An Abbot to Hildegard
The Letters
Rothenkircben(?}
An Abbot to Hildegard Before 1173 The abbot praises Hildegard highly, citing examples of holy women from the Bible, whom she exceeds because of the holy virtue of chastity.
An administrator vowed to poverty sends greetings to his lady and mother, Hildegard of St. Rupert in Bingen, with his abiding love and prayers.
As a multitude of the faithful proclaim, it is no wonder that you have sought and found God [cf. Matt 7.7; Luke 11.9], for He shows Himself to you because your faith in Him is unfeigned [cf. I Tim 1.5; II Tim 1.5]. And, more importantly, by His favor and grace, you consecrated your childhood to Him, and, from that time forward, have lived in saintliness and justice as a vessel of election [cf. Acts
9.15] before Him. It is beyond all doubt that He Who appointed you to such a life deems you worthy to be heard for whatsoever you ask in His name [cf. John
14.13; 15.16; 16.23], and this can be seen especially in the fact that He makes His secret mysteries known through you.
Further, I believe that the gifts bestowed upon you—which I have myself witnessed in some measure—are assuredly divine and holy, and I can have no doubts at all concerning them, since I know that nothing is impossible with God
[cf. Matt 19.26; Luke 1.37]. For just as God used male prophets, so too did He employ holy women to open up the secrets of His divinity, as Joel witnesses: "I will," He said, "pour out my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy....Moreover upon my servants and handmaids I will pour forth my spirit" [Joel 2.28–29], Indeed, we read that Deborah [cf. Judges 4.4—
5.32], Holda [cf. II Kings 22.14–20], Hannah, the mother of Samuel [cf. I Sam 2.1-10], Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Baptist [cf. Luke 1.41–45], and other women devoted to God, had the spirit of prophecy—and this despite the fact that they were married women. How much more so you, who have had no part in the weakness of the flesh, and have from your earliest years preserved your chastity for God!
Dear lady, I render boundless thanks to almighty Mercy that I have merited to achieve a modest acquaintance with your blessedness. Therefore, I humbly beseech you of your maternal goodness to direct some written words of consolation to me. As you have frequently done in person, please lift me up now with a written response so that my memory of you may be strengthened, for I am floundering amid great storms.