(1) Before we proceed to the Gospel, we must say a little about today's feast, which is called the feast of all the saints, which has been established throughout the world, and is still celebrated today by day, and tomorrow is called the feast of all the souls. I would that these two festivals were proclaimed in all countries, but for the sake of the abuse that is done in them. For although there are some who know how to use it divinely, there are many of them, and almost most of them, who abuse it. For one cannot keep the common man from the delusion that he does not think he is doing something good. One would not long endow churches, build altars, erect images, endow wills, if one did not think that one was doing God a service by doing so.
(2) Now how we ought to honor the saints I have often said before, that we should make a distinction between the saints that are dead and those that are alive; and what we ought to do to the saints, that we should turn away from the dead, and lay them up for the living saints. The living saints are your neighbors, the naked, the hungry, the thirsty poor, those who have wives and children, those who live in shame.
*) This sermon appeared in three individual prints from 1523, as well as in the 12 sermons from 1524. Cf. Erl. A. 15, 517 f. D. Red.
To those who are in sin: there turn your help, there put your work, there use your tongue, that you may protect them, feed them, counsel them, cover them with your mantle and help them to honor. Now our papists have turned this around and put their possessions on the dead saints, endowed churches, built altars, and circumvented them with other foolish works. Then everything floated away with great streams and rivers of water, so that the poor people were forgotten and the miserable needy were neglected.
(3) Therefore turn again, and apply your good deeds to the living saints, of which you are commanded. Of those there is no commandment; but where there is no commandment, one cannot be sure whether God is pleased or not. But of the dead saints there is no commandment to honor them; therefore one cannot be sure whether it is pleasing to God to deal thus with them. Therefore, leave them alone and do it to those who know for certain that God is pleased with them. If we have enough to do in God's name with the things that are commanded us, why should we burden ourselves much with other things?
4 So they say: Ei, I do it in a good opinion. Yes, there strike happiness; you do the same as the Jews with your good opinion, who struck Christ, GOt-.
tes son, to death, also said they meant well. God does not want to have your good opinion, even not to look at it; you should keep to his words and commandments, and not do what seems good to you. But, as we have often said, this is recently the way and form in which one should honor the departed saints, if one ever wants to honor them, and no other. This is the way they want it themselves, that they are made an example of, so follow them, and confirm the doctrine with their works; as St. Paul does to the Romans Cap. 4, 3. 4. 23. 24. 25.He introduces the example of Abraham, proving that faith alone saves and justifies, and says: "Abraham believed God, and this was counted to him for righteousness"; and concludes with this saying: "Now this is not written for his sake only, that it is counted to him; but also for our sakes, to whom it shall be counted, if we believe on him that raised up our Lord JESUS CHRIST from the dead; who was given for our sins, and was raised for our righteousness." There, there lies the right reason, that alone does it. This alone is written by St. Paul for our sake, so that we should turn to it and justify the doctrine of faith by saying that the saints also taught and lived in this way, and therefore thank God for His good pleasure in having graced them in this way and in this way set an example for our comfort, so that we can look to Him for comfort.
(5) So we should also honor his dear mother, that we may behold her humility and lowliness, and learn therein how God exalts the rejected and the poor, and humbles the worthy of great hope, and comforts us with it in misery, in shame, in lowliness, and gives thanks to God for his goodness, that he has set before us his dear mother and the dear saints as an example, in which we should comfort ourselves and look forward to his mercy all the more gladly. This is the right honor, and no other; otherwise let them lie in God's judgment, sleeping and living in Christ.
(6) Secondly, of the souls, I also wanted the same, that they should be given to God.
He has taken them home. For thou doest no sin in them, if thou remember them no more: for there is nothing commanded thee. And do not make them after masses and vigils; for it is not certain whether it pleases God, you have no commandment of it. If thou wilt pray for thy father's soul, for thy mother's soul, thou mayest do it at home in thy chamber, once or twice, and thereafter let it be well. Say: Dear God, if the soul is in such a condition that it needs help, my Lord, have mercy on it and help it. And do not go away and keep eternal begging, as the fools do who keep constant vigils and constant seasons; as if they wanted to force God with the lion and insist that he must give them the souls; yes, he will let it be.
