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September 17: Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of di Church—Memorial wey No Be Must
1098–1179
Patron Saint for people wey dey study language and people wey dey use Esperanto
Pope Benedict XVI declare am Saint for 2012 (equipollent canonization)
Pope Benedict XVI declare am Doctor of di Church for 2012
Liturgical Colour: White
Version: Full – Short
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Quote:
And see, He wey sit for throne on top dat mountain shout with strong, loud voice, say, “O human being, you wey be weak dust of di earth and ash of ashes! Shout and talk about where pure salvation come from, until those people learn—those wey, even though dem see di deepest meaning of di Scriptures, no want tell people or preach am, because dem no get zeal and dem dey slow to serve God’s justice. Open for dem di enclosure of mysteries wey dem, because of their fear, hide inside one hidden field wey no dey bear fruit. Burst out like spring wey water dey flow from plenty, and overflow with mystical knowledge, until di flood of your water stir up those wey now dey look you down because of Eve’s sin. Because no be from human beings you receive your deep understanding, but from di exalted and mighty Judge wey dey on high, where dis calmness go shine strong with glorious light among those wey dey shine.” ~Vision of Saint Hildegard
Reflection: Feudalism na system wey people relationship depend on who own land and who dey give service or labour in exchange for land. Na dis system mainly shape how society and economy work for Europe between di ninth and fifteenth centuries. Inside di feudal system, di king or queen, princes, dukes, counts, and their close family members—wey dem know as di higher nobles—na dem be di main landowners and rulers. Below dem na di lower nobles, wey often dey manage smaller land and serve di higher nobles as knights, barons, and lords of lower rank. According to their rank, these nobles rule areas wey dem call kingdoms, principalities, and duchies. Na inside dis complex feudal system, with all im levels of rank and di way government authority and Church authority join together, dem born di saint wey we dey remember today.
Dem born Saint Hildegard of Bingen to parents wey be lower nobles for di village of Bermersheim vor der Höhe, inside di Duchy of Franconia, for di place wey be Germany today. Her papa dey serve Count Stephan II of Sponheim, one powerful member of di higher nobles. Hildegard na di tenth pikin for her family. When she dey eight years old, her parents offer am to di Church as tithe, as na di custom for dat time. Dem give am to di Benedictine monastery for Disibodenberg, about twenty-five miles from her hometown, and Jutta von Sponheim, di daughter of Count Stephan II, take care of am.
Jutta senior Hildegard by only six years. When Jutta dey fourteen, she become hermit wey dey live beside di Benedictine monastery for men for Disibodenberg, and later she become di magistra, or abbess, of di women’s branch. Even though Hildegard dey often sick as pikin, Jutta teach am to read Latin well enough to pray di Psalms and Divine Office. Jutta still teach am basic catechism and help shape Hildegard’s life of faith, devotion, and self-denial. Hildegard still learn to play di psaltery, one early kind of harp. As Jutta too come from noble family, she dey for special position to understand Hildegard and help am personally. Together, dem inspire other girls from noble families to join dem. For 1112, after about seven years with di Benedictines, Hildegard take di Benedictine veil under Bishop Otto of Bamberg when she dey fifteen years old.
For 1136, Abbess Jutta die, and dem elect Hildegard, wey dey thirty-eight years old, as abbess. For di next fourteen years, di community continue to grow under Abbess Hildegard’s leadership. By 1150, she don move her community go Rupertsberg, near Bingen, and later she establish second monastery for Eibingen for 1165.
Even though Hildegard enter religious life, she receive good education—although di education get limit. Despite dis, she develop wide knowledge for plenty different areas, and dis first show say she get sharp intelligence. But God also pour knowledge into her through wetin she call “di shadow of di living light.” Dis “living light” come to her as mystical visions and inspirations from when she still very young. She mostly keep these mystical experiences to herself until she dey her forties. During those earlier years, she take in dis mystical knowledge, think deeply about am, and allow am to grow and go deeper, so e shape di person wey she later become. More than any other person, na di Holy Spirit be her Teacher, and her knowledge na Truth wey God pour into her, wey flood her mind and give am supernatural understanding of Scripture, life, God, Heaven, hell, sin, Christ, and everything wey God don reveal. Her supernatural knowledge even give am deep understanding of di natural sciences.
For 1142, when Abbess Hildegard dey forty-four years old, she feel am strongly say God dey command her make she begin write her visions and share the knowledge wey God pour inside her. She go spend the rest of her life dey write down everything wey she understand through this living light wey enter her. The way her visions clear, the exact details wey dem get, and their depth prove say na only from the Holy Spirit dem fit come. Her first work, wey she finish for 1151, na written account of twenty-six visions with her explanation of dem, wey dem know as Scivias—“Know the Ways.” These visions and explanations touch on how God create the world, the nature of God, Heaven and hell, angels and demons, human beings, the Incarnation, explanations of Scripture, the fall, redemption, the Church, Sacraments, the end of time, and plenty other things. She use words wey clear, exact and deep take give summary of the whole history of salvation.
After Hildegard finish her first major work about her visions, she spend the next twenty-eight years dey write plenty works. She finish two more major works about her visions, where she discuss virtue and vice, the relationship between God and human beings, and the work wey God dey do for the world. She still write in detail about natural sciences, medicine, and women health, even though she no get formal education for these areas. She also write about the saints and the Rule of Saint Benedict. She write plenty letters to popes, emperors, abbots, abbesses, and other people. She still be artist and musician, wey compose beautiful hymns and arrange music for dem, with drawings inside the manuscripts. People still dey sing many of her compositions today, with their melodies wey dey rise high and their beautiful harmonies.
