R33: Adalbert III. von Chiny an Hildegard von Rupertsberg
Salutation and Humble Counsel
Adalbert greets Hildegard with blessing and urges her to receive God's grace with humility, recalling Balaam's prophecy.
The bishop of Verdun to Hildegard. Adalbert, by the grace of God, minister and bishop of the church of Verdun, though unworthy. To Hildegard, his own dearest mother on the mount of Saint Robert, to be delighted by the visions of God, both present and eternal. Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his holy place!✦ Which has dedicated you to itself as its servant from your tenderest years. I, however, am like someone blind who wishes to show the way to one who sees. To your charity I suggest that you recognize this grace with humility. Pay attention to the prophecy of that ancient Balaam!
Humility in Vision and Revelation
Adalbert reflects on how even Balaam's fall opened his eyes, linking humility with vision and warning against pride in revelations.
He, though he directed his own latest actions contrary to the people of God. It is nevertheless noteworthy in her vision, when she said: The one who falls —✦ — and so that person's eyes are opened!✦ Surely signifying humility in the vision. The Teacher of the nations also said:✦ Lest the greatness of revelations puff me up!✦ And so on.
Affection, Absence, and Request for Prayer
Adalbert explains that he writes from love rather than presumption, notes his inability to visit, and asks for Hildegard's prayers and those of her community.
So these words are spoken to you more from the confidence of my attachment to you than from any presumption of teaching. than from any presumption of teaching. Now you should know that I'm not able to come to you in person right now. even though I'm near you. Still, in my troubles I look to you as a faithful patron in your prayers. And I ask to be helped by the support of the sisters of your community, the servants of God. It's been a long time that I haven't deserved to have a letter from you. I pray that I might at least now be found worthy of that.
Read the original Latin
Episcopus uirdunenssis hildegardi. Adelbertus dei gratia uirdunensis ęcclesię minister et episcopus quamuis indignus. hildegardi matri suę carissimę de monte sancti roberti uisionibus dei delectari presentibus et eternis. Benedicta gloria domini de loco sancto suo! quę te sibi a teneris annis tuis mancipauit famulam. Ego autem tanquam si cecus iter uidenti monstrare uelit. caritati tuę suggero ut gratiam istam cum humilitate cognoscas. adtendendo prophetiam illius antiqui balaam!
qui licet nouissima sua in contrarium populo dei direxerit. memorabile tamen est in uisione sua cum dixit. Qui cadit. et sic aperiuntur oculi eius! humilitatem profecto in uisione significans. Doctor quoque gentium dixit. ne magnitudo reuelationum extollat me! et cetera.
Hęc itaque magis fiducia mei affectus ad uos dicta sint! quam presumptione doctrinę. Porro noueritis quod ad uos in presenti uenire non possum. licet prope uos sim. tamen in aduersitatibus meis uos fidam patronam in orationibus uestris expeto! et sororum uestri collegij ancillarum dei suffragijs adiuuari postulo. Diu est quod scriptum uestrum habere non merui! quod nunc saltem merear oro.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Exod.15.11;Ps.28.2 — Who is like you among the gods, O LORD? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, doing wonders? Ps.28.2 — Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry out to you, when I lift up your hands toward your holy sanctuary.
- ↩Prov.16.18;Luke.14.11 — Before destruction comes pride, and before a fall, a haughty spirit. Luke.14.11 — For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
- ↩Luke.24.31;Gen.3.7 — And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. Gen.3.7 — Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
- ↩1Tim.2.7 — For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
- ↩2Cor.12.7 — And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, so that I would not be exalted beyond measure, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, so that I would not be exalted beyond measure.
Epistolae: Letters to Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England companion
Read one voice like Hildegard's every morning
Chosen Portion delivers daily excerpts from Hildegard and 77 other historic devotional writers, free on iOS.
Hildegard directed souls through short written portions sent one at a time, and Chosen Portion continues that letter-a-day rhythm as daily devotionals.
- Daily 2-minute readings including Hildegard's letters and visions
- 78 complete historic works, translated into modern readable English
- A weekly email tracing one writer's story in depth