Hildegard to the Abbot Manegold
The Letters
Hildegard to the Abbot Manegold 1156–65 Hildegard advises Manegold to be more balanced in his governance, taking the good with the bad.
Oh, person, flee the storms and vices that incline to the vicissitudes of squalid morals, and do not regard the captain who steers his ship as a mere servant who is sometimes cherished and sometimes ignored. This is the way you look upon your garden: you rejoice when prosperity shines on it like the sun, and you grow angry when a cloud covers it over with excessive disturbance. But have patience in each instance, until God assists you.
Your worry was certainly understandable, for there was clearly too much heedless conviviality there, though I do not see this resulting in disastrous shipwreck. And I do not see your monastery being totally disrupted. But let the Fiery
Illuminator enkindle your heart.
Hildegard to the Abbot Manegold 1156–65 The details of this letter are quite enigmatic, though the imagery is familiar. Once again, Hildegard's point seems to be that Manegold should rule his community with more authority.
Loving father and beloved brother, the grace of God looks upon you with wideopen eyes. Yet your mind is caught up in a whirlwind, for you endure new losses over and again. Still, in the midst of this whirlwind, your mind shines like the dawn and sees a number of young men among your congregation, some of whom are black and filthy, but some a little purer. Nevertheless, in some sense, they are all like the whirlwind, and are of one mind. But, still, most of those in your congregation are bright as stars, and the others are like the dawn.
Therefore, sweet father, hold the iron rod in your hand vigorously [cf Ps 2.9], and, with God's help, surrounded by the heavenly host, rule them as best you can.
Then the grace of God will never desert you. Live forever.