In the theology courses I have been taking, one of the prophets briefly mentioned was Julian of Norwich who is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, and Lutheran Church. She was an anchoress who lived a life of contemplative prayer in a cell of the Church of St Julian in Norwich, England. When thought to be on her deathbed, she had a series of visions of Jesus Christ. After she recovered she wrote a narration of her visions which established her as one of the greatest English mystics.
Very little is known about her including her real name.
It was in 1373, when Julian was just over 30 years old and living with her mother that she received her visions. In her book she tells that she had desired 3 graces from God (i) to have the consistent recollection of Christ's Passion, (ii) to experience bodily sickness when she was 30 years old (the same age as Jesus when he began his ministry) and (iii) to have 3 wounds; true contrition, loving compassion and a longing for God. In her 30th year she became sick to the point of death. The priest came and prepared her for death and gave her the last rites. A few days later on the Third Sunday after Easter, May 8th, having again been visited by her priest, the pain suddenly left her and a series of wonderful 'Revelations' or 'Showings' began. During the next 12 or so hours she received 15 revelations of God's love centering on the cross of our Lord; then a 16th early on the Monday morning. It was this experience that convinced her that she had to devote her life totally to God. She decided not to go off and live in a convent as a nun, but to become an Anchoress. And it just so happened that the anchoress cell attached to S. Julian's Church on King Street was unoccupied at that time. So she became the Anchoress at S. Julian's and eventually wrote down two versions of her Revelations, in the Middle English of her day. The first was written soon after her arrival and a much longer text some years later after much prayer, contemplation and meditation. Her book is called THE REVELATIONS OF DIVINE LOVE: the first book to be written in English by a woman.
The subject of The Revelations is love - God's love for mankind shown in the Passion, suffering and death of Jesus Christ, and the response of man towards God, his Maker, Keeper and Preserver. This love creates all that exists; it sustains all and redeems all; it is unfailing even in times of sorrow or trial; it is unconditional; it is a love plenteous beyond imagining; it is all powerful and all embracing; and in this love there is no place for anger or wrath. God's whole purpose is to bring all into the bliss of heaven, so that 'All shall be well!'
The Catholic Encyclopedia thinks she may have been a Benedictine nun.
The original form of her name appears to have been Julian. She was probably a Benedictine nun, living as a recluse in an anchorage of which traces still remain in the east part of the churchyard of St. Julian in Norwich, which belonged to Carrow Priory.
Her writings influenced the church of her time to move toward a theology of love and mercy at a time when many were largely apocalyptic.
Although Julian lived in a time of turmoil, her theology was optimistic, speaking of God's love in terms of joy and compassion as opposed to law and duty. For Julian, suffering was not a punishment that God inflicted, as was the common understanding. She believed that God loved and wanted to save everyone. Popular theology, magnified by current events including the Black Death and a series of peasant revolts, asserted that God was punishing the wicked. In response, Julian suggested a more merciful theology, which some say leaned towards universal salvation. She believed that behind the reality of hell is a greater mystery of God's love. In modern times, she has been classified as a proto-universalist, although she did not claim more than hope that all might be saved.[9] Although Julian's views were not typical, local authorities did not challenge either her theology or her authority because of her status as an anchoress. The lack of references to her work during her own time may indicate that religious authorities did not count her worthy of refuting, since she did not have much power as a woman.[citation needed]
Julian's theology was unique in three aspects: her view of sin, her belief that God is all love and no wrath, and her view of Christ as mother.[citation needed] According to Julian, God is both our mother and our father. This idea was also developed by Francis of Assisi in the thirteenth century.Feminist theology in the 20th and 21st centuries has developed along similar lines.
Julian believed that sin was necessary in life because it brings one to self-knowledge, which leads to acceptance of the role of God in one's life.[10] Julian taught that humans sin because they are ignorant or naive, not because they are evil, which was the reason commonly given by the church for sin during the Middle Ages.[11] Julian believed that in order to learn, we must fail. Also, in order to fail, we must sin. The pain caused by sin is an earthly reminder of the pain of the passion of Christ. Therefore, as people suffer as Christ did, they will become closer to Him by their experiences.
Similarly, Julian saw no wrath in God. She believed wrath existed only in humans but that God forgives us for this. She writes, “For I saw no wrath except on man's side, and He forgives that in us, for wrath is nothing else but a perversity and an opposition to peace and to love”.[12]Julian believed that it was inaccurate to speak of God's granting forgiveness for sins because forgiving would mean that committing the sin was wrong. Julian preached that sin should be seen as a part of the learning process of life, not malice that needed forgiveness.
Some passages from her writings:
There were times when I wanted to look away from the Cross, but I dared not. For I knew that while I gazed on the Cross I was safe and sound, and I was not willingly going to imperil my soul.
I was filled full of everlasting assurance, powerfully secured without any pain or fear. This experience was so happy spiritually that I felt completely at peace and relaxed; there was nothing on earth that could have disturbed me. But this lasted only for a short time, and then I was changed and I began to act with a sense of loneliness and depression and the futility of life itself, so that I hardly had the patience to continue living. No comfort or relaxation now, just 'faith, hope and love', and truly I felt very little of this. And yet soon after this our blessed Lord gave me once again that comfort, so pleasant and sure, so delightful and powerful, that there was no fear, no sorrow, no pain, physical and spiritual that could bother me. And then again I felt the pain; then the joy and pleasure; now the one and now the other, again and again, I suppose about 20 times. In the time of joy I could have said with S. Paul: Nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ; and in my pain I could have said with S. Peter: Save me Lord, I am perishing. This vision was shown to teach me to understand that some souls profit by experiencing this, to be comforted at one time, and at another to be left to themselves. God wishes us to know however that he keeps us safe at all times, in sorrow and in joy.