7 Therefore, if you want to ask for them, ask in the manner described above, and let it be done, and let them sleep in God; for if you ask something and believe, it is certain that you will be heard, as Christ promises us in Mark 11:24: "Whatever you ask in your prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be done for you. Yes, but that will bring little to the kitchens of the priests? It is much better that they suffer misery and perdition, than that the poor souls should thus be bound in folly and perdition.
(8) For this they have no saying in all the Scriptures, that they may prove and establish it, that one should do something for the soul, but only the saying in 2 Macc. 12:43, that Judas sent to Jerusalem twelve thousand quintals of silver to be offered for the dead: which book, though it is not valid in itself, yet there is no commandment in it; for Judas does it not from a commandment, but from a discretion. He thought it good that the dead should be remembered and prayed for, because he had a good opinion of the resurrection; therefore it was a holy, wholesome thought to pray for the dead, as the text clearly says there. But what is his good opinion to me? Shall I soon have a commandment laid upon it, that it may seem good to him? No. Therefore go from this thing idly, and in the meantime give the food to the poor, of which we are commanded. The
be said of the two feasts. Let us now come to the Gospel.
(9) The gospel, as your beloved has often heard, is nothing else but a good cry, a good preaching of Christ, how the Lord Christ was brought by God the Father to help all people and to bring salvation to body and soul, both temporally and eternally, so that it is much different from the preaching of the law. For the law commands, threatens, and urges; but the gospel does not threaten, nor urge, but gently and sweetly entices to Christ with the most lovely promise. Moses commands you to be meek in case of loss of your soul's salvation; but the gospel comes gently and offers us God's grace, mercy and grace, and points us to Christ, by which we shall receive that we have done enough for the law. So that the whole gospel alone is a friendly, good cry from Christ, who offers help and counsel to all people, and demands nothing more, but only kindly beckons to Himself.
(10) From this follows a question: Why does the gospel here not do this either, because it seems to give commandments, namely, how to be poor in spirit, to be gentle, to be merciful, and so on? Item, it promises a reward to those who do it, in that he says: "The kingdom of heaven is theirs"; item: "They shall inherit the earth", and what he says more; because we are not to be greedy for reward, but to be pious for nothing; not to seek our own benefit, but only God within; not for fear of torment nor hell, but only for God's glory and for the benefit of our neighbor, whatever we do.
(11) These two questions I have put, that ye may be the more strengthened in the gospel, and may know how to be founded therein, which is nothing but a cry and a preaching of Christ. And first of all it should be noted that this gospel does not command anything here, but, as in all places, writes of Christ alone. And as it everywhere describes his benefits and help, so it also does here, namely, as he gave sight to the blind, raised the dead, healed the lame, Matth. 11, 5.
He also shows us the blessing that he has interpreted the law for us and has given us the right understanding in it, which is almost the greatest blessing that he has shown us. For if it is a blessing that he gives sight to the blind, walking to the lame, hearing to the deaf, and the like, it is a far greater blessing that he opens the eyes of the blind soul and teaches it to know the commandment of God, so that it may be the better saved. Thus he interprets the fifth commandment of Moses in this very chapter, where he says: "You have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'You shall not kill; but whoever kills shall be guilty of judgment. But I say unto you: He that is angry with his brother is guilty of judgment. But whosoever shall say unto his brother, Racha, is guilty of counsel; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, is guilty of hell fire," Matt. 5:21, 22; that is, ye shall not be angry in heart, ye shall have a gentle heart, neither do nor bear any angry, unkind work, word, or commandment against your neighbor. Thus the gospel alone indicates God's goodness and benevolence.
12 But what about the other question, that it promises a reward to the righteous who do this? I have answered this sufficiently in the sermon on the unrighteous mammon, Luc. 16.That the promises are not added as promises of the reward we are to earn, but as subtle charms and enticements, so that God makes us glad to be pious, and that this must follow from itself and we must not seek it; but that it is a certain consequence of the good life, as hell is a consequence of the evil life, which must follow the evil one unsought and unsought, just as taste must follow wine. So eternal life is also promised here, not that we should be pious for it, as for a reward; but that it should be an enticement and stimulus that makes us glad to be pious, to serve and praise God: so then it must follow from itself. This forms us before the kindly fatherly will of God and Christ's fondness, that he so kindly entices us.
