Sermon 90 — Elizabeth's time came to give birth, and she bore a son
Pfeiffer Sermon 90Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition
Elizabeten zît ist erfüllet ze geberende unde si gebar einen sun, den nante si Johannes. Dô sprâchen die liute: waz wunder sol werden von disem kinde, wan gotes hant ist mit ime? Ein geschrift sprichet: diu grœste gâbe ist daz, daz wir gotes kint sîn und daz er sînen sun in uns gebere. Diu sêle, diu gotes kint wil sîn und in der der sun gotes geborn sol werden, in die sol sich niht anders geberen.
Gotes hœhstu meinunge ist gebern. Ime genüeget niemer, ern gebere denne sînen sun in uns. Der sêlen genüeget ouch enkeine wîse niht, der sun gotes werde in ir geborn. Unde dâ entspringet gnâde. Gnâde wirt dâ în gegozzen, gnâde enwürket niht: ir werc ist ir geworden. Si fliuzet ûz dem wesenne gotes unde fliuzet in daz wesen der sêle unde niht in die crefte.
Elizabeth’s time was fulfilled for giving birth, and she gave birth to a son whom she named John. Then the people said: “What wonder shall come of this child, for God’s hand is with him?” A Scripture says: the greatest gift is that we are God’s children and that he begets his Son in us. Into the soul that wishes to be God’s child and in whom the Son of God is to be born, nothing else should be born.
God’s highest intention is begetting. He is never satisfied unless he begets his Son in us. Nor is the soul satisfied in any way unless the Son of God is born in her. And there grace springs forth. Grace is poured in there. Grace does not work; its work is its becoming. It flows out of God’s being and flows into the being of the soul, and not into the powers.
Dô diu zît vol was, dô wart geborn gnâde. Denne ist füllede der zît, sô der zît nümmê ist. Swer in der zît sîn herze gesetzet hât in êwikeit und in dem alliu zîtlîchiu dinc tôt sint, dâ ist füllede der zît. Ich sprach einest: die fröuwent sich niht alle zît, die sich fröuwent in der zît. Sant Paulus sprichet ‘fröuwent iuch in gote alle zît.’ Der fröuwet sich alzît, der sich dâ fröuwet über zît unde von der zît. Driu dinc hinderent den menschen, daz er got enkeine wîs kennen mac. Daz êrste ist zît, daz ander lîplicheit, daz dritte manicvaltikeit. Alse lange disiu driu in mir sint, sô ist got in mir niht noch enwürket in mir niht eigenlîche. Sant Augustînus sprichet: ez kumt von geteilekeit der sêlen, daz si vil wil begrîfen unde hân, unde grîfet in zît, in lîplicheit und in manicvaltikeit und verliuret dâ mite daz selbe, daz si hât. Wan alse lange sô mê und mê in dir ist, sô enkan got niemer gewonnen noch gewürken in dir. Disiu dinc müezent iemer ûz, sol got în, dû hêtest sie danne in einer hœhern unde bezzeren wîse, daz menige ein sî worden in dir. Ie denne der manicvaltikeit mêr ist in dir, ie der einekeit mêr ist, wan daz eine ist gewandelt in daz ander.
Ich sprach einest: einekeit einet alle manicvaltikeit, aber manicvaltikeit einet niht einekeit. Sô wir überhaben werden über alliu dinc, und allez, daz in uns ist, ûf erhaben wirt, sô trücket uns niht. Wêr ich lûterlîche got meinende, daz niht obe mir wêre dan got, sô enwêre mir nihtes niht swêre noch enwurde niht alse schiere betrüebet. Sant Augustînus sprichet: herre, als ich mich neige ûf dich, sô wirt mir benomen alliu swêre, leit und erbeit. Als wir zît unde zîtlîch dinc hân übertreten, sô sîn wir frî alle zît unde frô unt denne ist füllede der zît unt denne sô wirt der sun gotes geborn in dir. Ich sprach einest: dô diu zît vol was, dô sante got sînen sun. Wirt iht in dir geborn danne der sun, sô enhâst dû des heiligen geistes niht noch gnâde würket in dir niht. Ursprung des heiligen geistes ist der sun. Wêre der sun niht, sô enwêre ouch der heiligegeist niht. Der heiligeist kan niergen sîn ûzfliezen hân noch sîn ûzblüegen dan alleine, dâ der vater gebirt sînen sun. Dâ gît er ime allez daz er hât weselîch unde nâtûrlîch. In dem gebenne quillet ûz der heiligeist. Alsô ist gotes meinunge, daz er sich uns alzemâle gebe.
