St. Hildegard: the church doctor who foresaw our environmental crisis

[Vouthon]

“O most honored Greening Force,

You who roots in the Sun;
You who lights up, in shining serenity, within a wheel
that earthly excellence fails to comprehend.

You are enfolded
in the weaving of divine mysteries.

You redden like the dawn
and you burn: flame of the Sun.”

– St. Hildegard von Bingen, Causae et Curae

Today, we face numerous ecological crises.

Whether it be in terms of air pollution, infestation of the oceans with plastic waste, global warming; water scarcity or the felling of trees (“the lungs of the earth”) in the Amazon rainforest: the depletion of the world’s natural resources by human beings is outpacing our planet’s ability to absorb the damage wrought.

The 12th century abbess and mystic St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), a Doctor of the Catholic Church, was one of the greatest female visionaries and intellectuals of the middle ages. See:

https://www.isi.edu/~lerman/music/Hildegard.html

In one of St. Hildegard’s visions, she predicted the coming of a period when the environment would be “harmed by the sins of men and women and fall totally into the service of disorder.” Nevertheless, she prophesied that this tragic era would be succeeded by a “time of great plenty of both temporal things and a great abundance of spiritual goods”, a renaissance in which the human race would essentially get its act together and properly care for nature, and by extension our fellow human beings as well.

Here is what she wrote:

Vision 10: 20

In these days sweet clouds will touch the Earth with a gentle breath and cause the Earth to overflow with the power of greenness and fertility.

Then people will prepare themselves completely for justice, which was lacking in the above mentioned period of weakness, for the elements, harmed by the sins of men and women, had fallen totally into the service of disorder.

The princes and everyone else will put God’s decrees into proper practice. They will forbid all weapons used to kill people and only tolerate such iron tools as are needed in farming and for the benefit of humanity.

And just as clouds let down a mild rain suitable for the germination of seeds, the Holy Spirit will pour forth the dew of grace, along with wisdom, prophecy, and holiness, upon people so that, just as if turned around, they will lead different and good lives.

In these days a true summer will reign through God’s power because everyone will be steady in the truth: priests and monks, virgins and those who practice celibacy, as well as other classes of society will have their dignity by living well and honorably and by rejecting every kind of arrogance and excessive wealth.

Then, just as through the balance of clouds and air the necessary conditions of life for fertility are created, the seed of spiritual life will sprout through God’s grace. These days will be strong and glorious, full of peace and stability.

I hope she was right!

Saint Hildegard of Bingen pray for us!