'Saint' filled with spiritual wisdom

Question: When is a saint, not a saint? Or when is someone who's not a "saint," a saint?

Answer: When it's St. Mechtildis (or Mechtild) of Helfta.

Mechtildis was born in 1241 to the noble von Hackeborn family of Helfta, Saxony.

When Mechtildis was seven, she went with her mother to visit Mechtildis' sister, Gertrude, who was a nun in the Benedictine convent at Rossdorf. Mechtildis was so enchanted by the convent that she went to each nun, begging them to allow her to stay. They finally interceded with Mechtildis' mother and she remained. Soon after, Gertrude was elected abbess and she saw to it that her sister received an excellent education.

When she was old enough, Mechtildis became a nun. In 1258, Mechtildis moved with the nuns to a monastery at Helfta. It was there, three years later, that a five-year-old girl - who later became famous as St. Gertrude the Great - joined the convent.

Mechtildis, who taught in the monastery school, soon became a close friend of the future St. Gertrude the Great. Both the women were mystics, so it was natural that they would work together to write books about their mystical experiences.

Both women practiced what they called "nuptial mysticism," in which they saw themselves as the bride of Christ. That, in turn, drew them into the life of the Trinity. They both drew heavily on the liturgy and Scripture for their spirituality.

Gertrude's book was the Book of Extraordinary Grace, also known as Revelation of St. Gertrude. Mechtildis' book was called the Book of Special Graces or The Revelations of St. Mechtildis.

Gertrude's writings were used 500 years later to help spread devotion to the Sacred Heart and frequent reception of Communion, to support the work of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

Ss. Gertrude and Mechtildis also worked together on a series of prayers.

One of Mechtildis' spiritual insights is: "Christ is more easily possessed than a bit of thread or straw. A single wish, a sigh, is sufficient."

For 40 years, Mechtildis led her community in singing the liturgy of the hours. Her singing voice often drew praise - St. Gertrude called her "the nightingale of Christ." Mechtildis died on Nov. 19, 1298, when she was only 57.

So why is she or isn't she a saint? Mechtildis was never officially canonized, but Benedictine convents are allowed to celebrate her feast on Nov. 16, which is also the feast of St. Gertrude the Great.

Perhaps that's most fitting for November - the month of all saints, both those on the church's official register or canon and those known only to God, though held to be true saints by those who knew them well.

Sources: Dictionary of Saints, Saint of the Day and Voices of the Saints.