The Sermons of Johannes Tauler · 41 of 124

Sermon for Thursday in Easter Week

She turning, saith to Him: Rabboni (which is to say, Master). — John xx, 16.

When Jesus rose from the dead, Mary Magdalene longed with all her heart to behold Him. But He appeared to her in the form of a gardener, and she did not recognize him. Then He said to her: “Mary!” She, turning, saith to Him: “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Master.)

You will notice that as long as Mary stood gazing into the empty tomb and looked at the angels, Jesus stood behind her and concealed Himself from her. ' This means that our Lord God hides Himself from those who are busied with creatures, absorbed and distressed about created things. The moment the soul turns away from them and goes in search of God, then God reveals Himself. And the meaning of our Lord’s word “Mary” is, literally, the star of the sea, or otherwise the queen — queen of the world enlightened by the Holy Spirit, shining like a star.

Whosoever longs for the sight of God must soar aloft like a star, and must have an aversion for all transitory things; he must be much enlightened by God if he would behold heavenly sights. Mary recognized her Lord when He called her name, and she answered instantly, Rabboni (Master). That was the name she and His other disciples usually addressed Him with, for He had approved it: “You call Me Master and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.” (John xiii, 13.) He is, indeed, the Master of the supreme good, and as such we must love Him supremely and above all things. He is the Master of all truth, and therefore we must contemplate Him. He is Master of the highest

Master of the supreme good: such is his true name, and it entitles Him to our love above all things. But you might say: God being infinite good and the soul finite, how can the soul love Him or even know him? Ah, mark well that, although God be infinite good and the soul finite, yet the soul’s longing is an abyss without limit; the human soul can never be content, except with the possession of an infinite good. And the more the soul longs for God, the more does it yearn for deeper longings; the more we love God, the more we yearn to love Him with yet greater intensity. God is a good without the slightest imperfection; He is the fountain-head of the living and exhaustless waters of love. The soul is created in the image of God, and even for that reason is made capable of knowing and loving Him as He is; and as Christ is the Master of the supreme good, so must the soul love Him supremely and above all things. He is love; out of Him floweth love into us as out of an overflowing fountain of life; the fountain of life is love. For, says St. John: “He that loveth not, abideth in death.” (I John iii, 14.) Christ, the fountain of love and the master of the highest good, must have our perfect love. It is a characteristic trait of the soul to have a longing to love Him who is God, who is Supreme Good — to love Him without limits to its love, Him and none other except for His sake, Him to love with increasing praise.

Without limits. As St. Bernard teaches: “The reason why the soul should love God is God Himself; but the limit of this love is without limits, for God is unlimited good, without count and without end.” And St. Paul says: “And this I pray, that your love may more and more abound in knowledge and in all understanding.” (Phil, i, 9.) And St. Bernard again: “In loving God there is no other method or distinction, than that we should love Him as He has loved us.” He has loved us unto the end in order that we should love Him unto the end, or rather without end. Hence all through our earthly existence, our desire to love God should constantly increase in our inner life. But bear in mind that, however the inner work of loving God should always grow stronger, yet the outward exercise of that love should be regulated with prudence; we should choose such devout practices of love as may not injure our spirit.

We must love Him without rivals — God, and God alone. This means that in that degree in which we love God, no created being shall be

God’s sake alone; that love must be some way a love for God and in God; for God’s sake, since God is the origin and only reason of that creature’s existence; a love of the creature, yet a love for God, who is the sole good that any creature possesses or may be loved for; in God, because He is the only joy that love of any sort can minister to our souls; and He is the term and end of all our love. This is, therefore, how we love creatures in God and God in creatures. Thus did our Saviour teach: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.” (Matt, xxii, 37.) St. Augustine says that our Lord by these words means that a man should have no idle and empty power in his soul, but all should be occupied with the love of God and filled with Him; and that whatever the soul cares for in its outward life, is to be referred to God’s love and be used for God love. God loves the soul; and therefore should the soul love God without a rival.

In the third place, we must love Him with unceasing praise; our love must never be silent, but must forever call upon our beloved and beseech Him. St. Gregory said that our speaking to God is by the voice of the mouth and by the voice of good works, and that the latter has more power than the former. Listen to the Psalmist: “I have labored with crying.” (Ps. lxviii, 4.) “It is a trait of lovers,” says St. Chrysostom, “not to be able to conceal their love, nor ever to be silent while with their beloved, to whom they must entrust their heart’s burning affections.” So do God’s lovers speak to Him, revealing to Him even their faults; they do this over and over again, because they love Him too well to hide their sins from Him; and because in doing so they are comforted and encouraged. The voice of the lover by outward works is the utterance of the inward depths of love. “The proof of Divine love,” says St. Gregory, “is in good works. Wherever love is, love acts; if there is no act, there is no love.”

Rightly did Magdalen exclaim, Master! For Christ is, indeed, master of all good, and therefore He must have our supreme love. But over love our Saviour has a triple sovereignty. For as our sovereign Master He rewards us for nothing but for our love for Him; he rewards us on account of nothing but His own love for us; and He rewards us with nothing but with the gift of His love for us. Every way we look at His reward to us it is love.

Now, one can serve God meritoriously with outward works, with inward contemplation, and with inward longings. Outward works are

Paul. (I Cor. xiii.) Works done apart from love cannot merit eternal life, and hence whosoever loves God separates himself from all that is not God — craving the uncreated good, he despises all created good.

And God rewards us on acc ount of nothing but His own love for us, and that reward is the gift of Himself; not partly, but wholly Himself, for He loves us with an eternal love. Remember what He said to Abraham: “Fear not, I am thy protector, and thy reward exceeding great.” (Gen. xv, 1.)

Again, as we have seen. He rewards us with a gift of love or of loving, whereby a man clearly and without any medium contemplates God, a love wrhich enables the soul to enjoy God and posses Him everlastingly. Hence, Christian soul, say to Him with all the fervor of Mary Magdalen, speaking from thy inmost heart: O my Master, Master of all good, and my God, draw me to Thee by the love which Thou Thyself art, for I crave to possess Thee, Thou infinite good, and to prize Thee above all things.

Let us return to my first affirmation, namely, that God is master of the supreme good, and that we must contemplate Him as such. Thou art aware that thou canst contemplate God in His creatures, even though they are made out of nothing, for thou canst learn herein that He is almighty. His infinite wisdom also is apparent in them, as thou studiest their law's of being and the admirable order that prevails in them; and this Divine wisdom is attributed to the Son of God. And when thou observest the gentleness and affection that exists more or less in all of God’s creatures, thou mayst learn by them God’s lovingkindness, which is attributed to the Holy Ghost. And this is w'hat St. Paul teaches: “For the invisible things of Him, from the creation of the wrorld, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; His eternal power also, and divinity.” (Rom. i, 20.) Divine grace, too, gives the soul light to see God: “and in Thy light we shall see light” (Ps. xxxv, 10), says the Psalmist, meaning God Himself, a light in which there is no manner of darkness. Finally, we shall see God in the light of glory, knowing Him then without any intermediary, as He is in Himself. Truly He is the master of truth, and He gives us all truth.

And He is master of perfection, requiring us to give up everything in order to follow Him alone. Man finds in God the complete and unified

Hence our Saviour says: “If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.,, (Lukexiv,26.) For does it not often happen, that one’s very parents and brothers and sisters and all other creatures become enemies, when he loves them so dearly that they stand in the way of his serving God and his neighbor? Therefore do thou give up all created things and follow after the Master of Perfection, Jesus Christ, Who is blessed forever. May He grant us this privilege by His holy grace. Amen.