Sermon 87 — Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
Pfeiffer Sermon 87Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition
Diu sêlikeit tet ûf irn munt der wîsheit unde sprach ‘sêlic sint die armen des geistes, daz himelrîche ist ir.’ Alle engel und alle heiligen und allez, daz ie geborn wart, daz muoz swîgen, wenne disiu êwige wîsheit des vaters sprichet; wan alliu diu wîsheit der engele und aller crêatûren daz ist ein lûter niht vor der wîsheit gotes, diu gruntlôs ist. Disiu wîsheit hât gesprochen, daz die armen sêlic sîn.
Nû ist zweierhande armuot. Diu ein ist ein ûzwendigiu armuot unde diu ist guot und ist sêre ze lobenne an dem menschen, der ez mit willen tuot durch die minne unsers herren Jêsû Kristî, wan er si selber geüebet hât ûf ertrîche. Von dirre armuot wil ich niht mê sprechen. Mêr: ez ist noch ein ander armuot, ein innewendigiu armuot, von der diz wort unsers herren verstanden wirt, sô er sprichet ‘sêlic sint die armen des geistes oder von geiste.’
Blessedness opened its mouth of wisdom and said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” All angels and all saints and everything that was ever born must be silent when this eternal Wisdom of the Father speaks, for all the wisdom of the angels and of all creatures is a pure nothing before the wisdom of God, which is groundless. This Wisdom has said that the poor are blessed.
Now there are two kinds of poverty. The one is an outward poverty, and this is good and is greatly to be praised in the human being who willingly practices it for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he himself practiced it upon earth. Of this poverty I will say no more. But there is another poverty, an inward poverty, and of this our Lord’s word is to be understood when he says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” or “poor from spirit.”
Nû bit ich iuch, daz ir alsô sîent, daz ir alsô verstandent dise rede, wan ich sage iu in der êwigen wârheit, ir ensîent denne gelîch dirre wârheit, von der wir nû sprechen, sô mügent ir mich niht verstên. Etlîche liute hânt mich gefrâget, waz armuot sî? Har zuo wellen wir antwürten.
Bischof Albreht sprichet, daz diz sî ein arm mensche, der niht habe genüegede von allen dingen, diu got ie geschuof, und diz ist wol gesprochen. Aber wir sprechen noch baz unde nemen armuot in einer hœhern wîse. Daz ist ein armer mensche, der niht enwil und niht enweiz unde niht enhât. Von disen drin puncten wil ich sprechen.
Now I ask you to be such that you understand this discourse in this way, for I tell you by the eternal truth: unless you are like this truth of which we are now speaking, you cannot understand me. Some people have asked me what poverty is. To this we shall answer.
Bishop Albert says that a poor human being is one who finds no satisfaction in anything that God ever created, and this is well said. But we speak still better and take poverty in a higher sense. A poor human being is one who wills nothing, knows nothing, and has nothing. Of these three points I wish to speak.
Zem êrsten sô heizet daz ein arm mensche, der niht enwil. Disen sin verstênt etlîche liute niht wol; daz sint die liute, die sich behaltent mit eigenschaft in penitencie und ûzwendiger üebunge (daz die liute für grôz geahtet sint, des erbarme got!) unde sie bekennent doch sô wênic der götlîchen wârheit. Dise menschen heizent heilig von den ûzwendigen bilden, aber von innen sint sie esel, wan sie verstênt niht den underscheit götlîcher wârheit. Dise menschen sprechent, daz sî ein arm mensche, der niht enwil. Daz bewîsent sie alsô, daz der mensche alsô sî, daz er niemer mê erfülle sînen willen an dekeinen dingen, mêr: daz er dar nâch stellen sol, daz er volge dem aller liebsten willen gotes. Dise menschen sint niht übel dar an, wan ir meinunge ist guot; har umbe süllen wir sie loben: got behalte sie unde sîn barmeherzikeit. Aber ich spriche bî guoter wârheit, daz dise menschen niht sint arme menschen noch armen menschen gelîch. Sie sint grôz geahtet in der liute ougen, die sich niht bezzers verstênt. Doch spriche ich, daz sie esel sint, die niht verstênt götlîcher wârheit. Mit guoten meinungen mügent sie vil lihte haben daz himelrîche, aber von dirre armuot, von der ich iezuo sagen wil, dâ wizzent sie nihtes von.