When the time was full, grace was born. The fullness of time is when time is no more. Whoever in time has set his heart in eternity, and in whom all temporal things are dead, there is the fullness of time. I once said: those who rejoice in time do not rejoice at all times. Saint Paul says: “Rejoice in God at all times.” He rejoices at all times who rejoices above time and free of time. Three things hinder the human being so that he cannot know God in any way. The first is time, the second corporeality, the third multiplicity. As long as these three are in me, God is not in me, nor does he properly work in me. Saint Augustine says: it comes from the greed of the soul that she wishes to grasp and possess many things, and she grasps at time, corporeality, and multiplicity and thereby loses that very thing which she possesses. For as long as “more and more” is in you, God can never dwell or work in you. These things must always go out if God is to enter, unless you possess them in a higher and better mode, so that multiplicity has become one in you. Then, the more multiplicity there is in you, the more unity there is, for the one has been transformed into the other.
I once said: unity unites all multiplicity, but multiplicity does not unite unity. When we are raised above all things, and everything that is in us is raised up, then nothing weighs us down. If I intended God purely, so that nothing were above me but God, nothing would be burdensome to me, nor would I be so easily troubled. Saint Augustine says: “Lord, when I incline myself toward you, all burden, suffering, and labor are taken from me.” When we have passed beyond time and temporal things, then we are free at all times and joyful, and then there is the fullness of time, and then the Son of God is born in you. I once said: when the time was full, God sent his Son. If anything is born in you other than the Son, then you do not have the Holy Spirit, nor does grace work in you. The origin of the Holy Spirit is the Son. If there were no Son, there would also be no Holy Spirit. Nowhere can the Holy Spirit have his flowing-forth or his blossoming-forth except where the Father begets his Son. There he gives him everything that he has, essentially and naturally. In this giving the Holy Spirit wells forth. Thus it is God’s intention that he give himself to us altogether.
Zuo glîcher wîse, als daz fiur daz holz in sich ziehen wil und sich wider in daz holz, sô vindet ez daz holz unglîch. Des hœret dâ denne zît zuo. Von êrste machet ez warm unde heiz, unt denne sô rouchet ez unde krachet ez, wan ez ime unglîch ist; unde ie daz holz danne heizer wirt, ie ez stiller wirt unde geruowiger, unde ie glîcher ez dem fiure ist, ie fridelîcher ez ist, biz ez zemâle fiur wirt. Sol daz fiur daz holz in sich trücken, sô muoz al unglîcheit ûz sîn.
In der wârheit, diu got ist, meinest dû iht dan got eine, oder suochest dû iht danne got, sô ist daz werc, daz dû würkest, dîn niht noch ez enist gotes niht. Swaz dîn ende meinende ist in den werken, daz ist ouch daz werc. Swaz in mir würket, daz ist mîn vater und ich bin ime undertênic. Ez ist unmüglich, daz in der nâtûre zwêne vater sint: ez muoz iemer éin vater sîn in der nâtûre. Swenne ander dinc sint ûz und vol, sô geschiht disiu geburt. Swaz füllet, daz rüeret an allen enden unde gebristet niergen, ez hât breiti, lengi, hœhi unde tiefi. Hêt ez hœhi unde niht breiti noch lengi noch tief, sô enfülte ez niht. Sant Paulus der sprichet ‘bitent, daz ir begrîfen mügent mit allen heiligen, welhez sî diu hœhi, diu breiti, diu lengi und diu tiefi.’
It is just as fire wishes to draw the wood into itself and itself back into the wood, but it finds the wood unlike itself. Therefore time is required. First it makes the wood warm and hot. Then it smokes and crackles because it is unlike the fire. And the hotter the wood becomes, the stiller and more restful it becomes; and the more like the fire it becomes, the more peaceful it is, until it becomes altogether fire. If the fire is to press the wood into itself, all unlikeness must go out.
By the truth that God is, if you intend anything other than God alone, or seek anything other than God, then the work that you work is neither yours nor God’s. Whatever you intend as your end in works, that also is the work. Whatever works in me is my father, and I am subject to it. It is impossible that there should be two fathers in one nature. There must always be one father in the nature. When other things are gone and brought to an end, then this birth takes place. Whatever fills touches every boundary and lacks nothing anywhere. It has breadth, length, height, and depth. If it had height but neither breadth nor length nor depth, it would not fill. Saint Paul says: “Pray that you may comprehend with all the saints what is the height, the breadth, the length, and the depth.”
