We continue our alphabetical romp thorough the bracket a Mechtild of Magdeburg stares down Ninian (of Nowhere in Particular). Sorry, sometimes you have to add some alliteration where it doesn't exist. Nonetheless, it's a German medieval mystic vs. a Scottish missionary.
In yesterday's action, Hiram Kano took down Lucy of Syracuse 56% to 44% to advance to the Saintly Sixteen against Emily Cooper.
Vote now!
Mechthild of Magdeburg
Mechthild of Magdeburg was a medieval mystic, a groundbreaking poet and a self-described “unruly woman of God.” Honestly, what more do you need to know?
Mechthild was born around 1207 in northern Germany and had her first religious vision at age twelve. “The day of my spiritual awakening was the day I saw and knew I saw all things in God and God in all things,” she wrote.
Her visions continued daily, which led Mechthild to travel to the diocesan seat of Magdeburg in her twenties to join a group of Beguines there. Beguines were one of a number of religious orders springing up at the time. Many lived together in community, encouraging one another to imitate Jesus by living lives of prayer and service in the world, but they were not officially recognized by the pope and did not take formal vows.
In her forties, her confessor, a Dominican priest named Henry of Halle, encouraged her to write about her mystical encounters, which became the spiritual classic Das fließende Licht der Gottheit, or The Flowing Light of the Godhead. Notably, Mechthild composed the seven volumes of The Flowing Light of the Godhead in the Low German spoken in Magdeburg at the time, rather than in the usual Latin of the Church. Hundreds of years before Martin Luther translated the Bible into German, Mechthild was one of the first European Christians to popularize the language of the people as language able to communicate the sacred.
The books include accounts of her experiences, revelations of the divine, devotional poems, and criticisms of church corruption so fiery that there were calls to burn her books. Some scholars believe her descriptions of heaven, hell, and purgatory may have influenced Dante’s Divine Comedy. In one of her best-known poems, Mechthild wrote: “A fish in water does not drown. A bird in the air does not plummet. Gold in fire does not perish. Rather, it gets its purity and its radiant color there. God has created all creatures to live according to their nature. How, then, am I to resist my nature? I must go from all things to God.”
Elderly and blind, Mechthild dictated the seventh and final book of The Flowing Light of the Godhead while living among a group of Cistercian sisters in Helfta, near Eisleben. It’s unclear if she officially joined the order or simply lived in their care in her final years. She died sometime between 1282 and 1294, and her writing was largely forgotten until hundreds of pages were found hidden in a Swiss monastery in 1860.
Mechthild is venerated as “blessed” in the Catholic Diocese of Magdeburg and remembered on different days in several Christian traditions, including in the Catholic and Episcopal churches.
Collect for Mechthild of Magdeburg
Draw the souls of your people into your love, O God, that like your servant Mechthild, we may yearn to be fully yours, for you know us better than we can know ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.
Ninian
Ninian was the first missionary to Scotland and spread the gospel throughout the fourth century. The Venerable Bede records stories of a holy man named Ninian who came to the Southern Picts and brought them back to Christianity. Bede reports that Ninian had been trained in Rome and made his base of operations at a place in Whithorn—establishing the diocese of Galloway. The locals called the place Candida Casa, because the church was built of white stone, instead of wood, like most other British churches were at the time, and they were extremely impressed.
Ninian also established a monastery there, which became a major site of industry and pilgrimage. St. Aelred of Rievaulx has a slightly different story, and reports that Ninian was not a foreign missionary, but a local—the son of a Christian British chief, who traveled to Rome to be ordained and educated, and came home via Gaul, befriending Martin of Tours along the way.
Either way, Ninian’s effects are hard to deny. The lowlands of Scotland are filled with sites and churches dedicated to him. The missionary work he undertook was continued by Columba, Patrick, Bridget, and other Celtic saints. The diocese of Galloway still calls itself Candida Casa in honor of St. Ninian, and even though the saint’s story has faded into the mists of history, his impact has not.
Collect for Ninian
O God, by the preaching of your blessed servant and bishop Ninian you caused the light of the Gospel to shine in the land of Britain: Grant, we pray, that having his life and labors in remembrance we may show our thankfulness by following the example of his zeal and patience; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
73 comments on “Mechthild of Magdeburg vs. Ninian”
Tough one today for sure, but after reading "God has created all creatures to live according to their nature"---THAT REALLY MADE ME THINK.
Answers many questions for me about creation.
My vote goes to Mechthild!
I hadn't heard of either of these saints. I would like to read more about Mechthild.
Mecthild took sacred words out of Latin and into the language that people actually spoke. Well done her!
