Sermon 53
SERMO 53
Concerning the Words of the Gospel, Matthew 5:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit", and so forth
Everyone wants to be blessed.
By the solemnity of the holy virgin, who bore witness to Christ and merited testimony from Christ, openly killed, secretly crowned, we are reminded to speak to Your Charity of that exhortation, which the Lord now brought forth from the Gospel, saying many causes of the blessed life, which no one does not wish for. For indeed, no one can be found who does not wish to be blessed. But, oh, if men desired the reward as they do, they would not refuse the work of the reward! Who would not run eagerly when it is said to him, "You will be blessed"? Let him listen willingly also when it is said, "If you do this." The struggle is not to be refused if the reward is loved; and the mind is to be kindled to the eagerness of work by the commendation of the reward. What we want, what we desire, what we ask for, will be later: but what we are ordered to do because of what will be later, let it be now. Behold, begin to recall divine sayings, and those evangelical precepts or gifts themselves. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Later the kingdom of heaven will be yours, now be poor in spirit. Do you want the kingdom of heaven to be yours later? See now whose you are. Be poor in spirit. You perhaps ask me what it is to be poor in spirit. Anyone who is inflated is not poor in spirit: therefore, a humble one is poor in spirit. The kingdom of heaven is high, but: "He who humbles himself will be exalted."
Someone gentle.
Consider what follows: "Blessed," he says, "are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Do you wish to possess the earth already? See to it that you are not possessed by the earth. You will possess it if you are meek; you will be possessed if you are harsh. And when you hear the reward set forth, that you may possess the earth, do not stretch forth the bosom of avarice by which you wish to possess the earth now, excluding even your neighbor as best you can: let not this opinion deceive you. Then you will truly possess the earth when you adhere to Him who made heaven and earth. For this is to be meek, not to resist your God: so that in the good you do, He may please you, not you yourself; in the evil you justly suffer, He may not displease you, but you yourself. For it is no small thing that you please Him by displeasing yourself; however, you will displease Him by pleasing yourself.
Those who mourn.
Consider the third: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. In mourning there is labor, in comfort there is reward. For those who mourn carnally, what consolations do they have? Troubling, fearful. There a mourner is comforted, where he fears again lest he mourn. For example, a proud son causes sorrow, a newborn brings joy: he raised that one, he received this one; in that one there is sorrow, in this one there is fear: therefore, in neither is there consolation. Therefore, that will be true consolation, which will be given so that it may not be lost; so that those who now mourn their sojourning may later rejoice in their consolation.
Those who are hungry.
Let the fourth blessing and duty approach: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. You wish to be satisfied. From what source? If the flesh desires satisfaction, having digested the satiation, you will again suffer hunger. And whoever drinks from this water, he says, will thirst again. The remedy that is placed on a wound, if it heals, does not hurt any longer: but what is placed against hunger, that is, food, is placed so as to relieve for a short time. For after satisfaction has passed, hunger returns. Certainly a daily remedy for satiation is available, but the wound of weakness is not healed. Therefore, let us hunger and thirst for righteousness, so that we may be satisfied by righteousness itself, which we now hunger and thirst for. For we shall be satisfied by that which we hunger and thirst for. Let our inner man hunger and thirst: for he has his own food, he has his own drink. I am, he says, the bread which descended from heaven. You have the bread of the hungry, desire also the drink of the thirsty: For with you is the fountain of life.
Blessed are the merciful.
Pay attention to what follows: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy from God. Do, and it will be done: do with another, so that it may be done with you. Because you are both abundant and needy: abundant in temporal things, needy in eternal things. You hear a beggar, and you yourself are a beggar of God. You are asked, and you ask. What you will do with your petitioner, God will do with His. You are both full and empty: fill the empty from your fullness, so that your emptiness may be filled from God's fullness.
Who are the pure in heart.
Pay attention to what follows: Blessed are the pure in heart, that is, those who are pure in heart; for they shall see God. This is the end of our love; an end in which we are perfected, not consumed. Food is finished, clothing is finished: food, because it is consumed by eating; clothing, because it is perfected by weaving. Both are ended: but that end pertains to consumption, the other to perfection. Whatever we do, whatever we do well, whatever we strive for, whatever we fervently desire with praise, whatever we blamelessly desire, when we come to the vision of God, we shall seek no more. For what shall he seek who has God? Or what shall suffice him, to whom God does not suffice? We want to see God, we seek to see God, we yearn to see God. Who does not? But see what is said: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Prepare this, from which you may see. To speak according to the flesh, why desire the rising of the sun with sore eyes? Healthy eyes will be a joy in that light: unhealthy eyes will make that light a torment. You are not permitted to see with an impure heart what cannot be seen except with a pure heart. You are repelled, taken away, you will not see. For blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. How many times has he already counted the blessed? What causes of blessedness, what works, what gifts, what merits, what rewards? Nowhere has it been said: They shall see God. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek: they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who mourn: they shall be comforted. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: they shall obtain mercy. Nowhere has it been said: They shall see God. It has come to the pure in heart, there the vision of God is promised. Not without cause, except because there are the eyes, from which God is seen. Speaking of these eyes, the apostle Paul said: Having the eyes of your heart enlightened. Now therefore these eyes are illuminated by faith because of their weakness: afterwards because of their firmness, they will be illuminated by sight. For as long as we are in the body, we are away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. But as long as we are in this faith, what is said of us? Now we see through a mirror in an enigma; then face to face.
