Élisabeth de Schönau
v. 1129-1164 12th century
Speaking when you would rather have kept silent.
Who was Élisabeth de Schönau?
A Benedictine of Schönau, in the diocese of Trier, placed in the monastery as a child, she received her first visions in 1152, at twenty-three, in the middle of illnesses that sometimes left her with the use of no limb but her tongue. Her brother Ekbert, who came from Bonn to be a monk near her, wrote down what she said, leaving in Latin what came in Latin, translating what came in German. For a long time she hid what she saw, afraid of being taken for an inventor of novelties.
In their own words
I understand that to keep silent about the great works of God is dangerous for me, and I dread that to speak of them would be more dangerous still. I know I have too little discernment to tell what, among the things revealed to me, ought to be said, and what ought rather to be honoured with silence. And behold, among all this I am set in danger of failing.
Often I was so overwhelmed with weakness that I had the use of no limb except my tongue; I remained no less diligent in ruminating the psalms. And when paralysis took my tongue from me as well, I supplied with my mind the office of the tongue.
Your grace is enough for me, Lord; spare my weakness and slacken for me this excessive brightness, for I am not able to bear it.
To avoid arrogance, and so as not to be taken for an inventor of novelties, I did my best to hide all this as far as I could. Then the angel of the Lord stood before me and said: Why do you hide gold in mud? This is the word of God, sent onto the earth through your mouth, not to be hidden, but to be made known to the praise and glory of our Lord and for the salvation of his people.