Der mich nû frâgete, waz denne sî ein arm mensche, daz niht enwil, dar zuo antwürte ich unde spriche alsô. Alsô lange daz der mensche hât daz, daz in sînem willen ist unde daz sîn wille ist, daz er wil erfüllen den allerliebsten willen gotes, der mensche hât niht armuot, von der wir sprechen wellen, wan dirre mensche hât einen willen, mit dem er genuoc wil sîn dem willen gotes, unde daz enist niht reht. Wan sol der mensche wêrlîche arm sîn, sô sol er sînes geschaffenen willen alsô ledic sîn, als er was dô er niht enwas. Und ich sage iu bî der êwigen wârheit, als lange ir willen hânt ze erfüllende den willen gotes und iht begerunge hânt der êwikeit unde gotes, alsô lange sint ir niht rehte arm; wan daz ist ein arm mensche, der niht enwil noch niht bekennet noch niht begert.
First, a poor human being is one who wills nothing. Some people do not understand this meaning properly. These are the people who preserve their ownness in penance and outward exercises, for which they are held in great esteem by people, God have mercy, and yet they know so little of divine truth. These human beings are called holy because of their outward forms, but inwardly they are asses, for they do not understand the distinction of divine truth. These human beings say that a poor human being is one who wills nothing. They explain this by saying that a human being should be such that he never fulfills his own will in anything, but rather should strive to follow the dearest will of God. These human beings are not wrong in this, for their intention is good. Therefore we should praise them. May God preserve them in his mercy. But I say by the good truth that these human beings are not poor human beings, nor are they like poor human beings. They are highly esteemed in the eyes of people who know no better. Yet I say that they are asses who do not understand divine truth. Through their good intentions they may very well attain the kingdom of heaven, but of this poverty of which I now wish to speak they know nothing.
If someone were now to ask me what a poor human being is who wills nothing, I would answer and say as follows. As long as the human being has this in his will, and it is his will that he wishes to fulfill the dearest will of God, that human being does not have the poverty of which we wish to speak, for this human being has a will with which he wishes to satisfy the will of God, and that is not true poverty. For if the human being is to be truly poor, he must be as free of his created will as he was when he was not. And I tell you by the eternal truth: as long as you have a will to fulfill the will of God and have any desire for eternity and for God, so long you are not truly poor, for a poor human being is one who wills nothing, knows nothing, and desires nothing.
Dô ich stuont in mîner êrsten ursache, dô enhâte ich keinen got und was ich mîn selbes; ich enwolte niht, ich engerte niht, wan ich was ein ledic sîn und ein bekenner mîn selbes nâch götlîcher wârheit; dô wolte ich mich selber unde wolte kein ander dinc; daz ich wolte daz was ich, unt daz ich was daz wolte ich unde hie stuont ich ledic gotes und aller dinge. Aber dô ich entgienc mînem frien willen und empfienc mîn geschaffen wesen, dô hâte ich einen got; wan ê die crêatûren wâren, dô was got niht got: er was daz er was. Dô die crêatûren wurden unde aneviengen ir geschaffen wesen, dô was got niht in im selber got, sunder in den crêatûren was er got. Nû sprechen wir, daz got nâch disem, daz er got ist, sô enist er niht ein volmahte ende der crêatûre und alsô grôze rîcheit, sô dâ hât diu minste crêatûre in gote. Und wêre daz, daz ein fliege vernunft hête unde möhte vernünfticlîche suochen daz êwige abegründe götlîches wesens, ûz dem si komen ist, sô sprêchen wir, daz got mit allem dem, daz got ist, möhte niht erfüllen noch genuoc tuon der fliegen. Hier umbe sô biten wir, daz wir gotes ledic werden, unde nemen die wârheit unde gebrûchen der êwikeit, dâ die obersten engel unde die sêlen gelîch sint an dem, dâ ich stuont unde wolte daz ich was unde was daz ich wolte. Alsô sol der mensche arm sîn von willen und alsô lützel wellen unde begern, als er wolte unde begerte, dô er niht enwas. Und in dirre wîse ist der mensche arm, der niht enwil.