The "face, hands, feet" of God, what they are.
Do not think in this context of a corporeal face. For if, inflamed with the desire to see God, you have prepared your corporeal face to see; you will also desire such a face of God. But if now at least spiritually you have wisdom about God, so that you do not think of God as corporeal (a topic we discussed at length yesterday, if indeed we accomplished anything); if in your heart, as in the temple of God, we have broken the image of human form; if it has now come well into your mind, and possessed your inner depths, where the Apostle detests those who, claiming to be wise, became fools; and they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of corruptible man.
If you already detest such evil, if you shun it, if you cleanse the temple of the Creator, if you wish that He may come and make His abode with you: Think of the Lord in goodness, and in simplicity of heart seek Him. Consider to whom you say, if indeed you say, if truly you say: "My heart said to You, 'I will seek Your face.'" Let your heart also say, and add: "Your face, O Lord, I will seek." For you seek well, because you seek with your heart. The face of God is mentioned, the arm of God is mentioned, the hand of God is mentioned, the feet of God are mentioned, the seat of God is mentioned, the footstool of His feet is mentioned: but do not think of human limbs. If you want to be the temple of truth, break the idol of falsehood. The hand of God, the power of God. The face of God, the knowledge of God. The feet of God, the presence of God. The seat of God, if you will, you are. Or perhaps will you dare to deny that God is Christ? No, you say. Do you grant also this, that Christ is the power and wisdom of God? I grant it, you say. Listen: The soul of the just is the seat of wisdom. For where does God have His seat, if not where He dwells? And where does He dwell, if not in His temple? For the temple of God is holy, which you are. See then how you receive God. God is spirit; in spirit and truth it behooves one to worship God. Now let the ark of the covenant enter your heart, if you will, and let Dagon fall. Listen then now, and learn to desire God, learn how you can prepare to see God. Blessed, He says, are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Rewards fitting for works in the sayings of the "beatitudes."
Why do you prepare the eyes of the body? If it is seen thus, what will be seen will be in a place. He who is whole everywhere is not in a place. Cleanse whence it will be seen.
Listen and understand, if I might be able to explain with His help: may He assist us to understand all the aforementioned works and duties, how they are fittingly connected. For where was it said about the reward that it does not match the work, that it does not correspond? Because the humble seem to be alien to the kingdom: Blessed, - he says -, are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Because meek people are easily excluded from their land: Blessed, - he says -, are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Now the rest are clear, self-evident: they do not need a disputant but a reminder. Blessed are those who mourn. Who does not desire consolation when mourning? They, - he says -, shall be comforted. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Who seeks not satisfaction when hungry and thirsty? And they, - he says -, shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful. Who is merciful, if not one who wishes God to repay him from the very act, so that what he does to the poor may be done to him? Blessed, - he says -, are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. How each specific reward corresponds distinctly to each, and nothing is offered as a reward that does not match the precept? For it is commanded to be poor in spirit: the reward is to have the kingdom of heaven. It is commanded to be meek: the reward is to possess the earth. It is commanded to mourn: the reward is to be comforted. It is commanded to hunger and thirst for righteousness: the reward is to be satisfied. It is commanded to be merciful: the reward is to obtain mercy. Thus it is commanded to cleanse the heart: the reward is to see God.
The vision of God is promised especially to the pure in heart.
Therefore do not understand these commandments and rewards in such a way that when you hear: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, you think that the poor in spirit will not see, nor the meek, nor those who mourn, nor those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, nor the merciful. Do not assume that only those who are pure in heart will see, with the others separated from vision. For all these are the same. They will see, and they will not see because they are poor in spirit, because they are meek, because they mourn, because they hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they are merciful: but because they are pure in heart. Just as if physical works were assigned to physical members, and someone were to say, for example: Blessed are those who have feet, for they shall walk; blessed are those who have hands, for they shall work; blessed are those who have a voice, for they shall cry out; blessed are those who have a mouth and a tongue, for they shall speak; blessed are those who have eyes, for they shall see. Thus, as if arranging spiritual members, he taught what belongs to what. Humility is suited to possessing the kingdom of heaven; meekness is suited to inheriting the earth; mourning is suited to consolation; hunger and thirst for righteousness are suited to satisfaction; mercy is suited to obtaining mercy; a pure heart is suited to seeing God.
