Vision
We are in the midst of Holy Week, approaching the cross in Jerusalem with Jesus. It’s a difficult week, when we need the comfort of Julian of Norwich’s most famous words: “But all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” We know the sin in our lives by the deep pain it causes - but through the midst of it, God keeps us safe.
This is the highest friendship of our beautiful, kind Protector, that we are kept safe so tenderly even while we are in the midst of sin. Christ touches us individually, in the private depths of our minds, and shows us our sin by the sweet light of mercy and grace. But when we see the pus and decay in our souls, we believe God is angry with us because of our sin. Then the Holy Spirit stirs our minds to life, our bruised souls turn to prayer, and we long with all our strength to put right our lives. We feel God is angry with us, and our feelings of guilt continue until our souls begin to find rest and our consciences grow easier. At that point, we hope God has forgiven our sins. And God has!
Our considerate and kind Protector reveals the Divine Presence to our souls; this Presence comes to us with laughter and a glad face, with a friendly welcome as if we had just come home after a painful prison sentence, saying, “My darling, I’m so glad you have finally come home to Me! In all your sadness, I was always with you, but now at last you see My love and we are united in joy.” -Julian of Norwich
It is amazing to think that we make the pain of sin worse by perceiving ourselves to be more separated from God than we really are. In truth, there is always a part of our souls that never consented to sin, and is always kept fastened onto Christ - onto His soul that lives inside us, with no distance between us. Julian says, “God allows us to fall [to sin], but by the joy, strength, and wisdom of Divine love we are kept safe—and by mercy and grace, we are lifted up... God wants us to endlessly see and love the Divine Presence in our lives.” Let’s not lose sight of that beautiful vision, even during the pain of Holy Week.
with love, Pr. Chelsea
P.S. Since Alan introduced me to Julian of Norwich last year, The Revelation of Divine Love has provided me with constant comfort. A long book of supernatural visions, it centers on the core belief that God made us and loves us; God suffers with us; and God will make all things new. For only $6 you can purchase an accessible, abridged version of her work - the first book ever written in English by a woman - at this e-book link.