Zem andern ist daz ein arm mensche, der niht enweiz. Wir haben etwenne gesprochen, daz der mensche alsô solte leben als er niht enlebte, weder im selber noch der wârheit noch gote. Aber iezuo sprechen wir anders unde wellen mê sprechen, daz der mensche, der diz armüete haben sol, der sol haben allez, daz er was dô er niht enlebte, in keiner wîse weder ime noch der wârheit noch gote, mêr: er sol alsô quit unde ledic sîn alles wizzennes, alse niht bekennennes gotes in im lebende ist; wan dô der mensche stuont in der êwigen art gotes, dô lebte in ime niht ein anderz: waz dâ lebte, daz was er selbe. Alsô sprechen wir, daz der mensche alsô ledic sol sîn sînes eigenen wizzennes, als er tete dô er niht enwas, unde lâze got würken, waz er welle, unde stânde der mensche ledic, als dô er von gote kam.
When I stood in my first cause, then I had no God and was my own. I willed nothing, I desired nothing, for I was a free being and a knower of myself according to divine truth. Then I willed myself and willed no other thing. What I willed, that I was, and what I was, that I willed. And there I stood free of God and of all things. But when I departed from my free will and received my created being, then I had a God. For before creatures existed, God was not God. He was what he was. When creatures came to be and received their created being, God was not God in himself, but in the creatures he was God. Now we say that God, insofar as he is God, is not a perfect end of creatures, nor such great riches as the least creature has in God. And if a fly had intellect and could intellectually seek the eternal abyss of divine being from which it came, we would say that God, with all that God is, could not fulfill or satisfy the fly. Therefore we pray that we may become free of God, and take the truth and enjoy eternity, where the highest angels and souls are equal, there where I stood and willed what I was and was what I willed. Thus the human being should be poor in will and should will and desire as little as he willed and desired when he was not. And in this way the human being is poor who wills nothing.
Second, a poor human being is one who knows nothing. We have sometimes said that the human being should live as though he did not live, neither to himself nor to truth nor to God. But now we speak otherwise and wish to say still more: the human being who is to have this poverty should be as he was when he did not live, in no way living either to himself or to truth or to God. Rather, he should be so free and empty of all knowing that no knowing of God is living in him. For when the human being stood in the eternal nature of God, there did not live in him anything other than himself. What lived there was he himself. Thus we say that the human being should be as free of his own knowing as he was when he was not, and should let God work whatever he wills, while the human being stands free, as when he came from God.