The heart is purified by faith to see God.
If therefore we desire to see God, how shall this eye be cleansed? For who would not care, who would not seek how to cleanse it, so as to be able to see whom he longs for with all his affection? Divine testimony has expressed this: By faith, it says, cleansing their hearts. Faith in God cleanses the heart, a clean heart sees God. But because that very faith is sometimes determined by men, who deceive themselves, as if it were sufficient only to believe (for some even promise themselves the vision of God and the kingdom of heaven by believing and living badly); against these, the Apostle James, inflamed and somewhat indignant with spiritual charity, says in his Epistle: You believe that there is one God. You applaud yourself for your faith: for you see that many impious people think there are many gods, and you rejoice in yourself by believing that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe, and tremble. Shall they see God too? They will see who are pure in heart. But who would call unclean spirits pure in heart? And yet they believe, and tremble.
The faith of Christians is to be distinguished from the faith of demons.
Our faith must be distinguished from the faith of demons. For our faith cleanses the heart: but their faith makes them guilty. Indeed, they act wickedly, and therefore they say to the Lord: What have we to do with you? When you hear the demons say this, do you think they do not recognize him? We know, - they say -, who you are. You are the Son of God. Peter says this and is praised: the demon says this and is condemned. Whence this difference, except because the voice is alike, but the heart is different? Let us therefore distinguish our faith, nor is it enough to believe. Such faith does not cleanse the heart. By faith, he says, cleansing their hearts. But what faith, by what kind of faith, except that which the Apostle Paul defines, where he says: Faith which works through love? This faith distinguishes itself from the faith of demons, distinguishes itself from the flagitious and lost manners of men. Faith, he says. What faith? The faith which works through love, hopes for what God promises. Nothing more weighty than this definition, nothing more perfect. Therefore, there are these three things. It is necessary that in whom is faith, which works through love, hopes for what God promises. Hope is therefore the companion of faith. Hope indeed is necessary, as long as we do not see what we believe; lest, perhaps, by not seeing and despairing, we fail. It saddens us, because we do not see: but it consoles us, because we hope to see. Therefore, hope is present, and it is a companion of faith. Then also charity, by which we desire, by which we strive to reach, by which we burn, by which we hunger and thirst. This, therefore, is also added: and there will be faith, hope, and charity. For how will there not be charity, since charity is nothing else but love? But faith itself is defined, which works through love. Take away faith, what you believe perishes; take away charity, what you act perishes. For it pertains to faith that you believe; to charity, that you act. For if you believe and do not love, you do not move toward good work: and if you move, you move as a servant, not as a son: fearing punishment, not loving righteousness. Therefore, that faith, I say, cleanses the heart, which works through love.
God is not to be thought of as a body.
And now what does faith itself do? With such great testimonies of the Scriptures, with so manifold a reading, with so various and abundant an exhortation, what does it do but that we now see through a mirror in a riddle, and then face to face? But do not return again to that face of yours. Think of the face of the heart. Compel your heart to think of divine things, compel, urge. Whatever resembles the body that occurs to you thinking, cast it away. You are not yet able to say: "This is it"; at least say: "This is not it." For when will you say: "This is God"? Not even when you see it: because it is ineffable what you will see. The Apostle says he was caught up into the third heaven, and heard ineffable words. If the words are ineffable, what of that to which the words belong? Therefore, as you think about God, some grand and very large human shape perhaps occurs to you: you have placed it in the sight of your thought, as if it were something great, very large, grand, spread out with a very immense bulk. You have delimited it somewhere. If you have delimited it, it is not God. If you have not delimited it, where is the face? You are thinking of bulk, and to distinguish the parts, you set limits to the bulk. For otherwise you cannot distinguish the parts, unless you give the bulk an end. What are you doing, foolish and carnal thought? You made a great bulk, and all the greater as you thought you were honoring God more. Another one adds a cubit, and makes it greater.
A passage of Isaiah seems opposed.
