"Book of Divine Works" by St.Hildegard Inquiry

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wesley32186
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
W

Wesley32186

Guest
Hello brothers and sisters,
2nd post on here now. I have started reading Book of Divine Works because I really see the glory of God in creation so I thought it was a good starting place, and it definitely is. Is there anyone who could explain a few things from the beginning section of of the text? The prose and imagery in the book is so beautiful but I have a few passing questions. God bless, folks!
 
Wesley32186 said:
Is there anyone who could explain a few things from the beginning section of of the text
Click to expand...
Good luck with that.

Hildegards writings are some of the most mysterious writings in history, and they utterly resist unraveling.

My advice: don’t even try to understand what you read. Just read it and marvel.
 
Probably few of us will have the text on hand. If you could share the particular parts, we could perhaps help.

St. Hildegard is a great choice! Very mysterious indeed, not light stuff. I was just beginning to read her Scivias a little bit at a time. I think we Catholics should be talking about her works more. And people should read Benedict XVI’s apostolic letter about her when she was declared Doctor of the Church.
 
Well I have some general questions; it may be a little too simple of a question but in the first vision, is the fiery figure supposed to represent Christ, an angel, or good in Trinity, as similarly described in revelation?
 
Last edited:
Oh, fortunately it just so happens that is the one part of the Book of Divine Works that I have read haha (or maybe I read the second part also). Yeah, Spyridon may be right.

Although, if I remember correctly, doesn’t she write something like, ‘this human figure you see is a figure of love itself’? The impression I got was that since man is made in God’s image and likeness to make most perfectly visible His goodness (a. Man), and God’s becoming incarnate as man is the greatest manifestation of His Love (b. Christ), man is a figure of the Love of God (c. Holy Trinity): the image of a man is a fitting image of love itself, which applies to all of the above.
 
Last edited:
Okay, so I think I’m starting to get an idea of how to read this hahaha mind you, maybe not understand it but how to read it. Thanks friends!
 
That’s what I love about Holy Scripture. You get a sense of how it wants to be read long before you know why it’s written that way or what it means. Which prompts us to meditate, to take it with us to God in prayer! St. Hildegard’s prophetic writings are very “scriptural” it seems, and she is likened more to an Old Testament prophet rather than a mystic.
 
I learned that lesson in University, the hard way haha yes, that’s what I’ve heard, which is another reason I was drawn to her works, I love the OT prophets
 
If anyone is interested, her musical compositions are other-worldly.
My favorite is “Canticles of Ecstasy”.
]
It’s not what I would call casual listening music, but very conducive to meditation especially when the words are available. It’s in Latin.
 
Last edited:
Thanks so much, I have trouble reading in silence so I’m always looking for good music to listen to, I listen to some of her works already but I haven’t listened to this selection; do you have any other meditative study music suggestions?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top