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Chapter 186HildE.1.186

R186: Hildegard von Rupertsberg an Elisabeth von Schönau

Humble Vessel, Living Light

Hildegard confesses her own poverty and clay-like humility, yet speaks of the serene divine light and God’s work in the human vessel, which far surpasses human effort.

Hildegard's reply. I'm a poor, humble creature — a vessel of clay.✦ This doesn't come from me. But I speak of the serene light. A human being is a vessel that God built for himself.✦ And he filled that vessel with his own inspiration. So that he might bring his works to completion in that person! For God doesn't work as a human being works.✦

Creation’s Service and Humanity’s Fall

The ordered service of creation to humankind is contrasted with humanity’s rejection of God and the resulting deception and disobedience introduced by the ancient enemy.

But by the command of his precept, all things are made complete. Grass. The wood and the trees appeared. The sun, and also the moon and the stars, proceeded in their own service. And the waters brought forth fish and flying creatures. The flocks and even the beasts rose up. All these serve humankind, just as God appointed them. But humankind alone! God did not know him. For when God was giving great knowledge to man, man raised himself up in his own mind, and turned himself away from God. For God had looked upon him in such a way that he would bring all his works to completion in him. But the ancient deceiver deceived him. And with the sin of disobedience he infected him with the delight of an unfitting wind.

Lament and the Mystery of Abel and Cain

A lament over human transgression leads to the disruption of the elements and then to God’s merciful watering of certain people, illustrated by the contrast between good Abel and murderous Cain.

while he was complaining more than he should. Ah, oh, woe! Then all the elements folded themselves into an alternation of light and darkness! just as the human being did in the transgression of God's commandments. But God has flooded certain people with water! so that the human being would not be completely mocked. Abel was good! Cain, however, was a murderer.

Hidden Mysteries and the Sun of Justice

Some have perceived God’s hidden mysteries, yet many sinned until the word of God shone forth; now the sun of justice advances, illuminating people with good works as the day moves from dawn to night.

And many have seen the hidden mysteries of God in the light. But others committed very many sins, until the time came when the word of God shone forth, as it was said. Beautiful in form before the sons of men.✦ Then the sun of justice advanced. And he illuminated people together with good works, in faith and in deed! Just as the dawn first proceeds. And the remaining hours of the day follow. Until night approaches.

A Weary World in Need of God’s Water

Hildegard tells Elisabeth that the world is changing and grown weary in the greenness of its virtues, especially in its key hours, so that God must water some people lest his instruments lie idle.

And so, O daughter Elisabeth, the world is being changed. The world is now weary in every greenness of virtues! Namely, in the dawn, in the first, in the third, and in the very strongest sixth hour of the day. And therefore in this time it is necessary that God water some people! So that his instruments may not be idle.

The Serpent’s Weariness and Burning Mind

The troubled daughter is addressed as one touched by God’s inspiration, yet harassed by the ancient serpent when it sees a noble soul, wearying it with burning thoughts and a desire to fly above the clouds.

Listen, troubled daughter! because those people whom God's inspiration has thus imbued the ambitious suggestions of the ancient serpent do weary them somewhat. For when the same serpent has seen an elegant gem,1 soon it roars, saying: What is this? And it wearies her with many miseries of a burning mind. desiring to fly above the clouds as if they were gods.

Earthen Vessels and Heavenly Humility

Those who would do God’s works are urged to remember they are earthen vessels, to consider what they are and are to become, and to leave heavenly matters to the God who is heavenly.

just as he himself also does. Now hear again. Those who want to do the works of God should always pay attention.2 that they are earthen vessels.✦3 because they are merely human!4 and let them always consider what they are5 and what they are to become!6 and let them leave heavenly matters to him who is heavenly.7

Trumpet, Lamb, and Simple Childlikeness

Exiled humans can only echo God’s mysteries like a trumpet; therefore the gentle should put on faith’s breastplate, be poor and meek like the Lamb, and become themselves the sound of that trumpet with childlike manners.

since they themselves are exiles who don't know heavenly things. but only singing the mysteries of God like a trumpet that gives sound and nothing more!8 but into which another breathes so that it may produce sound. And let the gentle put on the breastplate of faith.✦9 gentle. being poor and wretched. just as that lamb also was.✦10 whose sound they themselves are to the trumpet.11

God’s Scourging and Hildegard’s Weariness

Because God scourges those who trumpet his song, he yet preserves their earthen vessel; Hildegard prays that Elisabeth become a mirror of life, while she herself is wearied and sometimes sounds only faintly from the living light.

They also have the manners of a simple child. For God always scourges those who sing from the trumpet itself. Foreseeing this, he does not want their earthen vessel to perish. But this is so that it might please him. O daughter! May God make you a mirror of life. And I, who lie in the weakness of my mind, am very greatly wearied in the anxiety of fear. At times I sound a little, like a faint trumpet-note from the living light.

Prayer for Steadfast Service

Hildegard asks God to help her remain steadfast in his service.

May God help me stay steadfast in his service.