13. that of the two questions, that their
Know that the gospel here, as in all places, models Christ's grace and good deeds for us, and that here he gives us the right understanding of the law and interprets Moses correctly. And on this hang the most lovely promises, smeared with honey, that he will ever lure us here, so that we may have a desire and love for gentleness, mercy, and kindness toward our neighbors. Now let us see how the eight blessednesses are included in the toe commandments, and how they are interpreted and made easy.
(14) You know how they have drawn into confession the eight blessednesses, the seven deadly sins, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the five senses, and what is more, and have smeared many books with them, as if the eight blessednesses, the seven deadly sins, were not written in the Ten Commandments; yet all sins, as they may be called, may be drawn into the Ten Commandments, and again the Ten Commandments may be included in the eight blessednesses. For the eight blessednesses are only an interpretation of the Ten Commandments, and that they may only be more easily understood.
(15) First, in which commandment of Moses is the first blessedness included, when he says, "Blessed are the spiritually poor"? or which commandment interprets it? The first, as, "Thou shalt not have strange gods"; which Christ interprets here, saying, "Blessed are the spiritually poor." As if he said, "Truly the commandment which Moses gave you is not to be understood only as you understand it and as the words read; just as the Jews and Gentiles also meant that one should have no idols, no image to an idol, or worship: but that one should be poor in spirit, that is, not clinging in heart to any thing, to any creature on the face of the earth, but be bare, and with a free heart hold fast to him alone. And blessed are they, for they have God and heaven, and all that is therein.
16 Secondly, where is it that he says, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth"? This goes into the fifth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." As if he said: "It was not Mosi's opinion that you alone should not kill, but the meek should not kill.
If you keep your hands from outward death, or your tongues from evil words, you can still do it in your hearts. Therefore the commandment wants the heart to be unbitter. For it is not enough that you kill no one, but you must also do him good, be kind, and show all love. It is not said negatively, but affirmatively, that one may turn back and see how it follows on the other side, as he says here: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Item, where does this go: "Blessed are the merciful"? Also in the fifth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," that is, thou shalt deal mercifully and kindly with thy neighbor. And so on with all the blessednesses; we will see them one after the other in the Gospel. First, the Lord says:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(17) Lest we be high in spirit, to be poor in spirit is not to be attached with the heart to good, God grant thou hast good or hast not. And again, to be "rich in spirit" means to be attached to the good with the heart, God grant, you have good or you have not. This is also what the prophet David means when he says: "If wealth comes to you, do not attach your heart to it", Ps. 62, 11. As if he should speak: It cannot be so, for there must be rulers and kings, who must have more than other people; it cannot be the same with wealth; therefore, whether it comes or not, do not set your heart on it.
18 Therefore, "to be poor in spirit" means not to put one's heart into possessions or gifts, not to praise [nor tickle *] oneself and to exalt oneself above one's neighbor, God granting that one may have much or little. So were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job and other fathers more; they were mighty rich, but they did not set their hearts on riches. So they stood by, holding God alone as the highest good, and if the good had fallen away, they would not have worried about it.
*) (c d)
So also David was poor, although he had a mighty kingdom under him. So also Solomon. They were so fortified and confirmed in God that they would not have considered it to have fallen to or from them. Thus, "poor in spirit" actually means not having the courage to do so, God granting that one has much or little. For those who have the courage to do so have an idol, and they forsake the true God. Soon they must become puffed-up hearts that despise their neighbor and exalt themselves; as it is said in Proverbs: good makes courage; and again: courage makes poverty.