Disiu driu stücke diu meinent drîer hande bekantnisse. Daz eine ist sinnelîch. Daz ouge siht gar verre diu dinc, diu ûz ime sint. Daz ander ist vernünftic und ist vil hœher. Daz dritte meinet ein edel kraft der sêle, diu ist sô hôch unde sô edel, daz si got nimet in sîme blôzen eigen wesenne. Disiu kraft hât mit nihte niht gemeine: si machet von nihte iht und als si enweiz von gester noch von êgester, von morne noch von übermorne (wan ez ist in der êwikeit weder gester noch morne), dâ ist ein gegenwertigez nû; daz vor tûsent jâren was unt daz über tûsent jâr komen sol, daz ist dâ gegenwertic, unde daz jensît mers als daz an diser stat ist. Disiu kraft nimet got in sîme kleithûse. Ein geschrift sprichet: in ime, über ime unt dur in. In, daz ist in dem vater, über im daz ist in dem sune, dur in daz ist in dem heiligen geiste. Sant Augustînus sprichet: niht enist wârheit, ez habe in ime alle wârheit beslozzen. Disiu kraft nimet alliu dinc in der wârheit. Diser kraft enist kein dinc bedecket. Ein geschrift sprichet: den mannen sol daz houbet blôz sîn unde den frouwen bedecket. Die frouwen daz sint die nidersten krefte, die sulen bedecket sîn. Der man ist disiu kraft, diu sol blôz und unbedecket sîn.
‘Waz wunders sol werden von disem kinde?’ Ich sprach niulîche wider etelîche liute, die vil lîhte ouch hie sint, ein wörtelîn, und seite alsô: ez ist niht sô bedecket, ez ensüle endecket werden. Allez daz niht ist sol abe geleit sîn unde sô bedecket, daz ez joch niemer mê gedâht sol werden. Von nihte sülen wir wizzen unde mit nihte ensülen wir niht gemeines hân. Alle crêatûren sint ein lûter niht. Swaz niht hie noch dâ enist und ein vergezzenheit aller crêatûren ist, dâ ist füllede alles wesens. Ich sprach dô: iht sol in uns bedecket sîn, wir sülen ez gote alzemâle endecken unde geben, swâ wir uns inne vinden mügen, ez sî in mügenne oder in unmügenne, in liebe oder in leide, swâ wir uns zuo geneiget vinden, des sülen wir ûz gân in der wârheit. Endecken wir gote allez, sô endecket er uns har wider allez, daz er hât, unde bedecket uns in der wârheit alzemâle niht, allez des er geleisten mac, wîsheit noch wârheit noch heilikeit noch gotheit noch nihtes niht. Diz ist in der wârheit alse wâr, als daz got lebet, ob wir uns ime endecken. Endecken wir ime niht, sô ist kein wunder, ob er uns denne niht endecket: wan ez muoz rehte glîch sîn, rehte wir ime als er uns.
These three things signify three kinds of knowledge. The first is sensory. The eye sees very far those things that are outside it. The second is intellectual and is much higher. The third signifies a noble power of the soul, which is so high and so noble that she takes God in his bare own being. This power has nothing in common with nothingness. It makes something from nothing, and it knows nothing of yesterday or the day before yesterday, of tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, for in eternity there is neither yesterday nor tomorrow. There is one present now. What was a thousand years ago and what shall come a thousand years from now is present there, and what is beyond the sea is as present as what is in this place. This power takes God in his dressing chamber. A Scripture says: “In him, above him, and through him.” “In him,” that is in the Father; “above him,” that is in the Son; “through him,” that is in the Holy Spirit. Saint Augustine says: nothing is truth unless it has enclosed within itself all truth. This power takes all things in the truth. Nothing is concealed from this power. A Scripture says: men should have their heads bare, while women should be covered. The women are the lower powers, which should be covered. The man is this power, which should be bare and uncovered.
“What wonder shall come of this child?” I recently spoke a little word against certain people who may very well also be here, and said thus: there is nothing so covered that it should not be uncovered. Everything that is nothing should be laid aside and so covered that it should nevermore even be thought of. We should know nothing of nothing, and we should have nothing in common with nothing. All creatures are a pure nothing. Where there is neither here nor there and all creatures are forgotten, there is the fullness of all being. I said then: something should be covered within us, but we should uncover it altogether to God and give it to him. Wherever we may find ourselves, whether in ability or inability, in pleasure or in pain, whatever we find ourselves inclined toward, from that we should go out in truth. If we uncover everything to God, then in return he uncovers to us everything that he has, and in truth conceals from us absolutely nothing of all that he can accomplish, neither wisdom nor truth nor holiness nor Godhead nor anything at all. This is as truly true as God lives, if we uncover ourselves to him. If we do not uncover ourselves to him, it is no wonder if he then does not uncover himself to us, for it must be exactly reciprocal, we toward him just as he toward us.
