R154: Hildegard von Rupertsberg an Äbtissin G. von N.
Warning Against Instability
Hildegard warns the abbess to guard her mind from instability that obscures divine light and to avoid vain inquiries that lead to ruin.
Hildegard's reply. See to it that your mind is not surrounded by instability—that instability in which a cloud of sapphire color cannot appear to you. And that cloud often covers the light of the sun. Have great zeal as well, so that you stand firm in stability. And do not investigate any vain and foolish inquiry. Since those who do this— —deceived as they are by the love of Christ, they fall! Just as the sapphire-colored cloud is itself covered over by the encircling mind of instability.
Seek Christ Alone
Hildegard exhorts the abbess to cling to Christ, draw life from sacred Scripture, and flee the vanity of all salvation apart from God.
Attend to the embrace of Christ. And seek every good thing from him. And make your works known to him. And he himself will give you blessedness. Because apart from him the salvation of man is vanity. Grace and salvation come not through man but through God. The holy Scriptures, flowing from the divine fountain, offer their breasts to be sucked by men. Learn, then, so that you may flee this vanity.
Flee Vanity and Live Forever
Hildegard concludes by teaching that whatever hides the sun separates a person from Christ, and calls her to the promise of eternal life and crowning by Christ.
It hides the light of the sun — that is, it separates a person from Christ. then you will live forever. And you will be crowned by Christ.
Read the original Latin
Responsvm hildegardis. Prouide ne tibi sit circuiens mens instabilitatis in qua nubes saphirinei coloris apparere non potest! et quę etiam lucem solis frequenter obtegit. Magnum etiam studium habe ut in stabilitate stes. nec unamquamque uanam et stultam inquisitionem scruteris. quoniam qui hoc faciunt. a caritate christi decepti cadunt! sicut etiam saphirinea nubes per circuientem mentem instabilitatis obtegitur.
Amplexionem christi adtende. et omnia bona ab eo quere. et illi opera tua manifesta. et ipse tibi beatitudinem dabit. quia absque eo uana est salus hominis. quia gratia et salus non per hominem sed per deum habetur. ubi et sanctę scripturę quę de diuino fonte fluunt mammas ad sugendas hominibus prebent. Disce ergo ut hanc uanitatem fugias.
quę lucem solis obtegit. scilicet quę hominem a christo separat. tunc in eternum uiues. et a christo coronaberis.
Epistolae: Letters to Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England companion
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