz schadet mir daz ich übel tete, und ez tet mir doch niht wê? Oder wer let mir dar umbe? Daz selbe daz dû übels tuost daz ist dîn schade alzemâle und ist dir wê genuoc. Sît des gewis bî der êwigen wârheit, daz ez ein alsô grôzer gotes zorn ist, er enmöhte dem sünder niht wirs getuon weder mit helle noch iender mite denne er dâ mite tuot, daz er im des gestatet oder über in verhênget, daz er sündic ist, unt daz er niht über in verhancte sô grôzen jâmer, daz er niht sünden möhte. Unde gêbe im got wê aller der welte, dannoch möhte in got niht mê slahen dan er dâ mite geslagen ist, daz er sündet.

I was recently asked how it can be that the number of angels is greater than the number of all bodily things, which is as great as the number of grains of corn and blades of grass and so many other things. I say that those things must be many in which God makes himself their own, which make God their own in him, and which are near to God. The masters who speak properly say that every individual angel has a distinct nature and individually receives that whole nature into himself. In the same way, if I were a human being and had within myself the nature of all human beings, strength, wisdom, beauty, and everything that all human beings possess, then I would be a very beautiful human being. And if there were no other human beings than I, I would receive everything that human beings receive. Every individual angel has his distinct nature. The nearer he is to God, the nobler he is, and he has comprehended within himself as much of God as he is able to receive. And this multitude loves me, and all those who love God love me, and no one hates me except those who are God’s enemies. Whoever he may be, in that same respect he becomes God’s enemy, and in that same respect God is against him, if indeed he is God’s enemy. If God bears with his enemy, why should I not also bear with him? And if God avenges me, why should I then take it upon myself to avenge myself?

Now you might say: wicked people fare exceedingly well. They have their will more than other people do. Solomon says: the wicked man should not say, “What harm does it do me that I did evil, since it did not hurt me? Or who will harm me for it?” The very fact that you do evil is altogether your harm and is pain enough for you. Be certain of this by the eternal truth: it is so great a wrath of God that he could do nothing worse to the sinner, neither with hell nor with anything else, than what he does by allowing or permitting him to be sinful, and by not inflicting upon him such great misery that he would be unable to sin. And if God gave him all the pain in the world, God could still not strike him more severely than he is struck by the fact that he sins.

‘Er was gote gevellic unde geminnet unde den liuten, des gedêhtnisse sî in dem lobe unde segen.’ Diz wort wart von êrste gesprochen von Moysese, unde der selbe diutet als vil als einer der von dem wazzer ist genomen. Bî dem wazzer nimt man vergenclichiu dinc. Der mensche ist alteine gote gevellic, der von allen zergenclichen dingen abe gescheiden und abe genomen ist. Der mensche, der aller abe gescheidener ist und aller vergezzenlîcher ist aller zergenclicher dinge, der ist gote aller gevellicgest unde joch dem selben gote aller nêhest.

Nû möhtest dû sprechen: wie möhte ich als vil getuon, daz ich alle die welt versmâhte durch got? Ich spriche: der hête verre mê getân, der sich aller dinge überwinden oder verziehen möhte. Künic Dâvît sprichet ‘tohter, vergiz dînes volkes unde des hûses dînes vater, sô wirt der künic begern dîner schœne.’ Als ob er sprêche: der künic wirt rehte vertrœst und insinnic werden nâch dir von minne. Waz gotes minne in uns würket unde waz wirdikeit wir dar abe enpfâhen daz uns got minnet, daz sprach ich in einem andern sermône unde predie. Diz wort (‘vergiz dînes volkes unde des hûses dînes vater’), merkent eben. War umbe ist mir mîn vater lieber denne ein ander man? Dar umbe, daz er mîn vater ist unde mîn omne, wan er mîn omne ist, daz ist allez daz mîn, jâ daz mîn. Des mînen sol ich vergezzen in allen dingen, meinet diz wort. Der prophête sprichet ‘dînes vater hûs’. Als ich niulîche sprach, künde der mensche dar zuo komen, über sich und ûz sich, sô hête er wol gevobten. Vergiz des dînen, sô gewinnest dû die tugent.

“He was pleasing and beloved to God and to human beings, whose memory is in praise and blessing.” This word was first spoken of Moses, and that name signifies as much as “one who is taken from the water.” By water one understands perishable things. Only that human being is pleasing to God who is separated and taken away from all perishable things. The more completely detached the human being is and the more completely forgetful of all perishable things, the more pleasing he is to God and indeed the nearer he is to God himself.

Now you might say: how could I do so much that I would despise the whole world for God? I say: the one who could overcome himself or renounce all things would have done far more. King David says: “Daughter, forget your people and the house of your father, and then the king will desire your beauty.” It is as though he were saying: the king will truly take delight in you and become inwardly drawn toward you in love. What God’s love works in us, and what dignity we receive from the fact that God loves us, I spoke of in another sermon and preaching. Take careful note of this word: “Forget your people and the house of your father.” Why is my father dearer to me than another man? Because he is my father and my omne, for he is my “all,” that is, everything that is mine, indeed my very “mine.” I should forget what is mine in all things. This is what the word means. The prophet says: “the house of your father.” As I said recently, if the human being could come to this, above himself and out of himself, he would have fought well. Forget what is yours, and you will gain virtue.