Ez ist ze klagenne von etlîchen liuten, die sich gar hôch dünkent und gar ein mit gote, unde sint noch zemâle gar ungelâzen, wan sie hânt sich noch zuo alse kleinen dingen in liebe und in leide. Dise sint dem harte verre, daz sie sich dunkent. Sie meinent vil und wellent als vil. Ich sprach etwenne: der niht suochet, daz der niht vindet, wem mac er daz klagen? er vant daz er suochte. Swer iht suochet oder meinet, der suochet unde meinet niht unt der umb iht bitet, dem enwirt niht. Aber der niht suochet unde niht meinet denne lûter got, deme entecket got unde gît ime allez daz er verborgen hât in sîme gotlîchen herzen, daz ez ime als eigen wirt als ez gotes eigen ist, weder minre noch mêr, ob er got alleine meinet âne mitel. Daz der sieche der spîse unde des wîns niht smacket, waz wunders ist daz? wan er nimet den wîn noch die spîse niht in irm eigen smacke: diu zunge hât eine tecke und ein kleit, dâ si mite enpfindet, unt daz ist bitter nâch sühtikeit der sühte: ez enkan noch niht dar, dâ ez smacken solte, ez dunket den siechen bitter. Er hât reht, wan ez muoz bitter sîn mit dem kleide unde dem mitel. Daz mitel sî danne abe, sô smacket er niht nâch sîm eigen. Als lange mitel niht abe ist an uns, sô ensmacket uns got niemer in sîme eigen, und unser leben ist uns dicke swêre unde bitter.
Ich sprach einest: diu megde volgent dem lambe nâch, swar ez gât, âne mitel. Hie werdent sumlîche megde und sumlîche sint niht, die doch wênent megde sîn. Swar diz lamp gât, dar volgent ime die megde und sumlîche volgent dem lambe, sô ez gât in siezikeit und in gemache. Sô ez aber in lîden, in ungemach und in erbeit gât, sô kêrent sie wider unde volgent im niht, unde die sint niht megde, swaz sie joch schînen. Etlîche sprechent: herre, ich mac wol har zuo komen in êren, in rîchtuome und in gemache. In triuwen, hât daz lamp alsô gelebet und vor gangen, sô gan ich ez iu wol, daz ir alsô nâch gânt. Aber die rehten megde sliefent dem lambe nâch dur engi und dur wîti unt swâ ez hin sliufet, sie zartent in selber niht, ez valle dar ûf swaz ez müge. Dô diu zît vol was, dô wart geborn Johannes, daz ist gnâde, als ich vor gesprochen hân. Daz alliu dinc an uns vollebrâht werden, daz götlîch gnâde in uns geborn werde, des helf uns got. Âmen.
It is lamentable concerning certain people who think themselves very exalted and wholly one with God, and yet have not at all let go of themselves, for they are still attached to such little things in pleasure and in pain. They are very far from what they think themselves to be. They intend much and will much. I once said: if the one who seeks nothing finds nothing, to whom can he complain? He found what he sought. Whoever seeks or intends something seeks and intends nothing, and whoever asks for something receives nothing. But the one who seeks and intends nothing but pure God, to him God uncovers and gives everything that he has hidden in his divine heart, so that it becomes as much his own as it is God’s own, neither less nor more, provided that he intends God alone without means. What wonder is it that a sick person does not savor food and wine? For he does not receive the wine or the food in its own savor. The tongue has a covering and a garment through which it senses, and this is bitter according to the diseased condition of the sickness. It has not yet reached the place where tasting should occur, and it seems bitter to the sick person. He is right, for with the garment and the means it must be bitter. Only when the means is gone does he no longer taste according to what is his own. As long as the means has not been removed from us, God never has savor for us in what is his own, and our life is often burdensome and bitter.
I once said: the virgins follow the Lamb wherever it goes, without means. Here some become virgins and some are not, though they think they are virgins. Wherever this Lamb goes, the virgins follow him, and some follow the Lamb when it goes into sweetness and ease. But when it goes into suffering, discomfort, and labor, then they turn back and do not follow him, and these are not virgins, whatever they may appear to be. Some say: “Lord, I can indeed come to this in honor, riches, and ease.” Truly, if the Lamb lived in this way and went before you in this way, then I gladly grant that you should follow in this way. But the true virgins slip after the Lamb through narrowness and breadth, and wherever it slips, they do not spare themselves, whatever may befall. When the time was full, John was born, that is, grace, as I said before. That all things may be brought to completion in us, so that divine grace may be born in us, may God help us. Amen.