R42: Hildegard von Rupertsberg an Bf. I. von Jerusalem
The Living Light Speaks
Hildegard introduces her vision as the living light speaks, describing a root that flourishes at dawn and establishes two contrasting paths.
Hildegard's reply. The living light speaks in its own wonders. The first root appeared at the dawn of day. and it flourished in every branch! and it established two paths. The other path was full of buildings. where eagles and other birds dwelt. The other, however, was full of great choices.
Giants, Eagles, and the Sun's Battle
On one path giants rise against eagles and birds, but cannot prevail, until the sun advances with golden shields to fight them, recalling the fall of the first angel.
where giants ran. who stood against those eagles. and the rest of the birds fought — but they couldn't overcome them. Then the sun advanced, and with his arm outstretched he held golden shields. and fought against those giants. For the fall of the first angel had fallen from life.
Adam's Fall and the Unchanging Sun of Mercy
After Adam's fall deprived the world of paradise's light, the sun shone forth again in topaz and sapphire—mercy and love—through the incarnation of the Word, with no shadow of change.
And afterward Adam's fall lacked the light of paradise. And this same Adam, under the devil's temptation, walked with all his own sons. But the sun shone forth in topaz and sapphire. That is, in mercy and love. She brought forth the Word of God made flesh. And the sun shone equally, just as it had shone in the beginning. And so it remained. So that no shadow of change fell upon it at all.
The Priesthood According to Melchizedek
The unchanging divine light is contrasted with the fall of the first angel and Adam under temptation, then the scripture is cited: 'You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek,' with mercy in the topaz and love in the sapphire.
just as in the first angel. in Adam. and had been made in the devil's temptation. And so it has been said.✦ You are a priest forever,✦ according to the order of Melchizedek.✦ For in the topaz, mercy and in the sapphire, love is to be understood.
Exhortation to the Bishop
The bishop is urged to clothe himself in mercy and love as priestly garments, to let his soul flow like water from the rock to give drink to unbelieving hearts, and is acknowledged as troubled yet stretching toward God, where a dove will wash over him.
The priest clothes himself in these virtues, as it were, as a priestly garment, for the sake of humanity. Now you, O father, who take the place of this priest— may your soul flow like the water that poured from the rock at Moses' rod. so that your words may give the drink of salvation to unbelieving hearts! And may the light that shines in your soul grow into a wealth of virtues. But I see you troubled in your soul, anxious on the road! Yet it stretches toward God. But when your mind has been caught up in a whirlwind because of the shifting weight of your labors and those of others, a dove will wash over you.
Confidence in God's Mercy
The bishop will be made a simple tower before God amid his inner and outer struggles, for God will lighten his burden in time; therefore he should place confidence in God and never despair of His mercy, living in grace.
And he will make you a simple tower in the sight of God. The struggle, indeed, which you suffer within and without — in both the inner and the outer person. God, in his own time, will lighten the burden around you in this way, so that you can bear it. Therefore place your confidence in him, and never despair of his mercy. And do this! In the grace of God you will live unto life.
Read the original Latin
Responsum hildegardis. Uiuens lux hęc in miraculis suis dicit. Prima radix in die apparuit. et in omnibus ramis floruit! atque duas uias constituit. Altera uia plena edificiorum erat. in quibus aquilę et alia uolatilia habitabant. altera autem magnę optionis plena fuit.
in qua gigantes cucurrerunt. qui contra aquilas istas. et cetera uolatilia pugnabant! sed eis preualere non poterant. Tunc sol processit. et in extento brachio suo aureos clippeos habuit. et contra gigantes illos pugnauit. Nam casus primi angeli a uita ceciderat.
et postea casus ade luce paradisi carebat! et idem adam in suggestione diaboli cum omnibus filijs suis ambulauit. Sed sol in topazio et saphiro emicuit. quod est in misericordia et caritate. quę uerbum dei incarnatum protulit. Sol autem equaliter fulsit sicut in inicio processerat! et ita permansit. ut omnino nulla umbra uicissitudinis super illum cecidit.
ueluti in primo angelo. in adam. et in suggestione diaboli factum fuerat. Et ideo dictum est. Tu es sacerdos in eternum. secundum ordinem melchisedech. Nam in topazio misericordia. et in saphiro caritas intelligenda est.
quas uirtutes sacerdos iste uelut uestimentum sacerdotale propter hominem induit. Nunc tu o pater qui es in uice sacerdotis huius. anima tua fluat sicut aqua quę de petra in uirga moysi effluxit. ita quod uerba tua incredulis cordibus potum saluationis dent! atque dies quę in anima tua lucet crescat in multitudine uirtutum. Video autem te in anima tua sollicitum in uia! quę ad deum tendit. Sed cum mens tua in turbinem ierit propter uicissitudinem laborum tuorum et aliorum columba te perfundet.
et simplicem turrim ante conspectum dei te faciet. Pugnam uero quam intus et exterius in utroque scilicet homine pateris. deus temporibus tuis circa te hoc modo alleuiabit ut eam sustinere possis! unde fiduciam tuam in ipsum pone nec de misericordia eius despera. Et hoc faciens! in gratia dei ad uitam uiues.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ps.110.4 — The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
- ↩Ps.110.4 — The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
- ↩Ps.110.4 — The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
Epistolae: Letters to Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England companion
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