Vision Page #2

What were you afraid of for so long?

Of people's skepticism.

Were you not more afraid

that your visions weren't sent by God,

but by the Devil?

Oh, no.

In such a sublime light,

in such splendor...

only the Almighty can appear.

Did the voice explain to you

what you saw?

I am to warn mankind.

To help him find his way back to God.

Then you must heed the voice.

We have a seer among us.

A seer who receives messages from God.

Who is it?

The magistra.

Yes, Father.

I request your permission

to help her transcribe her visions.

And what if it's the Devil's work?

I'm sure it's not.

May I show you one of her visions?

She wrote it down without my consent?

I encouraged her to do it.

You know that must be punished?

- I'll face it gladly, Father.

"Again I heard the voice from Heaven.

It said to me:

'God, who called the universe into being,

created everything so that His name

be recognized and worshipped.

Through His creation He does not

only proclaim the visible and temporal,

but also that which is invisible

and eternal. "'

It would certainly be

an extraordinary occurrence

if Hildegard's visions

proved to be sent by God.

I'm convinced it is so.

- It would bring us great honor.

And our cloister's name

would be spoken everywhere.

Pilgrims would travel here,

our nation's powerful men too,

and our benefactors would give new gifts.

I'll go to see Archbishop Heinrich

and the Mainz chapter to inform them.

These gentlemen have traveled far

to put you to the test.

I want you to answer them

just as you answered me.

Magistra Hildegard...

You claimed

you've received messages from God.

I am merely His servant.

The messages come from the living light.

What does the light look like?

It is a fire that shines brightly.

Eternal,

inextinguishable,

and full of life.

Are you dreaming,

or awake?

I do not see the visions

in a dream-like state,

not in sleep,

not in madness,

not with the body's eyes,

or the ears of the outer person,

and not in remote places,

but rather awake,

in a clear state of mind,

with the eyes and ears

of the inner person.

It's hard for flesh-cloaked people

to understand how it happens.

You're saying that you can understand,

but we can't?

It's hard for me to understand, too.

That I,

a weak woman, should be chosen

by God to proclaim His will.

What does God demand?

That I say what I see and hear.

After such wonderful words, I'm sure you

do not doubt my Magistra's credibility.

Since the holy prophets no man

or woman has made such claims!

To claim to hear secrets that the

prophets were denied? Outrageous!

Only the Holy Father can judge her case.

She will probably be expelled

from the Church as a heretic!

So I secretly left the cave

I'd been hiding in,

and wanted to climb up

to where my enemy couldn't find me.

But they placed such a stormy sea

before me, that I could not cross it.

Then I heard my mother's voice.

"Hurry, my daughter.

The Almighty has given you wings to fly.

Fly over every obstacle. "

I shall write to Bernard of Clairvaux.

He is the most powerful one of all,

maybe more so than the Holy Father!

If he condemns you, you are lost.

He could destroy you

as he destroyed our brother Abaelardus.

I know.

But I must risk it.

He has just made a call to arms

for a new holy war.

He'll be far too busy

to answer an unknown nun.

Have you lost your faith in me?

He's known for not liking women!

But he loves the virgin Mary.

I will approach him

with the greatest humility.

Revered Father Bernard,

I have been lain in your soul

that you reveal to me with your word,

whether you want me to speak

or to keep silent

the things I see

and that I am appointed to do.

I implore you by God's grace

to give me solace,

then I will have certitude.

In God, anything is possible.

You have come to the attention

of the Holy Father.

At the Trier Synod.

You knew it was being held?

Yes, venerable Father.

So you'll know that our church's

highest dignitaries were present,

among them the great Cistercian abbot,

Bernard of Clairvaux.

He presented your visions

to the Holy Father and entreated him

not to allow such a bright light

to be smothered by silence.

In this correspondence

to the "blessed virgin",

he grants you, in the name of Christ

and Saint Peter, permission to publish

everything you have heard

from the Holy Ghost.

Then I see, in the heights

of the divine secrets

two throngs of divine spirits

that sparkle in many lights.

Those in the first vision

are holding feathers...

on their chests and faces,

that seem to be like pure water.

Those in the second vision

are also holding feathers...

and human faces...

in which the image of the son of man

shines as if in a mirror.

Venerable Father.

Richardis, Margravine of Stade,

a relative ofJutta von Sponheim,

and her daughter Richardis.

My daughter heard of your reputation,

which even surpasses that

ofJutta von Sponheim.

Since then, she gives me no peace.

She wants to join your hermitage

and take instruction from you.

How old are you?

- 16.

You're very young.

- You were younger when you joined.

It was not a free choice.

Jutta, my aunt, was my age

when you came to her.

And you believe you can endure

daily life in a cloister?

Yes.

Don't think it will be easy.

Not everyone can keep the silence,

and bear the quietude.

You need not worry,

I want to subordinate myself to you.

Not to me, my child,

you must subordinate yourself to God.

Richardis may be lively, but she is

obedient, and well educated for her age.

My family ensured that she learned

to read and write as a young child.

Will you read something for us?

You have a lovely voice.

Will you take me?

The Magistra would be pleased

to accept you here.

Have you considered

the decision to leave her here?

Yes, she agrees.

I didn't ask you.

Forgive me, please.

I am sure that you can teach

Richardis humility.

She certainly will.

Let's discuss the enrollment rules.

Very well.

We shall give it a try.

I called you here

to discuss the rules of St. Benedict.

I know them by heart.

- But you haven't followed them.

They are guidelines, not commandments.

Thus you believe you can act

according to your will?

No! I will act as I am expected to.

Richardis?

We live in a community here.

We eat together, work together,

we pray and we are silent together.

We respect one another.

And we try to help one another.

I'd prefer to live with you alone.

I only joined to be with you.

You are so good and so wise.

I want to learn everything from you.

No one is forced to stay.

Anyone can leave at any time.

You too, Richardis.

If your faith is not strong enough.

I want to be close to you

as long as you live.

Volmar...

let me introduce Richardis von Stade.

She is a very bright girl.

She can help us transcribe the texts.

- Yes! I have nice handwriting!

That's my mother's opinion.

We'll have to help you

take our rules seriously.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes