Hildegard to the Abbess Hazzecha
The Letters
custom of your holy calling) have not yet been broken. Yet in the great foolishness of your character, you enjoy gossip and seek it out. This does you no good at all. For just as in deserted homes there are mice—big ones, small ones, blind ones—that gnaw up men's clothing, so also every holy custom is destroyed by such attitudes. The larger mice are disquieted minds of impiety, the small mice represent stupidity which, being nocturnal in nature, turns from the way of truth, and the blind mice stand for the vanity of this world which is blind to the light of justice. And so it is written in the Gospel: "Every kingdom divided against itself, shall be brought to desolation" [Luke 11.17]. Consider what great ardor of the Holy Spirit you are planted in, for He is not willing for you to fail in serving
Him. Regard first the Rule of St. Benedict and other great masters with diligent heart, so that you will not perish but will live forever.
As for you, all you superiors, take care not to be like foolish farmers who take great delight in seeing the plow moving properly by itself, but when it goes off the path, do not take the trouble to turn it back to the right way. And take care lest the mighty Father of the household say to you: You are useless to me because you are bad stewards [cf. Luke 16.Iff]. Rather, consider carefully the needs of your subordinates and their adversities. Then protect them with all proper concern.
Hildegard to the Abbess Hazzecha Before 1160(?) or l171–73(?) In her usual manner, Hildegard exhorts the abbess to remain in her present office. She also demurs from answering questions about persons that the abbess had apparently inquired about.
My dearest daughter, I do not see that it is profitable for you and those two close friends of yours to seek out a hermitage in the forest, or even the shrines of saints, since you have been sealed with the seal of Christ, by which you make your way to the heavenlyjerusalem [cf Heb 12.22].' For if you undertake greater toil than you can endure, you will fall, as I foretold, deceived by the devil.
Also, in the love of Christ I tell you that I do not usually speak about the end of life of individuals, nor of their works, nor of the things that lie in store for them, but, rather, although I am untaught, I speak and write only those things I am shown by the Holy Spirit in the vision of my spirit
In my prayers I will gladly commend to God's grace those you have commended to me. I will also willingly pray God to free you from all that does not avail you, and to protect you from all future troubles. I will also pray that you