Even though Abbess Hildegard live inside the walls of her monastery, the Church for the whole world often dey ask her for advice. Dem often invite her to preach for public squares and cathedrals, something wey no common for women that time. Pope Eugene III examine and approve her writings, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, wey live for the same time as Hildegard, examine and praise dem too.
Pope Benedict XVI officially declare Saint Hildegard a saint and Doctor of the Church for 2012, even though people don already dey recognise her as saint from the time wey she die, without official declaration. Because of this recent honour, we suppose see Saint Hildegard writings as something wey especially concern the Church today. Her deep mystical wisdom, wey resemble revelations about the last things, dey help us understand many of the deepest mysteries of life.
As we dey honour this great saint wey dem recently declare Doctor of the Church, think deeply about the truth say all true wisdom and knowledge dey come only from God. Even the sharpest minds and the greatest progress for science no go ever reach the things wey God reveal. Seek that wisdom, open yourself more fully to the truths of God, and pray make that “living light” of God teach you everything wey you need to know, so you go fit serve His perfect plan for your life better.
Prayer: Saint Hildegard of Bingen, for your humility and simple way of life, God raise you up and give you special gift of supernatural knowledge about the deepest mysteries of Heaven and earth. Abeg pray for me, make I always dey open to the truths wey God dey reveal to me, and make I use that knowledge as the foundation of all the choices wey I dey make for life. Saint Hildegard of Bingen, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Dem take dis reflection from:
Saint Dem and Feast Dem for di Liturgical Year
Volume One–Four
Read More:
Butler: Di Life Story of di Saint dem
Informeshon About Saint dem for Katolik Church
All di Saint Dem for di Liturgical Year
(Short Version)
September 17: Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of di Church—Memorial wey No Be Must
1098–1179
Patron Saint of people wey dey study languages and old writings and people wey dey use Esperanto
Pope Benedict XVI declare her a saint for 2012 (equipollent canonization)
Pope Benedict XVI declare her a Doctor of the Church for 2012
Saint Hildegard of Bingen parents belong to the lower rank of noble families. Dem born her for Bermersheim vor der Höhe, for Franconia, wey dey inside present-day Germany. Her papa serve Count Stephan II of Sponheim. Hildegard na the tenth child for her family, and her parents offer her to the Church as tithe when she dey eight years old, as the custom be that time. Dem hand her over to the Benedictine monastery for Disibodenberg, twenty-five miles from her hometown, and Jutta von Sponheim, daughter of Count Stephan II, care for her.
Jutta, wey later become abbess of the women branch, teach Hildegard basic catechism and enough Latin to pray the Psalms and Divine Office. She train Hildegard for faith, devotion, and life of self-denial. Hildegard learn to play the psaltery, one early kind of harp. As Jutta and Hildegarde come from noble families, dem inspire other girls from noble families to join dem. After seven years, Hildegard receive the Benedictine veil when she dey fifteen years old, and she become abbess for 1136 when Jutta die. By 1150, she don move her community wey dey grow to Rupertsberg, near Bingen, and for 1165, she establish a second monastery for Eibingen.
Even though Hildegard no get much school education, she get very sharp mind. Her knowledge enter her directly through wetin she call “di shadow of di light wey dey alive.” Dis “light wey dey alive” come as deep spiritual visions and inspirations from when she still small. Until she reach her forties, she mostly keep dis deep spiritual experiences to herself—she dey take dem in, think deeply about dem, and allow dem grow and go deeper. Holy Spirit na her Teacher; E put divine Truth directly inside her, and dis lead her to understand di mysteries of di faith and wetin God reveal in way wey pass ordinary human ability. E also give her insight into di natural sciences.
For 1142, Abbess Hildegard strongly sense say God dey command her to write her visions and share di knowledge wey E put directly inside her. She spend di rest of her life dey write down everything wey she understand through dis living light wey enter her. Her first work, wey she complete for 1151, describe twenty-six visions with her own commentary. Di work name na Scivias—“Know di Ways.” Dis visions and commentaries touch every part of di faith, from when God create di world to di end of time.
Hildegard spend di next twenty-eight years dey write, and she complete two more works about her visions. Inside dem, she discuss good moral character and bad moral habits, di relationship between God and human beings, and wetin God dey do for di world. She write in detail about natural sciences, medicine, and women health, even though she no get formal school education. She also write about di saints and di Rule of Saint Benedict. She write plenty letters to popes, emperors, abbots, and abbesses. As artist and musician, she draw pictures and compose beautiful hymns. People still dey sing many of dem today, with their melodies wey dey rise high and their beautiful harmonies.
Di universal Church often call on Abbess Hildegard for advice. She preach for public squares and cathedrals, something wey no common for women that time. Pope Eugene II and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux examine and approve her writings. Pope Benedict XVI declare Hildegard a saint and Doctor of di Church for 2012, even though people don dey recognise her as saint since di time wey she die, without formal declaration.
Saint Hildegard of Bingen, for your humility and simplicity, God lift you up and give you di gift of knowledge wey pass ordinary human ability about di deepest mysteries of Heaven and earth. Abeg pray make I dey open to di truths wey God dey reveal to me, and make I use dat knowledge as di foundation for every choice wey I make. Saint Hildegard of Bingen, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.