Hildegard to the Abbot Philip
The Letters
Park
Hildegard to the Abbot Philip 1170–73 Hildegard exhorts the abbot1 to treat his subordinates with mercy, and informs him that she is sending to him a woman named Ida, so that he might anoint her with the "medicine of penitence."
O father, neglectful though you are, you fear God and love Him so that you sigh to Him in all your distress. Now, run to the fountain of living water [cf. Num
20.6; Jer 2.13] to wash yourself, and not only yourself but also others that you see weak and wounded. Never cease pouring the wine of penitence upon them and anointing them with the oil of mercy [cf. Luke 10.33—34].
In this way, you imitate the Living Fountain and Unbroken Wheel, Who receives sinners that run to Him for the aid of His mercy, and Who judges harshly the impious that gainsay Him. No mountain can match the circumference of this wheel, because its shadow towers over all things, nor can it be overshadowed by the depths, for it is exalted over all. God has life from nothing but Himself, and so He has neither beginning nor end. Therefore, whosoever runs to the aid of His grace will never fall from the bliss of eternal life, but the spark of salvation vitalizes him anew through the living God. For God does not wish the death of a sinner, but, rather, to have life through Him [cf. Ezech 18.23; 33.11].
Now, mild father, you who serve as Christ's representative, receive this woman Ida, who has not yet completely shown her hidden wounds, and diligently treat her, and all others running to you, with the medicine of penitence, so that you will live forever in the wheel of the true Trinity.
Note 1. Philip was a learned and diligent abbot, noted in his time for his emphasis on the copying of MSS. Thus it is perhaps not surprising that an important early MS of the Scivias was copied in the scriptorium at Park.