Nû ist ein frâge, wâ ane sêlikeit aller meist lige? Etlîche meister hânt gesprochen, daz si lige an der minne. Ander sprechent, si lige an bekantnüsse und an minne, unde sprechent für baz. Aber wir sprechen, daz si niht lige an bekantnüsse noch an minne, sunder ein dinc ist in der sêle, von dem fliuzet bekantnüsse und minne, daz bekennet selbe niht noch minnet niht alsô als die krefte der sêle. Der diz bekennet, der bekennet, wâ ane sêlikeit lige. Diz hât weder vor noch nâch und ez ist niht wartende keines zuokomenden dinges, wan diz mac weder gewinnen noch verlieren. Hier umbe sô ist ez beroubet, daz ez niht enweiz in im ze würkenne; mêr: ez ist selbe daz selbe, daz sîn selbes gebrûchet nâch der wîse gotes. Alsô spriche ich, daz der mensche sol quit unde ledic stân, daz er niht wizze noch bekenne, waz got in ime würke, und alsô mac der mensche armuot besitzen. Die meister sprechent, got der sî wesen und ein vernünftic wesen unde bekenne elliu dinc. Aber ich spriche: got ist weder wesen noch vernunft noch bekennet niht diz noch daz. Hier umbe ist got ledic aller dinge und hier umbe ist er alliu dinc. Der nû arm sol sîn des geistes, der muoz arm sîn alles sînes eigenen wizzens, als der dâ niht enweiz noch kein dinc weder got noch crêatûre noch sich selber. Hier umbe sô ist ez niht, daz der mensche begerende sî, daz er müge wizzen noch bekennen den wec gotes. In dirre wîse mac der mensche arm sîn sînes eigenen wizzens.
Zem dritten mâle sô ist daz ein arm mensche, der niht enhât. Vil menschen hânt gesprochen, daz sî volmehtikeit, daz man der lîplîchen dinge von ertrîche niht enhât, unde diz ist wol wâr in eime sinne, der ez mit willen tuot. Aber diz ist niht der sin, den ich meine. Ich hân hie vor gesprochen, daz sî ein arm mensche, der niht wil erfüllen den willen gotes, sunder daz der mensche alsô lebe, daz er alsô ledic sî sînes eigenen willen unde des willen gotes, als er was, dô er niht enwas. Von dirre armuot sprechen wir, daz si ist diu hœhste armuot. Zem andern mâle sprechen wir, daz daz sî ein arm mensche, der niht enweiz in ime diu werc gotes. Der sô ledic stêt ze wizzen unde ze bekennen, als got ledic stât aller dinge, daz ist diu klârest armuot. Aber diu dritte armuot diu ist diu nêhste, von der ich wil sagen, daz ist, daz der mensche niht enhât.
Now there is a question: in what does blessedness most of all lie? Some masters have said that it lies in love. Others say that it lies in knowledge and in love, and they speak better. But we say that it lies neither in knowledge nor in love. Rather, there is something in the soul from which knowledge and love flow, which itself neither knows nor loves as the powers of the soul do. Whoever knows this knows wherein blessedness lies. This has neither before nor after, and it awaits no future thing, for it can neither gain nor lose. Therefore it is deprived of knowing any working within itself. Rather, it is itself that same thing which enjoys itself according to the manner of God. Thus I say that the human being should stand free and empty, so that he neither knows nor recognizes what God works in him, and in this way the human being may possess poverty. The masters say that God is being and an intellectual being and knows all things. But I say: God is neither being nor intellect, nor does he know this or that. Therefore God is free of all things, and therefore he is all things. Whoever is to be poor in spirit must be poor of all his own knowing, so that he knows nothing, neither God nor creature nor himself. Therefore the human being should not desire to know or recognize the way of God. In this way the human being can be poor of his own knowing.
Third, a poor human being is one who has nothing. Many people have said that perfection consists in possessing none of the bodily things of the earth, and this is indeed true in one sense for whoever does this willingly. But this is not the meaning I intend. I said before that a poor human being is one who does not will to fulfill the will of God, but rather lives in such a way that he is as free of his own will and of the will of God as he was when he was not. Of this poverty we say that it is the highest poverty. Second, we say that a poor human being is one who does not know within himself the works of God. Whoever stands as free of knowing and recognizing as God stands free of all things, this is the clearest poverty. But the third poverty is the closest poverty of which I now wish to speak, namely that the human being has nothing.