19. Thus even the poorest beggars are rich, who have nothing at all; for they strive with all their might for good and money, are so full of avarice and hunger in their hearts that they become the most ambitious people, if they get a little good; they do no good to anyone, show no kindness, no mercy, no charity to anyone, are the most unkind people that are on earth; as that poet says: Asperius nihil est misero, dum surgit in altum: If a poor man gets goods and honors, He cannot be resisted, He causes misfortune and strife And overthrows many a pious man. Those who are poor are of no more value in the sight of God than a rich man, for in the sight of God there is no distinction of person, Acts 10:34. 10, 34. A wise man is as valid as an unwise man, a rich man as a poor man, a young man as an old man, a maid as a servant; although there is a difference before the world, there is no difference before God. But the gospel looks at the heart, goes to the bottom, sees into the heart, deeper than thyself, and has nothing to do with outward things.
20 So now you can judge and respect those who are poor or not, namely, those who do not put their courage in the good. But see how they have drawn out poverty into outward poverty: when Franciscus did this, which after all was a pious man, so that I wonder how he stumbled here so foolishly and rudely, who gave himself up here in poverty, and wrote his brothers a rule, not to have more than from hand to mouth, to have nothing overnight.
and as it reads there, the gospel has thus been drawn out into temporal poverty, contrary to Christ's opinion. For poverty must be in the spirit: the spiritual rule, the gospel, cannot be drawn out into the light by any means, and into the outward rule; it goes forth in the heart. So also Christ was poor in spirit, and yet he did not go by rote, without money. For when they went up the mountain, he had five barley loaves and two hundred pennies. Judas carried the bag and took what was given to the Lord, so that he might have had a penny or thirty in readiness. So were the pious saints also, David, Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, and others; nor did Franciscus drag it out into physical poverty. Now you must judge for yourselves that he failed and stumbled: nevertheless, the pope confirmed it afterwards.
(21) Therefore, if they reproach you that St. Francis lived thus, and yet was a holy man, you again reproach Christ, who lived otherwise, and was also a holy man, and holier than Franciscus. If they say, "This is how St. Francis taught," you say, "This is how Christ taught. Well, whom shall one follow? Then they themselves must confess that Christ is to be followed more than the others. So you decide them freely. If they praise the tradition and life of the saints and the old custom, then praise Christ, who taught differently and lived longer than they all. So then you are always raising up one saint, namely, Christ; if they go along with theirs, they will not overthrow it for you. So much is said: "Blessed are the poor", forgive yourselves of temporal goods, do not stand on them with your heart, and heaven is yours.
(22) And he makes the most excellent promises, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is theirs. Then one soon sees which are the sermons of the Holy Spirit or of the devil. Then we also see how stubborn we are, that the promises do not go to our hearts. For the high Majesty has promised, who cannot lie, that those who are spiritually poor shall have the kingdom of heaven. This is so much more
says: Behold, man shall be rid of death, sin, hell and all misfortune, shall have God for a friend, a happy conscience and, in addition, eternal life. Such rich promises of such high majesty do not move us at all. Wherever else a liar appears, or a priest says, "Let so many masses be said, and you will be blessed;" or says, "This year so many St. Barbara's and St. Nicolae's feasts are celebrated, and what more foolish lies there are, we fall down and run away as if our heads were on fire. How is it that they are the devil's sermons and yet they are accepted? How is it that these also are not accepted, if they are the sermons of the Holy Spirit? Answer: What is not from God does not hear the word of God, 1 John 4:6. He who does not want to hear the truth must hear lies. On the other hand, the Lord speaks:
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
(23) That is, those who are gentle of heart, who are not vindictive, but who seek God's help, who deal kindly with their enemies, who forgive them, who shall inherit the earth, that is, they shall remain: not that they shall become lords and rule the world; but that they shall remain before those who are vindictive, and want to pass through with their heads, God granting that they may come up behind or in front. This also gives the experience that no one comes from his own sooner than those who are revengeful; no one has to run away sooner than the same stubborn unruly people who want to lead much right. For one must almost always consume ten times as much as the thing is worth. Item, we see that great kingdoms, great empires, great countries and cities thus perish and perish. But those who in vain offer vengeance to God alone remain. Now see how fine a promise this is. Now you have two promises: a spiritual promise, that they will have heaven; and a temporal promise, that they will have enough even after death. Third, he says:
Blessed are those who suffer, for they shall be comforted.
