Note: To observe the Jubilee Year of Mercy (which runs through November 20), for several weeks I am featuring women who exemplify one of the corporal or spiritual works of mercy. Today: Bury the dead.
The Basics: Born September 16, 1098, in Germany; died September 17, 1170, in Germany; canonized October 7, 2012, by Benedict XVI; feast day, September 17. Woman religious; visionary; writer; composer; preacher. Doctor of the Church.
The Story: It was an amazing life, one full of twists and turns and encounters with the Lord. Hildegard, the
youngest of ten children born into a noble family, had visions even as a child and at age eight was sent to live with an anchoress, Jutta. It was there Hildegard learned to read and write and became a nun herself by the time she was fifteen. Hildegard was in her late thirties when Jutta died, and was selected to run the Benedictine convent. A few years later, a turning point came in Hildegard’s life when she was told in a visiton to write Scivias (“Know the Ways of God”). She went on to write not only a theological trilogy, but also music, poetry, scientific essays, and a morality play. In her sixties, she went on a preaching tour.
But why think of Hildegard for the corporal work of mercy “bury the dead”? In the final year of her life, a young nobleman who had been excommunicated died, and Hildegard was asked to bury him on the convent grounds. She agreed, believing he had repented and received final sacraments. However, some in the church hierarchy disagreed and ordered the man to be disinterred. Hildegard directed the removal of markers so that his grave couldn’t be found, and she and her sisters were ordered not to sing the Divine Office or receive the Eucharist. The interdict was lifted based on the strength of Hildegard’s arguments.
Hildegard’s Wisdom: “Rivers of living water are to be poured out over the whole world, to ensure that people, like fishes caught in a net, can be restored to wholeness.”
What We Can Learn from Hildegard: It takes courage, even when we know we are in line with the Lord’s desires and Church rules, to stand our ground when we are challenged. May we learn from Hildegard how to respectfully engage with people when there is a disagreement.
To Learn More About Hildegard: Check out Hildegard.org for a wealth of information about this saint’s writings and life.
To Learn More About Other Women Saints and Blesseds: Come back next week, or consider buying my books, Blessed Are You: Finding Inspiration from Our Sisters in Faith or Sisterhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration.