I'm voting for Mechtild, but captcha doesn't believe I'm not a robot. Please record my vote
Mechthild is a clear winner.
Ninian gets my vote! The first missionary to Scotland and to spread the gospel throughout the fourth century. In addition he has Celtic roots, which speak to me.
“The diocese of Galloway still calls itself Candida Casa in honor of St. Ninian and even though the saint’s story has faded into the mists of history, his impact has not.”
This has me believing he must have been a humble servant….. humility my favorite personality trait!
"An unruly woman of God". I am going to get a custom t-shirt that says that and wear it proudly! How I love Lent Madness!
Alas poor Ninian as he joins the crowd
of Celts who did their Lord so proud,
Columba, Kevin, Brigit, Patrick.
Madness Celts leave so quick!
An unruly German amongst the lot?!
Find me ANY Scot who is not!
(With respect to John Cabot and my Caledonian forebears!)
My grandson calls me Nini so I had to go with Ninian!!
This was such a struggle for me! I am intrigued by Celtic Christianity. I was blessed to visit Ireland and Scotland last year on a Celtic pilgrimage. I love St. Columba, who apparently was a follower of Ninian. However, Mechtilde of Magdeburg had me at, “I saw all things in God and God in all things.” Additionally, I adore an alliteration as well as a fellow unruly woman of God.
I can't help thinking that all of the votes and comments resonating with an “unruly woman of God” help to explain why being in church leadership is so often likened to herding cats. (And if I'm blessed at my age to become the staff person of another female cat, I think I might name her Matilda!)
Voting fit the lady again today! Lucy was my first loss, but I share Kano’s experience with appendicitis as a need faith moment!
Mechthild was steadfast & true to herself.
I maybe an unruly woman of God too! Amen
I love the way "unruly women of God" have been used by God to correct the male dominated church down through the millennia, so I had to vote for Mechthild
Emily Miller had my vote in the first sentence for Michthilde! Nintian may have had a chance vs almost anyone else. Good job Emily! In appreciation for my introduction to Michtilde!
Of course I’m drawn to the idea of an unruly woman of God, but someone who was able to reach out to the Scots when the Romans weren’t able to conquer them? Whoa!
You had me at "unruly woman of God"...
Many comments talk about being 'unruly'. So if the author had said Ninian was an 'unruly man' would you have voted for him? Being a missionary to a pagan culture was dangerous work. I think you all should give St. Ninian a little more credit.
She had me a "unruly woman of God." What a spirit!
Since it's strongly looking like Mechthild is going to advance, I'm sure we'll be treated to some of her poems, but I wanted to post this one right away. After reading Emily Miller's story I was inspired to learn more about Mechthild--go go Lent Madness!--and found the poem at https://kalliopekathryne.com/2020/04/16/a-very-unruly-woman-of-god.
I cannot dance, Lord,
unless you lead me.
If you want me to leap with abandon,
You must intone the song.
Then I shall leap into love,
From love into knowledge,
From knowledge into enjoyment,
And from enjoyment
beyond all human sensations.
There I want to remain,
yet want also to circle higher still.
Please Update the 2025 Bracket.
I've voted for Mechthild of Magdeburg in honor of my dear friend Tilde (short for Mechtilde - the Mexican spelling) who left us too soon. She was a devoted teacher and shared the Gospel in her life. I didn't know much about the Blessed Mechthild until now, but I think she shared much in common with her namesake.
Ok, I may have been unduly influenced because I have a friend named Mechthild (and no friends named Ninian), but I also like her publishing books in low German, and her criticism of corruption in the church.
I doubt that either of these advance further.
Even though Ninian gets my vote, I really want to be an “unruly woman of God.”
Unruly woman of God did it for me
How can I not vote for Mechthild? With a degree in German language and literature, studies in Berlin and Munich, a translator in Mainz-Gonsenheim, and a mother who's family is in Magdeburg, I have no choice. The clincher was "How, then, am I to resist my nature? I must go from all things to God.” ...and became a deacon.
Once again, the "prove your are not a robot is utterly bizarre, Today it simply kept posting another set of images, even when I am quite sure I did it correctly. VOTER SUPPRESSION? That's a bad look, whither it is intentional or just malfunctioning aps...
Ninian is choice IF allowed
It is Mechthild for me today. Another of her quotes goes something like this: "The soul is made of love and must ever strive to return to love. Therefore, it can never find rest nor happiness in other things. It must lose itself in love. By its very nature it must seek God, who is love."
I have not been receiving the daily emails in time to vote. The emails arrive in the middle of the night, ie 3 a.m. Has anyone else had a similar issue. I have had to bring up the website in order to vote.