(24) Then you see that they also must have tribulation: it will not be in vain running, singing and jumping, they must also have tribulation and anguish, that the old Adam may become tame; but in the tribulation they will be comforted and will feel joy in the midst of anguish and sorrow. But those who are always full, who are always in torment, cannot know how they stand with God. Therefore, even though they eat and drink and laugh with their mouths, their hearts do not know, for they do not know whether they have a gracious God or not; therefore they cannot be happy, for they have more gall than honey. But those who suffer tribulation are comforted inwardly by God. They are full of joy and gladness inwardly in their hearts, though outwardly they have no appearance: but these eat, drink, and laugh, and yet are poured out and watered with vain gall and gloom in their hearts. Fourthly:
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
(25) That is, they that hunger and thirst after godliness, who with all their doings are bent on that they may become godly, and bring other men also to godliness. And this is difficult. For if they want to do this, they must preach the word, admonish and punish. In doing so, they invite the devil upon themselves, the wrath and envy of the world, and everything that is in the world, which they stir up against themselves. After that, the holy cross does not remain outside for long, but they do not allow themselves to be greatly challenged. Where this hunger is, the thirsting and groaning for righteousness and godliness, both his and others', [there the heart cannot be quenched nor hindered until it seizes the treasure *]. The fifth:
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
(26) These are they who are inclined to forgive others their trespasses and infirmities, that they may be offended. This strengthens the saying in the Lord's Prayer: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Sixth:
*) (c d)
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
27 Behold, for this reason all the world has endeavored to see God; but here you have how He must be seen. God is looked upon in two ways: first, according to his high omnipotent power; and this is of little avail, indeed, nature cannot bear to be looked upon. On the other hand, one looks at him as a God, as an almighty goodness, as a merciful father; for God is nothing else than the eternal almighty goodness and mercy. And they alone behold Him who are of a pure heart, that is, those who believe. Those who do not believe do not have a pure heart, they do not recognize him, but consider him a severe judge, fleeing from him, as Adam did in paradise. Why? Because they look into their conscience, which is unclean; therefore they shrink from it and are afraid, as Solomon says in Proverbs Cap. 28, 1. "The wicked doth flee, and no man chaseth him." For he always thinks that God is ungracious to him, unkind, unmerciful, therefore he flees from him; this alone makes the evil conscience, which cannot see God's goodness. The seventh:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
(28) These are they who are not only peaceable, but also make peace, giving a good word here, giving a good word there, quieting and keeping silence wherever they know of any strife or discord. And these are the children of God, as Christ is, and he also showed it freely; for he descended from heaven, and told us from God all good things, all sweet things, all mercies, namely, that the Father had forgiven us our sin and adopted us as children, and is now our gracious Father, having peace with us, with whom we were before at strife. And after that he ascended again to God and again told God all the good things about us, namely: "Father, they have no more sin, I have taken it upon myself and have taken it away; so that he might have peace between us and God, and also between us and God.
made peace with all creatures, as the epistle to the Ephesians Cap. 2, 15. Monica, St. Augustine's mother, did the same: what she heard evil from the women, she kept silent; but what she heard good, that reconciled, that she said. So shall we also do. Eighth:
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile and persecute you for my sake, and speak all kinds of evil against you, lying about it.
29 That is, those who are persecuted out of judgment for the sake of righteousness alone. Persecution must be suffered by the common rabble, cursing and forfeiture in the court and before the lords; for there we are mocked and accused, that the lords may be ungracious to us. But let them persecute forever. We have a good comfort, and certain promise, as follows:
Have joy and gladness; you will be well rewarded in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.
(30) Such promise and comfort we have now and then in the gospel; as, especially in Luca Cap. 21, 12-19, where the Lord says to his disciples: "Before all these, they will lay hands on you and persecute you, and will deliver you up in their synagogues and prisons, and will bring you before kings and princes for my name's sake. But this will happen to you for a testimony. Take heart, therefore, that ye be not anxious how ye shall answer: for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not gainsay nor resist. But ye shall be delivered up of parents, and brethren, and kinsmen, and friends; and they shall help some of you to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake, and one hair of your head shall not perish. Take hold of your souls with patience." That is enough said for this time in this Gospel, we want to call upon God for His mercy.