轉載：天界的結構─九層天使合唱團
這是聖賀德佳最美麗的一幅神視圖，共有九個同心圓的天使合唱團，像中國廟宇前廳天花板上的立體藻井，層層疊疊往內在核心深入，直到最深處不可見的天主之處。層次分明的九個層級，緊緊密合一起，齊聲讚揚天主，執行著唯一的旨意---天主的旨意。
根據Cecilia Bonn修女的詮釋，天使的九個合唱團，圍繞著虛空的中心—看不見的天主，完美地旋轉著，餘音繚繞，震動寰宇，天主居於無遠弗至的光明中。
天使們於善意中合一，代表真知灼見: 彼此緊密結合，如同生命共同體。他們的輝煌無可言說，他們的數量無法計算，無人能夠掌握他們，唯有天主認識他們。天主所願之事，即是他們心之所向，眾天使各個擁有自己的面容，自成一個世界，他們各有特殊任務，因他們擁有共同的心思意念，所以擁有同一個生命體。
根據任務的不同，他們有不同的象徵圖像: 眼睛、翅膀、明鏡與人類的容貌。
他們將地球的實況(萬有與歷史)，以及天主在地球上的奧跡，反映在天上。
他們放射的光芒是人類的力量。力量的天使圈擁有人類的面容，他們急切地凝視人類的內在紛擾與衝突，並激發人類行善，然後，將人類的善行，轉變為天上的讚嘆。
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聖賀德佳更詳盡地詮釋這幅天使圖：
最外圈的天使，其任務在於幫助急難中的人類。
最外第二圈是總領天使，任務在於宣揚天主的旨意。聖賀德佳在闡述天界結構時，將這兩個外圈的天使結構，比喻為人類的身體與靈魂。最外圈的身體，頭上有著光；第二圈的靈魂內，攜帶著耶穌基督的肖像。人的身體與靈魂必須結合起來，服務於天主，在人間行善。
除了最外兩圈的天使歌詠隊，裡頭還環繞著五圈的天使層級：(由外而內)
第一圈是美德天使，有著人類的臉孔。美德的力量使被揀選者的內心，升起一份對善與惡的清晰理解，在美德力量的光照，罪惡自然脫落。
第二圈是權力天使，權力的天使代表神性力量的恩寵與美，他們是如此光亮，讓人無法正視，那是天主永不瓦解的力量。
第三圈是君王天使，這些精神體好像白色大理石，他們穿戴著正義，統治管理人類，讓人類不至於反覆無常、三心二意，而能以基督為榜樣，聆聽聖神的聲音，終生維護正義。
第四圈是統治天使。這些精神實體如同人類一般，擁有面容與雙足，頭頂上好像帶著頭盔，身穿大理石色長袍，他們所表達的是:造物主將人類的理性從腐朽之地，提升到高天。祂將親生子送到人間，以正義摧毀誘惑者。祂是信眾之首，忠於祂的人，應當效法祂，把希望放在天國，在地上一心為善。
第五圈是王位天使，這一道像是晨曦般光亮的王位天使，象徵著神愛世人，讓無罪的聖子降生人間，為拯救世人而披上人類的肉軀，祂是由聖神受孕，沒有沾染上肉體的玷污，藉著晨曦般的童貞女取得肉驅。
以上這五圈天使聖詠隊，又被聖賀德佳巧妙地比喻成靈魂內的心靈結構。她認為那是信者的眼、耳、鼻、舌、身五官，而這五官透過聖子五傷而得到解救，成為只朝向天國，直奔天主之愛與鄰人之愛的五官，而不用身體的外在五官尋求外在世間的逸樂。因為當他心中渴望朝向永恆時，便會充滿了對天主與對鄰人的愛。
最內側的第二圈，是代表掌管天主真知灼見的格魯賓天使，格魯賓象徵天主的真知，他們看得到天主奧秘中之奧秘，在他們的深知中，用最純淨和最透視的眼光，看向人類。人類也在天主的真知當中，對天堂產生愛慕，遠超過對塵世的嚮往，如同天使一般，展開渴望的翅膀，飛向祂---那超越一切者。
最內層是色辣芬天使，是天使層中最高的精神實體，他們充滿熱火般的愛，一心嚮往天主，渴慕仰望並體驗上主，充分表達出生活世界與信仰世界的莊嚴，而這莊嚴，開展於純潔教會的奧秘生活當中，天主的旨意如此美妙地被啟示出來。願所有真心歡喜追求天堂生活，一心效法色辣芬的人們，在天主的愛火中燃燒，達到色辣芬的喜樂。
http://www.hildegardiscenter.url.tw/node/69
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Saint Hildegard of Bingen’s Story
Abbess, artist, author, composer, mystic, pharmacist, poet, preacher, theologian—where to begin in describing this remarkable woman?
Born into a noble family, she was instructed for ten years by the holy woman Blessed Jutta. When Hildegard was 18, she became a Benedictine nun at the Monastery of Saint Disibodenberg. Ordered by her confessor to write down the visions that she had received since the age of three, Hildegard took ten years to write her Scivias (Know the Ways). Pope Eugene III read it, and in 1147, encouraged her to continue writing. Her Book of the Merits of Life and Book of Divine Works followed. She wrote over 300 letters to people who sought her advice; she also composed short works on medicine and physiology, and sought advice from contemporaries such as Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.
Hildegard’s visions caused her to see humans as “living sparks” of God’s love, coming from God as daylight comes from the sun. Sin destroyed the original harmony of creation; Christ’s redeeming death and resurrection opened up new possibilities. Virtuous living reduces the estrangement from God and others that sin causes.
Like all mystics, Hildegard saw the harmony of God’s creation and the place of women and men in that. This unity was not apparent to many of her contemporaries.
Hildegard was no stranger to controversy. The monks near her original foundation protested vigorously when she moved her monastery to Bingen, overlooking the Rhine River. She confronted Emperor Frederick Barbarossa for supporting at least three antipopes. Hildegard challenged the Cathars, who rejected the Catholic Church claiming to follow a more pure Christianity.
Between 1152 and 1162, Hildegard often preached in the Rhineland. Her monastery was placed under interdict because she had permitted the burial of a young man who had been excommunicated. She insisted that he had been reconciled with the Church and had received its sacraments before dying. Hildegard protested bitterly when the local bishop forbade the celebration of or reception of the Eucharist at the Bingen monastery, a sanction that was lifted only a few months before her death.
In 2012, Hildegard was canonized and named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XVI. Her Liturgical Feast Day is September 17.
Reflection
Pope Benedict spoke about Hildegard of Bingen during two of his general audiences in September 2010. He praised the humility with which she received God’s gifts, and the obedience she gave Church authorities. He praised too the “rich theological content” of her mystical visions that sum up the history of salvation from creation to the end of time.
During his papacy, Pope Benedict XVI said, “Let us always invoke the Holy Spirit, so that he may inspire in the Church holy and courageous women like Saint Hildegard of Bingen who, developing the gifts they have received from God, make their own special and valuable contribution to the spiritual development of our communities and of the Church in our time.”
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-hildegard-of-bingen
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