Read the original Latin

Responsum hildegardi. Ego paupercula et fictile uas. hęc non a me. sed de serena luce dico. Homo uas est quod deus sibimetipsi edificauit. et quod sua inspiratione imbuit. ut opera sua in illo perficeret! quia deus non operatur ut homo.

sed in iussione precepti eius omnia perfecta sunt. Herbę. ligna et arbores apparuerunt. sol quoque luna et stellę in sua ministratione processerunt. et aquę pisces et uolatilia produxerunt. peccora etiam et bestię surrexerunt! quę omnia ministrant homini sicut deus ea posuit. Solus autem homo!

illum non cognouit. Nam cum deus magnam scientiam homini daret. homo in animo suo se erexit! et se a deo auertit. Deus enim illum sic inspexerat. quod cuncta opera sua in illo perficeret! sed antiquus deceptor illum fefellit. et crimine inobedientię illum infecit cum delectatione incongrui uenti.

dum plus quereret quam deberet. Ach o ue. Tunc omnia elementa implicuerunt se in uicissitudinem luminis et tenebrarum! sicut et homo fecit in transgressione preceptorum dei. Deus autem quosdam homines irrigauit! ne homo ex toto derideretur. Abel bonus erat! cain autem homicida.

Et multi mistica dei in luce uiderunt. sed alij plurima peccata fecerunt usque dum uenit tempus illud in quo uerbum dei claruit ut dictum est. speciosus forma pre filijs hominum. Tunc sol iusticię processit. et homines cum bonis operibus illuminauit in fide et in opere! sicut aurora primum procedit. et ceterę horę diei subsequuntur. usque dum nox accedat.

Sic o filia elisabeth mundus mutatur. Iam enim mundus lassus est in omni uiredine uirtutum! scilicet in aurora. in prima. in tercia. et in fortissima sexta hora diei. Et ideo in hoc tempore necesse est quod deus aliquos homines irriget! ne instrumenta ipsius ociosa sint.

Audi o sollicitata filia! quia homines istos quos inspiratio dei ita imbuit. aliquantulum fatigat ambitiosa suggestio antiqui serpentis. Cum enim idem serpens elegantem gemmam uiderit. mox rugit dicens. Quid est hoc? Et fatigat illam multis miserijs flagrantis mentis. supra nubes uolare cupientis quasi dij sint.

sicut et ipse facit. Nunc iterum audi. Qui opera dei perficere desiderant semper adtendant. quod fictilia uasa sunt. quoniam homines existunt! et semper aspiciant quid sint. et quid futuri sint! et celestia illi relinquant illi qui celestis est.

quoniam ipsi exules sunt celestia nescientes. sed tantum mistica dei canentes sicut tuba quę solummodo sonum dat nec operatur! sed in quam alius spirat ut sonum reddat. Sed et loricam fidei induant mites. mansueti. pauperes et miseri existentes. sicut etiam agnus ille fuit. cuius sonus tubę ipsi sunt.

mores etiam simplicis infantię habentes. quia deus illos semper flagellat qui in tuba ipsius canunt. preuidens ne fictile uas illorum pereat! sed ut sibi placeat. O filia! deus faciat te speculum uitę. Sed et ego quę iaceo in pusillanimitate mentis meę plurimum fatigor in sollicitudine timoris. interdum sonans aliquantulum uelut paruus sonus tubę a uiuente lumine.

unde deus iuuet me ut permaneam in suo ministerio.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩2Cor.4.7 — But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the surpassing power belongs to God and not from us.
  2. ↩Gen.2.7 — Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
  3. ↩Isa.55.8-Isa.55.9 — For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways, declares the LORD. Isa.55.9 — For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
  4. ↩Ps.45.3 — You are more beautiful than the sons of men; grace is poured out upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.
  5. ↩2Cor.4.7 — But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the surpassing power belongs to God and not from us.
  6. ↩Eph.6.14 — Stand firm, then, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.
  7. ↩John.1.29 — The next day he sees Jesus coming toward him and says, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Notes

  1. 1 ↩cum rendered as temporal 'when' rather than causal or concessive, following context; uiderit as perfect subjunctive is consistent with this reading.
  2. 2 ↩adtendant is subjunctive, rendered as a mild imperative ('should pay attention') to convey jussive force in natural English
  3. 3 ↩Possible allusion to 2 Cor 4:7 ('we have this treasure in earthen vessels') or Jer 18:6 (potter and clay). Awaiting Moses resolution.
  4. 4 ↩homines existunt rendered as 'they are merely human' to capture the exclamatory force and the contrast with divine/heavenly things that follows
  5. 5 ↩aspiciant is subjunctive jussive, rendered with 'let them' to preserve the hortatory tone
  6. 6 ↩futuri sint rendered as 'what they are to come' / 'what they are to become' — the substantive futuri with sint expresses future state or destiny
  7. 7 ↩Double illi construction: the first illi is dative object of relinquant ('to him'), the second illi is dative of reference with the relative clause ('to him who is'). Both refer to God or Christ as the heavenly one.
  8. 8 ↩mistica (mystica) rendered as 'mysteries' in the sense of sacred/mystical things of God; could also carry the weight of 'mystical truths.'
  9. 9 ↩loricam fidei (breastplate of faith) echoes Ephesians 6:14; see candidate scripture allusions.
  10. 10 ↩agnus ille (that lamb) likely refers to Christ as the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei); see candidate scripture allusions.
  11. 11 ↩cuius sonus tubae ipsi sunt — syntactically compressed. Rendered as 'whose sound they themselves are to the trumpet,' meaning they themselves become the sound that the trumpet gives. The sense is that the faithful become the living sound of the divine trumpet — their very being resounds with what the trumpet proclaims.

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