Nû merkent hie mit ernste, ich hân ez ofte gesprochen unde sprechent ez ouch grôze meister, daz der mensche alsô ledic sol sîn aller dinge unde aller werke, beide innerlîch und ûzerlîch, alsô daz er möhte sîn ein eigen stat gotes, dâ got inne möhte würken. Nû sagen wir anders. Ist daz sache, daz der mensche aller dinge ledic stât, aller crêatûren unde sîn selbes unde gotes, und ist noch daz in ime alsô, daz got stat vinde in ime ze würkenne, sô sprechen wir: alsô lange daz ist in dem menschen, sô ist der mensche niht arm in der nêhsten armuot, wan got der ist daz niht meinende in sînen werken, daz der mensche habe eine stat in ime, dâ got inne müge würken, wan daz ist ein armuot des geistes, daz der mensche alsô ledic stande gotes und aller sîner werke, welle got würken in der sêle, daz er selbe ie diu stat sî, dar inne er würken wil, unde diz tête er gerne. Wan funde got den menschen alsô arm, sô ist got sîn selbes werc lîdende und ist ein eigen stat sîner werke mit dem, daz got ist ein würken in ime selber. Alhie ervolget der mensche in dirre armuot daz êwic wesen, daz er hât gewest unde daz er nû ist unde daz er êweclîche leben sol.
Ez ist ein frâge ûz den worten sant Pauls ‘allez, daz ich bin, daz bin ich von der gnâde gotes.’ Nû sweimet disiu rede ob gnâde und ob verstântnüsse und ob willen und aller begirde. Hier zuo antwürtet man alsô, daz sant Pauls wort wâr sîn, daz diu gnâde in im was, daz was niht; wan diu gnâde gotes worhte in im, daz diu einvaltekeit vollebrâhte daz wesen, unde dâ hât diu gnâde ir werc vollebrâht. Dô diu gnâde ir werc vollebrâhte, dô bleip Paulus als er was. Alsô sagen wir, daz der mensche arm sülle stên, daz er niht ensî noch habe keine stat, dar inne got müge würken. Dâ der mensche stat behaltet, dâ behaltet er underscheit. Hier umbe sô bite ich got, daz er mich quit mache gotes, wan unwesenlîch wesen ist ober got und ober underscheit; dâ was ich selber, dâ wolte ich mich selber unde bekante mich selber ze machenne disen menschen, und hier umbe sô bin ich mîn selbes sache nâch mînem wesen, daz êwic ist, unde nâch mînem wesen, daz zîtlîch ist. Und hier umbe sô bin ich geborn unde nâch mîner gebürte wîse, diu êwic ist, sô enmac ich niemer ersterben. Nâch mîner êwigen gebürte wîse sô bin ich êweclîch gewesen unde bin nû unde sol êweclîche belîben. Daz ich bin nâch der zît, daz sol sterben unde sol ze nihte werden, wan ez ist tegelîch; hier umbe sô muoz ez mit der zît verderben. In mîner geburt wurden elliu dinc geborn und ich was sache mîn selbes und aller dinge, unde wolte ich, ich wêre noch niht alliu dinc, wêre ich niht, sô enwêre niht got. Diz ze wizzen des enist niht nôt.
Now take careful note here. I have often said, and great masters also say, that the human being should be so free of all things and all works, both inward and outward, that he might be a proper place for God in which God could work. Now we say otherwise. If it is the case that the human being stands free of all things, of all creatures, of himself, and of God, and yet it is still in him that God finds a place in which to work, then we say: as long as this is in the human being, the human being is not poor with the closest poverty. For God does not intend in his works that the human being should have a place within himself in which God may work. Rather, poverty of spirit is this: that the human being should stand so free of God and of all his works that, if God wishes to work in the soul, he himself should be the place in which he wishes to work, and this he would gladly do. For if God found the human being so poor, then God himself would undergo his own work and would be the proper place of his works, inasmuch as God is a working in himself. Here, in this poverty, the human being attains the eternal being that he has been, that he now is, and that he shall live eternally.
