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Herald of God's Loving-Kindness: Book 4

Herald of God's Loving-Kindness: Book 4

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£28.99

Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 9780879072858
Number of Pages: 338
Width: 14 cm
Height: 21.6 cm

Gertrud the Great (1256–1302) entered the monastery of Helfta in eastern Germany as a child oblate. At the age of twenty-five she underwent a conversion that led to a series of visionary experiences. These centered on “the divine loving-kindness,” which she perceived as expressed through and symbolized by Christ’s divine Heart. Some of these experiences she recorded in Latin “with her own hand,” in what became Book 2 of The Herald of God’s Loving-Kindness.

Books 1, 3, 4, and 5 were written down by another nun, a close confidant of the saint, now often known as “Sister N.” Book 4 records Gertrud’s many vivid spiritual experiences, which took place on various liturgical feasts when she was too sick to take part in the community’s worship. Foregrounding visions of the court of heaven and dialogues with Christ, the Virgin Mary, and other saints, they further develop devotional themes already present in the earlier books. Often profoundly indebted to the liturgy of Mass and office, they have been carefully arranged according to the ecclesiastical year by the medieval compiler.  

CONTENTS
 List of Abbreviations   ix
Introduction   xi 
THE HERALD OF GOD’S LOVING-KINDNESS
Prologue   3
Chapter 1: Preparation for the Birth of Christ   5
Chapter 2: The Vigil of the Most Sweet Birth of Jesus   9
Chapter 3: The Honey-Sweet Nativity of the Lord   21
Chapter 4: Saint John Apostle and Evangelist   27
Chapter 5: Salutation of the Name of Jesu on the Feast of the Circumcision   39
Chapter 6: A Threefold Offering on the Epiphany of the Lord   43
Chapter 7: Veneration of the Lord’s Face on Omnis Terra Sunday   49
Chapter 8: Blessed Agnes, Virgin and Martyr   53
Chapter 9: The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary   55
Chapter 10: Saint Gregory the Pope   61
Chapter 11: Blessed Benedict Our Father: How Blessed Are Those Who Protect the Monastic Life   65
Chapter 12: The Lord’s Annunciation   69
Chapter 13: The Intentions That Should Be Offered for the Church on Circumdederunt Sunday   77
Chapter 14: Building the Ark: On Exurge Quare Sunday   81 
Chapter 15: Relief from a Burden on Esto Mihi Sunday 87
Chapter 16: The Recording of Good Works and How They Should Be Undertaken in Union with Christ’s Passion   93
Chapter 17: The Lord’s Offering on Behalf of Trudi’s Soul, and Three Victories: Invocavit Sunday   99
Chapter 18: Works of Spiritual Mercy: Monday   103
Chapter 19: Offering for the Church on Reminiscere Sunday   105
Chapter 20: Purchase of Christ’s Way of Life: On Oculi Mei Sunday   107
Chapter 21: The Lord’s Supper: On Laetare Sunday   109
Chapter 22: The Utility of Mindfulness of the Lord’s Passion: On Judica Sunday   113
Chapter 23: Service and Hospitality for the Lord: On Palm Sunday   117
Chapter 24: The Acceptability of Genuflection: Wednesday   127
Chapter 25: The Liturgy at the Lord’s Supper   131
Chapter 26: Good Friday   137
Chapter 27: The Resurrection of the Lord   145
Chapter 28: The Following Monday: Scrutiny of Her Life in Religion   149
Chapter 29: Renewal of Her Spiritual Marriage   153
Chapter 30: Wednesday: Spiritual Fertility   155
Chapter 31: How Useful It Is to Entrust All One’s Works to God   157
Chapter 32: On the Octave Day of Easter: How She Received the Holy Spirit   159
Chapter 33: The Greater Litany on the Feast of Mark   161
Chapter 34: Saint John before the Latin Gate   163
Chapter 35: Preparation before the Feast of the Ascension   167
Chapter 36: The Solemn Day of the Lord’s Ascension   175
Chapter 37: Preparation for the Feast of Pentecost   179
Chapter 38: The Honey-Sweet Feast of Pentecost   181
Chapter 39: Compensation for Her Spiritual Attitude   187
Chapter 40: The Grace of the Holy Spirit   189
Chapter 41: The Feast of the Glorious Trinity   191
Chapter 42: Saint John the Baptist   195
Chapter 43: Saint Leo the Pope   197
Chapter 44: The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul   201
Chapter 45: Saint Margaret the Virgin   205
Chapter 46: Saint Mary Magdalene   207
Chapter 47: Saint James the Apostle   211
Chapter 48: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin   213
Chapter 49: Saint Bernard the Abbot   235
Chapter 50: The Worth of Saint Augustine, Saint Dominic, and Saint Francis   239
Chapter 51: The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary   249
Chapter 52: The Dignity of the Holy Cross   257
Chapter 53: On Angels: The Feast of Michael the Archangel   263
Chapter 54: The Feast of the Eleven Thousand Virgins   267
Chapter 55: The Feast of All Saints   273
Chapter 56: Saint Elizabeth   277
Chapter 57: Saint Catherine, Virgin and Martyr   279
Chapter 58: The Feast of the Dedication of the Church   281
Chapter 59: The Consecration of the Chapel   287
Scriptural Index   291
 

Gertrud the Great of Helfta, Alexandra Barratt

Alexandra Barratt is professor emeritus at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. She studied at the Universities of Cambridge and Toronto and has published extensively on religious writing by medieval women in Latin and English. She has previously translated Books One and Two (CF035) and Book Three (CF063) of The Herald for the Cistercian Fathers series.    

"Having now translated the first four books of Herald of God's Loving Kindness, Alexandra Barratt has made an invaluable contribution to studies on Gertrud the Great and the women religious at Helfta. Barratt's introduction and notes helpfully elucidate the role of liturgy and music especially central in this book of the Herald. Her translation achieves the delicate balance between being faithful to the singular charisma of Gertrud of Helfta and being accessible to the contemporary reader."Ella Johnson, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology, St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry "Gertrud the Great of Helfta's Legatus divinae pietatis was translated into different European vernaculars from the late Middle Ages onwards, and has been influential ever since. Alexandra Barratt's lucid and eloquent translation into modern day English reopens its reception to a general readership, and gives a comprehensive introduction to the historical background and the text's style. This commendable piece of scholarship provides a crucial base for the study of visionary hagiography in medieval Europe."Racha Kirakosian, Assistant Professor of German and the Study of Religion, Harvard University "Renowned scholar of the Helfta literature, Alexandra Barratt, has produced her translation of the next portion of the Herald in the same careful and well-researched manner as her previous volumes. It is particularly important that this book is appearing in light of the drive for the declaration of Getrud as a Church Doctor. Barratt's translations have done much to keep the scholarship moving."Judith Sutera, OSB, Magistra

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