Diu tugent hât vierleie grât. Der êrste brichet hin durch unde machet wec dem menschen von allen vergenclichen dingen. Der ander benimt sie dem menschen alzemâle. Der dritte benimt sie niht alleine, mêr: er tuot ir alzemâle vergezzen, als sie nie würden, unde daz hœret dar zuo. Der vierde grât ist alzemâle in gote und ist got selber. Als wir hier zuo komen, sô wirt der künic begern unserr gezierde.

Er sprichet wîter ‘wan er ist der herre dîn got unde sie werdent in êren und anebeten.’ Denne ist unser herre dîn got, als wârlich und als gewelticlich er dîn als sîn selbes ist; gedenke joch swie dû wilt, sô ist er dîn. Wie wirt er alsô dîn? daz dû alzemâle sîn siest. Sol got mîn sîn, sô sol ich sîn sîn alse mîn. Ein geschrift sprichet: wenne ist got dîn? Swenne dich nihtes gelüstet, denne sô smecket er dir; aber begerst dû ihtes, daz ienâ ûz im locket, sô ist er dîn got niht. An einer andern stat seit er: minnest dû einen menschen mêr denne den andern, ez sî denne daz dû in in tugenden minnest, dâ bist dû dîn selbes unde dâ ist got dîn got niht.

Virtue has four degrees. The first breaks through and makes a way for the human being out of all perishable things. The second takes them away from the human being altogether. The third not only takes them away, but makes him forget them altogether, as though they had never existed. This belongs to it. The fourth degree is altogether in God and is God himself. When we come to this, then the king will desire our beauty.

He says further: “For he is the Lord your God, and they shall honor and worship him.” Then our Lord is your God, as truly and as powerfully yours as he is his own. Think of it however you will, he is yours. How does he become yours? By your being altogether his. If God is to be mine, I must be his as fully as I am my own. A Scripture says: when is God yours? When you desire nothing, then he has savor for you. But if you desire anything that lures you away from him, then he is not your God. In another place it says: if you love one human being more than another, unless you love him in virtue, there you are your own, and there God is not your God.

Wîter sprichet der prophête: ‘denne werdent sie in anebeten unde werdent im gâben bringen unde geben alliu diu gesihte unde künige der erden.’ Und alsô ist diz wort berihtet ‘er was gote geminnet unde gevellic unde den menschen, und im ist gegeben benediunge der liuten.’ Dâ man al seit, dâ ist nihtes ûz geslozzen. Allez daz die hânt, die in himelrîche und ûf ertrîche sint, daz ist mîn als eigen als ir unde bin als sêlic dar abe daz unser liebiu vrouwe hât als von dem daz ich selber habe, und ouch ir wirdikeit, ir tugent, dâ bin ich als sêlic, als ob ich sie selber gewürket hête.

Nû möhte man sprechen: eyâ, sint alliu dinc alsô mîn unde gebrûche ich ir als si, waz solte ich danne sêre arbeiten unde sô vil abe gescheiden sîn? ich wil rehte einen guoten willen haben unde sîn ein guot mensche unde mînes gemaches pflegen unde wil haben als guoten teil in himel alse die dar umbe arbeitent. Nû spriche ich: als vil dû abe gescheiden bist, als vil hâst dû mêr. Meinest aber dû, daz daz dir werden sol, unde hâst ein sehen dar ûf, sô wirt dir niht. Gang ich aber gelîch ûz: sô wirt mir gelîch. Und ouch ein ander wort: ob ich gelîch minne mînen ebenmenschen als mich selben; als wer got von herzen minnet, der minnet sînen ebenmenschen als sich selben. Dar umbe stât geschrieben tanquam, daz ist: reht und ebengelîch der minne. War umbe ist mir lieber, daz mînem bruoder iht guotes geschehe oder mir selber denne einem andern? Dar umbe, daz ich des mînen mê minne denne eines andern. Minne ich in aber gelîch alse mich, als daz gebot gotes heizet, daz ich sol minnen von allem herzen, von aller mîner sêle als mich selber, an got sol si anevâhen und glîch sîn an dem nêhesten. Gang ich ûz alzemâle mînes unde minne gelîch, sô minne ich alzemâle unde trite in daz ir. Daz enmac niht sîn an lîplîchen dingen, dâ hânt sie underscheit von den geistlîchen, jâ an nihte sint sie gelîch.

The prophet says further: “Then they shall worship him and shall bring him gifts, all the peoples and kings of the earth.” And thus this word is fulfilled: “He was beloved and pleasing to God and to human beings, and to him was given the blessing of the people.” Where “all” is said, nothing is excluded. Everything that those in the kingdom of heaven and upon earth possess is as much my own as it is theirs, and I am as blessed by what Our Lady possesses as by what I myself possess. And her dignity and her virtue make me as blessed as though I myself had worked them.

