St. Hildegard von Bingen and “The Iron Mountain”: Beginning to Pray w/ Dr. Anthony Lilles

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From Dr. Lilles’ “Beginning to Pray” blog site:

September 17 is the feast of St. Hiildegard of Bingen. She lived from 1098-1179. A Benedictine Nun, at the age of 42, she was given visions and commanded rise up and cry out what she saw. She obeyed and produced a set of writings known today as Scivias.

Her first vision is of a hidden mountain, the mountain of God’s throne, an iron mountain of immutable justice hidden in divine glory. A purifying Fear of the Lord contemplates this splendor. Not the kind of fear that pulls away to protect itself. Rather the kind of fear that is vigilant and sees the truth. Eyes which gaze with this holy fear can never be satisfied with the merely mediocre. They guard against every form of compromise. The glory they behold demands absolute allegiance, complete surrender, and total humility.

In this description, is St. Hildegard suggesting a way by which we might enjoy the same vision she has shared in? This is no exercise in esoteric navel gazing. Her vision demands a journey beyond our own self-pre-occupation and into real friendship with God, a friendship protected by the strength of divine justice. She sees the truth in a way that demands an ongoing conversion of life.

She is well-formed in St. Benedict’s conversatio morum. The mountain she sees is not a truth we scrutinize so much as the truth that scrutinizes us: a scrutinizing of all our thoughts and actions in light of the Gospel. The truth she beholds demands repentance from the lack of justice we allow ourselves to slip into. The iron mountain she contemplates renders futile every effort to conform the Gospel to our own ways and invites us to be transformed by its just demands.

Today, where all kinds of cruelty are so easily excused and any form of self-indulgence so readily lifted up to the level of a fundamental human right, we need to rediscover the shadow of the iron mountain from which St. Hildegard cries out to us. Only under the glory of this mountain can we find the peace that the Lord has come to give. Only in the blinding light into which Holy Fear gazes can we find the humility to love one another the way Christ has loved us.

Through the years, clergy, seminarians, eligious and lay faithful have benefited from Dr. Anthony Lilles’ lectures and retreat conferences on the Carmelite Doctors of the Church and the writings of St. Elisabeth of the Trinity. He is the author/editor of the “Beginning to Pray” catholic blog spot.

For other episodes in the series visit the Discerning Hearts page for Dr. Anthony Lilles

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Episode 52 – Smashing Idols in Cyberspace

Discerning Hearts is honored to host the reflections of Dr. Regis Martin. Filled with profound insights, wisdom, and joy, he is one of the most trustworthy guides one can have on the spiritual journey.

For years Regis Martin, STD, has been regaling audiences about the mysteries of God and Church, most especially his students at Franciscan University of Steubenville where he teaches theology. Author of half-dozen or more books, including The Suffering of Love (Ignatius, 2006), The Last Things (Ignatius Press, 2011), Still Point (Ave Maria, 2012), The Beggar’s Banquet (Emmaus Road, 2012), Witness to Wonder (Emmaus Road, 2017) his work frequently appears in Crises and The Catholic Thing.

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Episode 51 – Making Sense of the Sacramental, Part 1

SP 50 – Episode 50 – Be Worthy of the Flame Consuming You! – In Search of the Still Point with Dr. Regis Martin – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 50 – Be Worthy of the Flame Consuming You!

St. Clare, pray for us – a model for the discerning heart…In Conversation with Sr. Joan Mueller

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Enter into the life story of St. Clare’s life by listening to one of the best storytellers we know…Sr. Joan Mueller. Both women are enthralling!!!

St. Clare of Assisi, the foundress of the Order of Poor Ladies, or Clares, was the first Abbess of San Damiano; born at Assisi, on 16 July 1194; died there on 11 August 1253.

One of the best DVDs we have seen on the life of Clare and Francis is distributed by Ignatius Press.

If you’d like to see her life summed up in a quick read, try here.
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A personal reflection on St. Clare by Kris McGregor:

In 2007, I had a chance to visit Assisi…I just wanted to be near St. Clare. I didn’t plan it, but my hotel ended up being right across the street from St. Clare’s Basilica (it seems wrong to call it a street, its width is so small). Early one morning, I got up and began walking outside of the Basilica. No one else was out; all the shops closed, and the sun was just coming up. On a whim, I thought I would see if the church’s doors were open (thinking to myself, of course, they wouldn’t be), but to my surprise, they were, so I entered. No one was around. I saw steps leading down to a lower level. I stepped over the rope blocking the entrance (boorish American that I am) and walked down. The path led down to an area with a display of relics, clothing, and other items (I assumed they were Clare’s), and then I turned and saw something incredible…the crypt of St. Clare. I quietly walked over to the enclosure grates. I knelt and unexpectedly started to weep…I just couldn’t help it. It was so quiet and peaceful; it was such a gift. I brought to St. Clare all the petitions I held deeply in my heart. And when that was done, silence once more filled the space. After about 10 minutes, I could hear the sound of the Poor Clare Sisters in the distance chanting their morning office. I knelt at that spot and listened with St. Clare. After about 30 minutes, I praised God for this special moment and left the basilica. St. Clare has been with me in a special way ever since a friendship I continue to cherish. Dear St. Clare, pray for us.

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Episode 49 – Lost at Sea, Is the Lord Sleeping?

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Episode 48 – Putting A Good Word in for Priests

SP 47 – Episode 47 – On Being a Castaway – In Search of the Still Point with Dr. Regis Martin – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 47 – On Being a Castaway

SP 46 – Episode 46 – What Makes for a Good Man? – In Search of the Still Point with Dr. Regis Martin – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 46 – What Makes for a Good Man?

BWPM 13 – Sent to the World – A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V. Podcast

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Episode 13 – Sent to the World – A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

We continue our conversation with Fr. Gallagher discussing the encouragements given by Venerable Bruno Lanteri in regards to a biblical way of praying the Mass. In this episode, Fr. Gallagher reflects on the Sending.

Take a moment and pray:

Go forth, the Mass is ended: Go forth from this church now: the Mass is complete. You have been nourished at the table of the Word and of the Body of Christ. Now go forth and bring this richness to those you encounter.

Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord: By the way you live, by the way you interact with others, by the holiness of your life, and by your words, announce the Gospel of Jesus. Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life: As you exit the church, let the peace of Jesus fill your heart. Seek now to give glory to God — that is, to make Jesus known and loved by the way you live.

Ask for the grace to leave Mass and return to your activity in this way.

Gallagher, Timothy M.. A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass: The Eucharistic Wisdom of Venerable Bruno Lanteri (p. 87). EWTN Publishing Inc.. Kindle Edition.

For more episodes in the A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass with Fr. Timothy Gallagher podcast series, visit here

You can find A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass here

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola.” For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio, which are available for purchase, please visit his website: frtimothygallagher.org