But you say you have read. What have you read, who understood nothing? And yet tell, what did you read? Let us not repel the little one playing in the heart. Tell what you have read? Heaven is my throne, but the earth is the footstool of my feet. I hear, I have also read: but perhaps you think yourself superior because you have read and believed. I also believe what you said. Let us believe together. What do I say? Let us seek together. Behold, hold to what you read and believed: Heaven is my throne, that is, a seat; for ‘throne’ in Greek is ‘seat’ in Latin: but the earth is the footstool of my feet. Have you not also read this: Who has measured the heavens with the span of his hand? I think you have read: you recognize, and you confess to believe. For there indeed we read both, we believe both. Now already think, and teach me: I employ you as a teacher and make myself a little child. Teach me, I beseech you. Who is it that sits in the palm of his hand?
The passage mentioned above is being examined.
Behold, you have derived the figures and outline of the members of God from the human body. But perhaps it slipped your mind, that we were made according to the body in the image of God. Meanwhile, I accept this for consideration, examination, questioning, and being tested in dispute. If it pleases, listen to me: because in that which pleased you, I have listened to you. God sits in heaven, and measures the heaven by his palm. Does this same heaven become wide when he sits, and narrow when he measures? Or is God himself as extensive in sitting as in the palm? If this is so, God did not make us in his likeness: for we have a palm that is much narrower than the part of the body on which we sit. But if he is as wide in his palm as he is in his sitting, he made for us members that are uneven. This is not a likeness. Therefore, let such an idol be ashamed in the Christian heart. Accordingly, take heaven to represent all saints. For the earth is also said to represent all who are on earth: All the earth worships you. If we rightly speak according to those who dwell on earth: All the earth worships you: we rightly speak also according to those who dwell in heaven, All heaven bears you. For even the saints themselves who dwell on earth tread the earth with their flesh, but in their heart they dwell in heaven. For they are not admonished in vain to have their heart above, and when admonished, they respond accordingly: nor is it said in vain: If you have risen with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God; think on what is above, not what is on earth. Therefore, inasmuch as they converse there, they also carry God, and are heaven; because they are God's seat; and when they announce the words of God: The heavens declare the glory of God.
Width, length, height, and depth.
Return therefore with me to the face of the heart: prepare it itself. Within is where God speaks. The ears, eyes, and other visible members are the dwelling or organ of something interior. The inner person is where Christ resides for now through faith: there He will dwell with the presence of His divinity when we understand what is width, length, height, and depth; we will also understand the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that we might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now therefore, if this understanding does not displease you, endeavor to comprehend the width, length, height, and depth. Do not wander with the imagination of thought through worldly spaces and the comprehensible magnitude of this great mass. Attend to what I say within you. Width is in good works; length is in the long-suffering and perseverance of good works; height is in the expectation of heavenly rewards; for this height you are told to lift up your heart. Do good works and persevere in good works for the blessings of God. Esteem worldly things as nothing, lest when this world is disturbed with some scourge from that wise one, you say that you worshipped God in vain, did good works in vain, and persevered in good works in vain. For by doing good works, you have, as it were, had width: by persevering in them, you have, as it were, had length: but by seeking earthly things, you did not have height. Attend to the depth: the grace of God is in the hidden will of His purpose. For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? And: Your judgments are like a great abyss.
The four dimensions of the cross.
This conversation of doing good, persevering in it, expecting the heavenly, giving the grace of God secretly, wisdom, not foolishness; nor reproaching why one is thus, another otherwise; for there is no injustice with God. Therefore, if it pleases, fit this conversation also to the cross of your Lord. For it was not in vain that he chose such a death, in whose power it was to die or not to die. If it was in his power to die and not to die, why not in his power to die thus or thus? Therefore, he did not choose the cross in vain, where he might crucify you to this world. For the width is in the cross’s transverse wood, where the hands are fixed: for the signification of good deeds. The length is in that part of the wood which extends from the transverse to the ground. There indeed the body is crucified, and in a certain way stands: and that station signifies perseverance. The height, however, is in that wood, which from the same transverse rises upwards towards the head: so that by it, the expectation of heavenly things is signified. Where is the depth, except in that part which is fixed in the earth? For the grace is hidden, and lies concealed in the secret. It is not seen, but from there what is seen emerges. After this, if you comprehend all these things, not only by understanding but also by acting (for a good understanding is for all those who do it); then now extend yourself, if you can, to recognize the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. When you reach it, you will be filled with all the fullness of God. Then it will be face to face. You will be filled with all the fullness of God, not so that God will be filled with you, but that you will be filled with God. Seek there, if you can, the corporeal face. Now let trivialities be removed from the sight of the mind. Let the little boy discard trifles, let him learn to handle greater things. And we are little ones in many things: and when we were more than we are, we were tolerated by those greater. Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no one will see God. For this also purifies the heart: because there is faith, which works through love. Hence: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall see God.