Today is also the feast day of another doctor of the church,a woman,
Saint Hildegard of Bingen. https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/hildegard-bingen-no-ordinary-saint
Hildegard often concluded her letters of advice with the words
‘Stay green and moist’, which for her meant openness to the Spirit of God. ( Mary T Malone)
Soline, having finally got the chance to see “Philomena” during the lockdown –the family had already seen it a few times — the name Hildegard now conjures up for me only the most negative of connotations, sadly. Talk about man’s –and woman’s — inhumanity to man !!
It was, perhaps, the most upsetting piece of television I had watched during lockdown.
Regrettably the Vatican chooses to completely ignore Saint Hildegard on her feast day. She is a saint and a doctor of the church…but a woman…so obviously no match for Robert Bellarmine! Particularly regrettable because her approach to creation is sorely needed in our times https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints.html
Creation from Hildegard of Bingen.
You, O endlessly creating and creative God,
have given the lovely green land into our keeping,
but You never gave us power over it.
‘Don’t think’, You said, ‘that you can do with it what you wish.’
We sow the seed, but without your grace,
that living mysterious sap of life,
the seed will not bear fruit.
For it is You who sprinkle the dew,
You who pour down the rain,
You who moisten the earth,
now with tears of joy, now with gladness, now with sorrow.
You produce the warmth of the sun.
You are the light which acts like a magnet,
to draw all living things towards You.
God of wisdom,You have given me the power
to pour words into a person’s ear;
but it is You, not I, that changes a person’s heart.
So it is with the land.
God of the Land and the People,
send down on us
the dew of grace and fruitfulness,
the rain of tears and longing and reaching upwards,
the moisture of softening and cajoling,
the richness of maturing and persevering,
the warmth of the spirit of energy and love.
Be the running sap of our lives.
Clothe us in viridity, in greenness.
Tend the budding branches,
garland us with the blossoms of beauty.
Bind us together with the vines of compassion.
Make us into waving fronds
so that we may dance before you in joy.
With You among us, we are holy people.
Within your embrace, the land is holy.
Afloat in your love,
all created things live your praise.
We hear, we see, we are in awe
and we give thanks.
Hildegard of Bingen
(Translation – Mary T Malone, Praying With the Women Mystics p103)
Today is also the feast day of another doctor of the church,a woman,
Saint Hildegard of Bingen.
https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/hildegard-bingen-no-ordinary-saint
Hildegard often concluded her letters of advice with the words
‘Stay green and moist’, which for her meant openness to the Spirit of God. ( Mary T Malone)
Soline, having finally got the chance to see “Philomena” during the lockdown –the family had already seen it a few times — the name Hildegard now conjures up for me only the most negative of connotations, sadly. Talk about man’s –and woman’s — inhumanity to man !!
It was, perhaps, the most upsetting piece of television I had watched during lockdown.
I thought everyone knew that the film smears Sr Hildegard McNulty in a nasty way: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/nuns-say-critical-scene-in-philomena-was-made-up-1.1606043
Dear Writer, May God’s peace descend upon you for writing such beautiful reflections daily. Continue In Xt Rosairo
Regrettably the Vatican chooses to completely ignore Saint Hildegard on her feast day. She is a saint and a doctor of the church…but a woman…so obviously no match for Robert Bellarmine! Particularly regrettable because her approach to creation is sorely needed in our times
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints.html
Creation from Hildegard of Bingen.
You, O endlessly creating and creative God,
have given the lovely green land into our keeping,
but You never gave us power over it.
‘Don’t think’, You said, ‘that you can do with it what you wish.’
We sow the seed, but without your grace,
that living mysterious sap of life,
the seed will not bear fruit.
For it is You who sprinkle the dew,
You who pour down the rain,
You who moisten the earth,
now with tears of joy, now with gladness, now with sorrow.
You produce the warmth of the sun.
You are the light which acts like a magnet,
to draw all living things towards You.
God of wisdom,You have given me the power
to pour words into a person’s ear;
but it is You, not I, that changes a person’s heart.
So it is with the land.
God of the Land and the People,
send down on us
the dew of grace and fruitfulness,
the rain of tears and longing and reaching upwards,
the moisture of softening and cajoling,
the richness of maturing and persevering,
the warmth of the spirit of energy and love.
Be the running sap of our lives.
Clothe us in viridity, in greenness.
Tend the budding branches,
garland us with the blossoms of beauty.
Bind us together with the vines of compassion.
Make us into waving fronds
so that we may dance before you in joy.
With You among us, we are holy people.
Within your embrace, the land is holy.
Afloat in your love,
all created things live your praise.
We hear, we see, we are in awe
and we give thanks.
Hildegard of Bingen
(Translation – Mary T Malone, Praying With the Women Mystics p103)
Soline, wonderful inspiring intervention once again. Thanks