Hildegard to the Abbot Manegold
The Letters of Hildegard of Bingen
Hildegard to the Abbot Manegold 1156-65 Hildegard seeks to comfort the abbot in his troubles, stressing to him that trouble and care are a necessary part of life.
Father, you supposed that there would be peace without anxiety in your days.
Never will it happen! Such a thing is surely not possible in this age. The days that have been granted to you, however, are bright, for the night of incredulity, weariness, and horror is not overclouding your day. Bear in mind, therefore, that God chose David, and that David's kingdom did not perish with him, and that David did not lose his soul. For all that, however, he still endured great grief and toil. Still, God did not call David's days "dark." Bear in mind also that Elijah cried out, lamenting that almost no human being sees God in the dawn of faith. But remember too how God answered him [I Kings 19.9ff].' So it is in your case. For in your monastery there are many souls that shine like the bright dawn, because
God loves them very much. This is the case in your own spirit. Adam was expelled from paradise [cf Gen 3.24], and, thereafter, none of his children ever saw paradise again with physical eyes. But holy and blessed spirits make a paradise for themselves with the flowers of virtue, and they sigh for the things of heaven.
And in the army of your people such heavenly things are a hundred, a thousand times more numerous than among others who are more changeable. But God said to the people of Israel that he would give them a land flowing with milk and honey [cf. Ex 3.8]. Nevertheless, the thunder and lightning of God's wrath still fell upon them.
Now, do not be incredulous about such things, for no one can have peace without anxiety in this present life, but only in life everlasting. But you are rather headstrong and dark in disposition. Still, there are some beautiful maidens knocking at the door of your mind, but you are not quick to answer them. Rather, you say, "I am so overburdened by trouble and worry that I cannot stay with you."
The beautiful virtues then say to you, "We had no such trouble in forming you, and we have never failed to meet your needs. And so why do you answer us like this?"
Now gird yourself with holy Love, and she will, in purest humility, kiss your heart.
Note 1. The Lord's answer was that there were 7,000 left to Him whose knees had not bowed to Baal.