Now one might say: Ah, if all things are thus mine and I enjoy them as they do, why should I labor so greatly and be so detached? I will simply have a good will and be a good human being and attend to my comfort, and I will have as good a share in heaven as those who labor for it. Now I say: the more detached you are, the more you have. But if you intend that this should come to you and keep your eye upon it, then nothing will come to you. But if I go out in equal measure, then it comes to me in equal measure. And another word: if I love my fellow human being as much as myself, for whoever loves God from the heart loves his fellow human being as himself. Therefore it stands written tanquam, that is, exactly and equally in love. Why is it dearer to me that something good should happen to my brother or to myself than to another? Because I love what is mine more than what belongs to another. But if I love him equally with myself, as God’s commandment commands, that I should love with all my heart and with all my soul as myself, then this love should begin in God and be equal toward my neighbor. If I go altogether out of what is mine and love equally, then I love altogether and enter into what is theirs. This cannot be so in bodily things. In this they differ from spiritual things. Indeed, in no respect are they alike.

Nement ein gelîchnüsse. Daz wazzer, daz in einem vazze ist, daz enist in dem holze niht, daz holz ist aber umbe daz wazzer; daz holz ist ouch in dem wazzer niht, ir keines ist in dem andern, unde daz wazzer, daz in dem vazze ist, daz ist abe gescheiden von allem wazzer. Aber an geistlîchen dingen dâ enist dekein ûzgescheiden eines von dem andern. Allez, daz der oberste engel in ime hât, daz hât ouch der, der under im ist, alzemâle in sich geslozzen, daz oberste hât niht eines punctes grôz, ez ensî in dem nidersten, weder wesen noch sêlikeit. Alsô ist ez in geistlîchen dingen, wan waz in eim ist, daz ist ouch in dem andern gemein, unde nâch dem, der allermeiste lât, der minnet ouch allermeist. Meinden aber die liute sich oder des iren iht, sô enhêten sie niht gelâzen, als ich spriche von sant Pêtern, daz er sprach ‘ecce, nos reliquimus omnia: sich, herre, wir hân alliu dinc gelâzen, waz wirt uns dar umbe?’ Der dâ gesehen hât, waz im dar umbe würde, wie mac der elliu dinc gelâzen hân?

Nement noch ein wort unt denne niht mê. Ie daz dinc gemeiner ist, ie ez edeler unde wirdiger ist. Ich hân gemeine daz leben mit den dingen, diu dâ lebent, dâ wesen mit dem wesen ist (wan der ist mêr die dâ wesen hânt denne leben), ich hân gemeine die sinne mit den tieren; ich lieze mir ê mînen sin nemen denne mîn leben. Daz wesen ist mir aller liebest, ez ist mir aller gemeinest und ist mir aller inwendigist: ich lieze ê alle die under gote sint. Daz wesen fliuzet âne mitel ûz got unde daz leben fliuzet von dem wesen unde dar umbe smecket ez mir aller beste und ist allen crêatûren aller meist geminnet. Ie unser leben gemeiner ist, ie ez bezzer und edeler ist. Daz wir hie zuo komen, daz wir gote gevellic werden und in wârer armuot übergeben alle die welt unde vergezzen des hûses unsers vater unde gelîch minnen unsern nêhsten als uns selber, daz uns gegeben werde glîchiu klârheit der heiligen, des helf uns got. Âmen.

Take a likeness. The water that is in a vessel is not in the wood, although the wood surrounds the water. Nor is the wood in the water. Neither is in the other, and the water that is in the vessel is separated from all other water. But in spiritual things there is no separation of one from another. Everything that the highest angel has within himself, the one beneath him also has wholly enclosed within himself. The highest possesses not so much as a point of being or blessedness that is not also in the lowest. So it is in spiritual things, for what is in one is also common in the other. Accordingly, whoever lets go most also loves most. But if people intended themselves or anything of their own, then they would not have let go, as I say concerning Saint Peter when he said: Ecce, nos reliquimus omnia, “Behold, Lord, we have left all things. What shall we receive for it?” Whoever has looked to what he will receive for it, how can he have left all things?

Take one more word, and then no more. The more common a thing is, the nobler and worthier it is. I have life in common with those things that live, and being with those that have being, for there are more things that have being than have life. I have the senses in common with animals. I would sooner let my senses be taken from me than my life. Being is dearest to me of all. It is most common to me and most inward to me. I would sooner relinquish everything that is beneath God. Being flows without means from God, and life flows from being. Therefore being has the best savor for me and is most greatly loved by all creatures. The more common our life is, the better and nobler it is. That we may come to this, that we may become pleasing to God and in true poverty surrender the whole world, and forget the house of our father, and love our neighbor equally with ourselves, so that the same radiance of the saints may be given to us, may God help us. Amen.