There is a question arising from the words of Saint Paul: “Everything that I am, I am by the grace of God.” Now this discourse soars above grace and above understanding and above will and every desire. To this one answers that Saint Paul’s word is true: the grace that was in him was nothing; for the grace of God worked in him so that simplicity brought being to completion, and there grace completed its work. When grace had finished and completed its work, Paul remained what he was. Thus we say that the human being should stand poor, so that he neither is nor has any place in which God may work. Where the human being retains a place, there he retains distinction. Therefore I pray God that he may make me free of God, for unconditioned being is above God and above distinction; there I was myself, there I willed myself and knew myself to make this human being. Therefore I am the cause of myself according to my being, which is eternal, and according to my being, which is temporal. And therefore I am born, and according to my mode of birth, which is eternal, I can never die. According to my eternal mode of birth I have eternally been and am now and shall eternally remain. What I am according to time shall die and become nothing, for it is temporal; therefore it must perish with time. In my birth all things were born, and I was the cause of myself and of all things. And if I had willed it, neither I nor all things would be. And if I were not, God would not be. There is no need to know this.
Ein grôzer meister sprichet, daz sîn durchbrechen edeler sî dan sîn ûzfliezen. Dô ich ûz gote flôz, dô sprâchen alliu dinc: got der ist. Nû mac mich diz niht sêlic machen, wan alhie bekenne ich crêatûre; mêr: in dem durchbrechen, dâ ich ledic stên wil in dem willen gotes unde ledic stên des willen gotes und aller sîner werke unde gotes selbe, sô bin ich ob allen crêatûren unde bin weder got noch crêatûre, sunder ich bin daz ich was unt daz ich blîben sol nû und iemer mê. Dâ empfâhe ich einen druc, der mich bringen sol über alle engel. In disem drucke empfâhe ich sô grôze rîcheit, daz mir niht genuoc mac sîn got nâch allem dem, daz er got ist, nâch allen sînen götlîchen werken, wan ich empfâhe in disem durchbrechen, daz ich unde got einz sîn. Dâ bin ich daz ich was, unde dâ nime ich weder abe noch zuo, wan ich bin dâ ein unbewegelîchiu sache, diu alliu dinc beweget. Alhie vindet got keine stat in dem menschen, wan der mensche krieget mit sîner armuot, daz er êweclîch ist gewesen und iemer blîben sol. Alhie ist got in dem geiste ein unt daz ist diu nêhste armuot, die man vinden mac.
Wer dise rede niht verstêt, der bekümber sîn herze niht dâ mite. Wan als lange der mensche niht gelîch ist dirre wârheit, alsô lange wirt er dise rede niht verstên, wan ez ist ein unbedâhtiu wârheit, diu dâ komen ist ûz dem herzen gotes âne mitel. Daz wir alsô leben müezen, daz wir ez bevinden êweclîche; des helf uns got. Âmen.
A great master says that his breakthrough is nobler than his outflowing. When I flowed out from God, all things said: “God is.” Now this cannot make me blessed, for here I know myself as creature. But in the breakthrough, where I wish to stand free in the will of God and to stand free of the will of God and of all his works and of God himself, there I am above all creatures and am neither God nor creature. Rather, I am what I was and what I shall remain now and forevermore. There I receive an impress that shall carry me above all angels. In this impress I receive such great riches that God cannot be enough for me according to all that he is as God and according to all his divine works, for in this breakthrough I receive that I and God are one. There I am what I was, and there I neither decrease nor increase, for there I am an unmoved cause that moves all things. Here God finds no place in the human being, for through this poverty the human being attains that which he has eternally been and shall always remain. Here God is one with the spirit, and this is the closest poverty that one can find.
Whoever does not understand this discourse should not trouble his heart with it. For as long as the human being is not like this truth, so long he will not understand this discourse, for it is an unthought truth that has come without means from the heart of God. That we may live in such a way that we experience it eternally, may God help us. Amen.