R179: Lucardis von Bamberg an Hildegard von Rupertsberg
Salutation and Humble Greeting
Lucardis, abbess of Bamberg, greets Hildegard with reverence, acknowledging her own unworthiness while commending her prayers and spiritual motherhood.
Lucardis, abbess in Bamberg. To Hildegard. To the lady and mother, so beloved. Revered for her religious life and dignity. Lucardis, though unworthy, called abbess in Bamberg, together with all those entrusted to her by God. Whatever effect the prayers of the humble have.
Rejoicing in God's Grace to Hildegard
Lucardis celebrates Hildegard's prophetic calling, rooted in God's foreknowledge, and gives thanks that her teaching illuminates many, ending with a humble petition for continued grace.
We rejoice together in your blessedness in Christ, as much as we're able in our own measure! because the Lord, who foreknew you and chose you for himself.✦ In our own times he has illuminated and filled you with the spirit of prophecy. In this, then, Christ has especially gladdened us. because he not only foresaw and predestined you from among the female sex for this purpose.✦1 but through his grace he has also illuminated many by your teaching.2 For this reason we offer the greatest thanks to him on your behalf. and with humble supplication we earnestly ask —
Petition for Fellowship and Closing Blessing
Lucardis asks God to complete His work in Hildegard, requests to be received into her sisterhood, and seeks her prayers, letter-admonitions, and abiding love.
May God mercifully bring to completion what he has begun in you! and lead you to what is eternal. Therefore we earnestly ask that you be graciously pleased to receive us into the fellowship of your sisterhood. and that you strive to commend us to your holy community. and strengthen us by the admonitions of your letters. May your love flourish.
Read the original Latin
Lucardis abbatissa in babenberch. hildegardi. Hildigardi dominę et matri amabili. religione ac dignitate uenerabili. Lucardis. licet indigna abbatissa in babenberch dicta. una cum omnibus sibi commissis a deo. quicquid ualent humilium uota.
Beatitudini uestrę in christo congaudemus quantum pro modulo nostro ualemus! quod dominus qui uos presciuit et sibi preelegit. nostris temporibus spiritu prophetię illustrauit ac repleuit. Nos ergo in hoc christus precipue letificauit. quod non solum adhoc uos ex femineo sexu preuidit et predestinauit. uerum multos gratia sua per doctrinam illuminauit. Quapropter grates permaximas ipsi pro uobis referimus. et humili supplicatione deposcimus!
ut quę in uobis cepit clementer perficiat! donec ad eterna perducat. Petimus igitur obnixe ut nos in consortium fraternitatis uestrę dignemini recipere. et nos sancto conuentui uestro studeatis commendare. et commonitorijs litteris uestris nos cfirmare. Valeat dilectio uestra.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Rom.8.29-Rom.8.30 — For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Rom.8.30 — And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
- ↩Rom.8.29-Rom.8.30 — For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Rom.8.30 — And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
Notes
- 1 ↩adhoc is ambiguous between ad hoc ('for this purpose') and adhuc ('still / besides'). The reading 'for this purpose' fits the forward-looking argument better, but the alternative 'not only still' cannot be ruled out.
- 2 ↩uerum carries an adversative force ('but / but also') that contrasts the singular calling of Hildegard with the wider fruit of her ministry.
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