A letter from Elisabeth of Schoenau ()

Translated letter:

Elisabeth, humble handmaid of Christ, sends every joy in the celestial treasure to be received by you, R., her beloved. Dearest! I admonish you to note how this world is in danger and the Lord always supports those in danger, drawing them forth, sometimes by admonition, at other times by correction, and at still other times by consolation. Like a most gentle father He corrects His children lest their earthen vessel be destroyed. So now, O friend of God, with all the attention of your mind, be mindful that this world passes away, and its flower withers and is fleeting. Who dares to say, “My foot is firm and I shall not fall?” No one can be secure in him or herself; if you are here today, you are gone tomorrow. And about your blessed house let me say, “It is a house of peace and peace rests in it. A chosen pearl has been found among you, and the Lord of all loves her. She has been preserved for Him and He calls her to be betrothed to Christ Jesus, and He will give everything that He has to buy this pearl” (Mt. 13:45-46). And behold, the divine mercy admonishes you, O venerable mother of that pearl, to love her with maternal love. See, however, that you not love her more than your soul. But if you love her as your own soul and love God more than your soul, then join these two into one, daughter to God, creature to Creator, and your soul shall receive a great reward on the day of reckoning and it will go well for you with the one who is blessed forever. And I turn to you, father H., and admonish you above everything else to abstain from wine, since your soul suffers a great danger from this.(1) Know for certain that one who is always drunk is always oblivious to God’s presence. God is patient and waits for you from day to day, and has given you days and years to improve yourself, therefore, you have no excuse. He gave you teaching and showed you a just path yet you walk along an unjust path. But this patience of God is a fearful thing on the day when one will be repaid according to one’s deeds. If, however, you are converted and do penance, you will find great grace from God, for He is kind and merciful and does not despise sinners but eats with them and wills not the death of sinners but that they be converted and live (Ez. 33:11). And I say to you, most beloved in Christ, R., L., and H., be comforted in the Holy Spirit and strengthen your hearts. For you are athletes of God, and you will overcome those who are enemies of chastity since you are lovers of chastity. Hence, there will be great joy in heaven for you. A crown of gladness and a great reward will be prepared for you. May He deign to offer it to you, He who lives and reigns in perfect Trinity forever. Amen. (2)

Original letter:

Elisabeth humilis ancilla Christi R. dilecto suo omne gaudium in celesti thesauro accipiendum. Charissime! admoneo te, ut attendas, quomodo hic mundus periclitatur et dominus percilitantibus subvenit semper, extrahendo eos, aliquando admonitione, aliquando correptione, aliquando consolatione, et quasi pater mitissimus corript suos, ne fictile vas eorum pereat. Nunc autem o amice dei, memento cum omni solicitudine mentis, quomodo hic mundus transit, et flos eius arescit et lubricus est. Et quis audet dicere, confirmatus est pes meus, et non cadam. Nemo securus sit de seipso, si hodie est, cras non erit. Et de beata domo tua dicam: Domus pacis est, et pax requiescit in ea. Et inventa est apud te margarita electa, et dominus omnium diligit eam, et servata est ei, et vocat eam, ut desponsetur celesti sponso Christo Jesu, et ipse daturus est omnia, que habet, ut emat eam. Et ecce admonet te divina clementia, o mater veneranda de illa margarita, de qua dixi, ut materna eam dilectione diligas. Vide ergo, ne diligas eam plus quam animam tuam. Si autem diligis eam ut animam tuam et si diligis deum plus quam animam tuam, conjunge hec duo in unum, filiam ad deum, creaturam ad creatorem, et de his mercedem magnam recipies in anima tua in die retributionis, et bene tibi erit semper cum eo, qui est benedictus in secula. Et iterum revertor et admoneo vos patres inter omnia et super omnia, ut abstineatis a vino, quoniam magnum periculum patiemini de hoc in animabus vestris. Pro certo scitote, qui semper est in ebrietate, semper est in oblivione traditus coram deo. Patiens est deus, et expectat vos de die in diem, et dedit vobis dies et annos, ut emendetis vos in mulius et nullam excusationem habetis. Dedit vobis doctrinam, et ostendit vobis viam rectam et ambulastis viam iniustam. Timendum est autem de patientia dei in die, qua redditurus est unicuique secundum oepra eius. Si autem conversi fueritis et penitentiam egeritis, magnam gratiam apud deum invenietis, quoniam benignus est et misericors et peccatores non despecit, sed manducabat cum eis, et non vult mortem peccatoris, sed ut convertatur et vivat. Et iterum dico vobis diletissimis in Christo R. L. H. Confortamini in spiritu sancto, et confirmate corda vestra, quoniam athlete dei estis, et bene superabitis eos, qui sunt inimici castitatis, quemadmodum vos estis amatores castitatis, inde vobis erit gaudium magnum in celo, et corona letitie preparabitur et merces magna nimis. Quam vobis prestare dignetur, qui in trinitate perfecta vivit et regnat in secula. Amen.

Historical context:

The addressee of this letter is not known. In Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek Vindob. Pal MS 488, the initials in the letter, R., L., H., are expanded to Rudolfus, Lu___, Hermannus. The content of the letter suggests Elisabeth’s personal knowledge of this family contention about the dedication of a daughter to the monastic life.

Scholarly notes:

(1) Clark emends Roth’s “vos patres . . . animabus vestris” to “vos pater H . . . quoniam magnum periculum patiemini de hoc in anima vestra”) from Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek Vindob. Pal MS 488.
(2) This translation is copyrighted by Anne Clark. For permission to reproduce, contact Paulist Press. 

Manuscript source:

Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek Vindob. Pal MS 488

Printed source:

Die Visionen der hl. Elisabeth und die Schriften der Aebte Ekbert und Emecho von Schönau, ed. F.W.E. Roth (Brünn: Verlag der Studien aus dem Benedictiner- und Cistercienser-Orden, 1884), Bk.6, ch.16, p.149-50; trans. Anne L. Clark, The Complete Works of Elisabeth of Schönau (New York: Paulist Press, 2000), 16.