September 17, 2026
Feast of St. Hildegard of Bingen
How this headline breaks my heart!
What have we done to God’s beautiful Creation? Isn’t it enough that we cannot discipline ourselves on earth to refrain from killing? Now we have a plan to let blood pour into the heavens!
While mourning this development, I realized that today is the feast of St. Hildegard of Bingen. And I thought how desperately we need her inspiration today!
Hildegard, the 12th-century German Benedictine abbess, mystic, prophet, scientist, composer, writer, and Doctor of the Church, had a very different vision of Creation. She saw the whole universe alive with the creative energy of God.
She called that life-giving power Viriditas — “greening.”
“There is a power that has been since all eternity,
and that force and potentiality is green!”
According to Hildegard, Creation is not simply something given us to use. It is alive with the presence and power of its Creator. The earth, the heavens, animals, humanity—all are part of a great divine life.
How far that vision seems from our determination to turn even the heavens into another battlefield.
For the Feast of Hildegard in 2022, our late Sister Eloise Rosenblatt wrote a beautiful reflection on this remarkable woman. You may access it here.
https://www.sistersofmercy.org/st-hildegard-of-bingen
Today, I pray that Hildegard’s vision will challenge our leaders’ visionary deficiency. Instead of making the universe an arena for warfare, let the heavens reflect God’s presence within and among us. Let them bring a message of healing to a world already fractured by aggression.
On this feast of Hildegard, let us pray for a world that imagines new ways of spiritual communion rather than spatial war.
In honor of the amazing St. Hildegard, pray Psalm 19 today. May the heavens declare God’s glory. May God’s perfect Law take root in our hearts.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament shows the handiwork of the Lord.
One day tells its tale to another,
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
Although they have no words or language,
and their voices are not heard,
their sound has gone out into all lands,
and their message to the ends of the world.
In the deep has God set a pavilion for the sun;
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again;
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure
and gives wisdom to the innocent.
The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear
and gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever;
the judgments of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether
More to be desired are they than gold,
more than much fine gold,
sweeter far than honey,
than honey in the comb.
By them also is your servant enlightened,
and in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can tell how often they offend?
Cleanse me from my secret faults.
Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me;
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offense.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart
be acceptable in your sight;
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
Music: The Heavens Declare – by Evan4Christ
This beautiful chant is a worship song sung from the perspective of ancient Israelite Hebrews and the Hebrew Testament Levitical Choir. This song uses various verses from the Book of Psalms as its lyrics.