God is self-revealed as "through a window" to those who look to God in faith. For Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), one of the first and greatest medieval mystics, to pray meant to stand at the window of faith, to see, to hear, to respond and to be responsible. The Windows of Faith is a prayerful selection of Hildegard's visionary and prophetic writings. Penitence, joy, trust in God, delight in Mary and in the fiery power of the Holy Spirit all these themes and more are captured her prayers and songs collected here.

Hildegard didn't leave us a prayer book in the classic sense. Yet these mystical writings, scattered throughout Hildegard's major theological works, are especially appealing to us today. In their honesty and simplicity, their light and darkness, their joy and suffering, they reveal the heart of the saint and reflect the inner stages through which we pass on our pilgrimage to God.

The first part of the prayers presented in The Windows of Faith contains texts that were not conceived or composed as prayers, but are taken from the flow of her visions. They are especially helpful to those who find themselves speechless before God.

"To sing is to pray twice," as Augustine said. The second part of the collection contains twenty-six poems from Hildegard's seventy-six spiritual songs, which she carefully and artistically composed and adapted for liturgical use.

An introductory essay on Hildegard's thought helps readers interpret and better understand Hildegard's prayer language, and addresses a few focal points of her spirituality.

The Windows of Faith, a moving prayerbook, encourages us all to look through the "windows of faith." Its off-white pages and one ribbon marker give it a classic feel and make it the perfect gift for yourself or someone you love.