that makes it clear he is referring only to paraliturgical or private contemplative practices that do not form part of the Divine Office according to the Dominican Rite. The person seeking Gelassenheit should desist from any prayers or works that interfere with devout contemplation, “usgenomen das gezit alleine die das schuldig sint von ordenunge der heiligen kilchen; ane das so los künlichen varn so was anders dich hindert an dem woren weselichen gebette [except only for the hours which are required by the order of the holy church; except for this, forget about anything else that hinders you in true and essential prayer].”106 One should only recite supererogatory prayers to the extent that they aid devotion and should stop if they do not. The Office, however, is obligatory, and religious must cultivate true prayer as best they can while performing the prayers prescribed by the Church and their orders.
Tauler reassures his audience in another sermon that the Dominican Rite is already structured with this principle in mind.
Nu tůnt die pfaffen also in der vasten: so lesen wir so vil der salmen und vil wisen; ze ostern so slahen wir ab und lesen denne ein lange wile dri salmen, ein antiphone und ein collecte. Als hochgezit ist, so slahen wir ab unser frouwen zit und preces. Also, liebes kint, als das hochgezit mag gesin eines innerlichen keres, so slahe das uswendige künlich ab, ob es dich dises hindert.107
Now the priests do this during Lent: we read so and so many of the psalms and many melodies. At Easter, we cut down on these and then read for a while three psalms, an antiphon, and a collect. During Eastertide we leave out the hours of the Virgin and the preces. Thus, dear child, so that you may have the Feast of an inward turn, wisely leave out the outward prayers if they hinder you.
Tauler was not the first to claim significance for the abbreviated Easter liturgy, as we shall see in Chapter 5 regarding the German translation of William Durandus’s Rationale divinorum officiorum. According to Tauler, the Dominicans incorporated extra time for contemplation into the cycle of their Rite by abridging the liturgy for the days when particular devotion is encouraged. For the Dominican women hearing or reading this sermon, reduction of the Eastertide liturgy is both a real requirement and an allegorical lesson. Just as the Dominican Rite relaxes liturgical obligations to celebrate the important feast, so too should all Dominicans relax external prayer practices to welcome the feast in the ground of the soul. Yet neither in the real Easter liturgy nor in its allegorized spiritual correlative are the obligations ever fully dissolved.
Canonical prayer and supererogatory prayer thus possess radically different status within Tauler’s model of spiritual practice. One should desist from “manig salter und vigilien gelesen und manig messe gelesen und gesungen und manig gros oppher geophert [many psalters and vigils read, many Masses read and sung, many great sacrifices made]”108 if such distract from true contemplation. Liturgical prayer, however, not only remains obligatory regardless of devotional concentration but, to return to the principle of order, cannot obstruct Gelassenheit. Tauler reprimands those who would claim that observing the order draws them away from spiritual perfection. “Dunket dich das dich dise uswendigen werk hinderen, als kor gan und dienstliche werk der gehorsamkeit: liebes kint, die werk die enhinderent dich nút, sunder dine unordenunge in den werken die hinderent dich [It seems to you that you are hindered by outer works, such as going to choir and works of obedient service? Dear child, the works do not hinder you, but rather your disorder in the works hinders you].”109 The Office, like all the practices of the order, is intended to order the spirit and thereby prepare the ground of the soul for Gelassenheit. If it seems to obstruct this aim, that does not indicate a flaw in the order but rather a greater disorder within the self.
Seuse similarly confirms that external prayer is worthwhile, but again only insofar as it promotes a devotional attitude and inspires inner pursuit of Gelassenheit. In the Little Book of Eternal Wisdom, for example, the Servant explicitly asks his divine interlocutor whether external praise is useful.
Herr, ist daz uzzer lob, daz man mit worten und gesange tůt, icht vúrderlich? Entwúrt der Ewigen Wisheit: Es ist wol vúrderlich, und sunderlich, als vil es den inren menschen gereizen mag, der vil dike da von gereizet wirt, und sunderlich an anvahenden menschen.110
Lord, is the external praise one renders in words and songs at all beneficial? Response of Eternal Wisdom: It is beneficial, especially insofar as it can urge on the inner person, which is often urged on by it, especially in the case of beginners.
Although a state of continual inner praise represents the spiritual goal, external prayers and songs are not detrimental. Instead such outward practices assist by inspiring the inner person, particularly in the beginning stages of one’s spiritual journey. Nevertheless, Eternal Wisdom does not say that external prayer is only useful for beginners, just that it is particularly useful for them. People at all stages of their spiritual progression may be incited to greater fervor by external praise, and there seems to be no point at which it should be abandoned. External prayer practices ought to ground and inspire spiritual fervor throughout one’s path.
The Song from the Ground
Among these inspiring prayer practices, the Divine Office holds pride of place. The second letter of Seuse’s Great Book of Letters addresses the virtues and behavior appropriate to a nun. Seuse opens the letter by praising enclosure and the abandonment of worldly love for love of Christ, but then proceeds to a series of more specific directives. Foreshadowing the visitation letters of Observant reformers, Seuse places devotion to the Office foremost among practices of the order that foster spiritual perfection.111
Min kint, du solt dich flissen gemeiner haltung dines ordens, und vor allen dingen solt du dich flissen, daz du zitlich zů kor gangest und zúhteklich da standest mit ernst und mit andaht, und nút dicke us louffest; du solt dich selben negeln in den stůl, voll us ze stenne, und sunderlich die messe in der minne, als Cristus voll us stůnt an dem krútze. Du solt under dannen nit anders tůn, so du nit siech bist, denne daz ouch der covente tůt an singen und an lesen, daz du dinú zit denne mit sprechist, daz du dar nach deste lediger siest, noch kein ander langes gebet tůn, daz dich des singens möhte ierren.112
My child, you should be diligent in common observance of your order. Above all, you should endeavor to go to choir punctually and to stand there, well-behaved in seriousness and devotion, and not to run out all the time. You should nail yourself to your chair and endure it to the end, particularly the Mass, in contemplation of how Christ endured the cross to the end. Unless you are ill, you should do nothing other than what the convent does with regard to singing or reading. You should say your hours with [the rest of the convent] and be that much more free afterward. Do not do any other kind of long prayer that would draw you away from this singing.
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