I desired in many ways to know what was our Lord's meaning. And fifteen years after and more, I was answered in spiritual understanding, and it was said: What, do you wish to know your Lord's meaning in this thing? Know it well, love was his meaning. Who reveals it to you? Love. What did he reveal to you? Love. Why does he reveal it to you? For love. Remain in this, and you will know more of the same. But you will never know different, without end.
She described her visions in powerful terms.
- The Lord that sat stately in rest and in peace, I understood that He is God. The Servant that stood afore the Lord, I understood that it was shewed for Adam: that is to say, one man was shewed, that time, and his falling, to make it thereby understood how God beholdeth All-Man and his falling.
For in the sight of God all man is one man, and one man is all man. This man was hurt in his might and made full feeble; and he was stunned in his understanding so that he turned from the beholding of his Lord. But his will was kept whole in God’s sight; — for his will I saw our Lord commend and approve. But himself was letted and blinded from the knowing of this will; and this is to him great sorrow and grievous distress: for neither doth he see clearly his loving Lord, which is to him full meek and mild, nor doth he see truly what himself is in the sight of his loving Lord. And well I wot when these two are wisely and truly seen, we shall get rest and peace here in part, and the fulness of the bliss of Heaven, by His plenteous grace.
And this was a beginning of teaching which I saw in the same time, whereby I might come to know in what manner He beholdeth us in our sin. And then I saw that only Pain blameth and punisheth, and our courteous Lord comforteth and sorroweth; and ever He is to the soul in glad Cheer, loving, and longing to bring us to His bliss.
- The place that the Lord sat on was simple, on the earth, barren and desert, alone in wilderness; his clothing was ample and full seemly, as falleth to a Lord; the colour of his cloth was blue as azure, most sad and fair. his cheer was merciful; the colour of his face was fair-brown, — with full seemly features; his eyes were black, most fair and seemly, shewing full of lovely pity, and, within him, an high Regard, long and broad, all full of endless heavens. And the lovely looking wherewith He looked upon His Servant continually, — and especially in his falling, — methought it might melt our hearts for love and burst them in two for joy. The fair looking shewed of a seemly mingledness which was marvellous to behold: the one was Ruth and Pity, the other was Joy and Bliss. The Joy and Bliss passeth as far Ruth and Pity as Heaven is above earth: the Pity was earthly and the Bliss was heavenly.
- The Merciful Beholding of His Countenance of love fulfilled all earth and descended down with Adam into hell, with which continuant pity Adam was kept from endless death. And thus Mercy and Pity dwelleth with mankind unto the time we come up into Heaven.
- Man is blinded in this life and therefore we may not see our Father, God, as He is. And what time that He of His goodness willeth to shew Himself to man, He sheweth Himself homely, as man. Notwithstanding, I reason, in verity we ought to know and believe that the Father is not man.
- The blueness of the clothing betokeneth His steadfastness; the brownness of his fair face, with the seemly blackness of the eyes, was most accordant to shew His holy soberness. The length and breadth of his garments, which were fair, flaming about, betokeneth that He hath, beclosed in Him, all Heavens, and all Joy and Bliss: and this was shewed in a touch, where I have said: Mine understanding was led into the Lord; in which I saw Him highly rejoice for the worshipful restoring that He will and shall bring His servant to by His plenteous grace.
- There was a treasure in the earth which the Lord loved. I marvelled and thought what it might be, and I was answered in mine understanding: It is a food which is delectable and pleasant to the Lord.
- Yet I marvelled from whence the Servant came. For I saw in the Lord that HE hath within Himself endless life, and all manner of goodness, save that treasure that was in the earth. And that was grounded in the Lord in marvellous deepness of endless love, but it was not all to His worship till the Servant had thus nobly prepared it, and brought it before Him in himself present. And without the Lord was nothing but wilderness. And I understood not all what this example meant, and therefore I marvelled whence the Servant came.
- In the Servant is comprehended the Second Person in the Trinity; and in the Servant is comprehended Adam: that is to say, All-Man. And therefore when I say the Son, it meaneth the Godhead which is even with the Father; and when I say the Servant, it meaneth Christ’s Manhood, which is rightful Adam. By the nearness of the Servant is understood the Son, and by the standing on the left side is understood Adam. The Lord is the Father, God; the Servant is the Son, Christ Jesus; the Holy Ghost is Even Love which is in them both.
In all this our good Lord shewed His own Son and Adam but one Man. The virtue and the goodness that we have is of Jesus Christ, the feebleness and the blindness that we have is of Adam: which two were shewed in the Servant.
And thus hath our good Lord Jesus taken upon Him all our blame, and therefore our Father nor may nor will more blame assign to us than to His own Son, dearworthy Christ.
- For all mankind that shall be saved by the sweet Incarnation and blissful Passion of Christ, all is the Manhood of Christ: for He is the Head and we be His members. To which members the day and the time is unknown when every passing woe and sorrow shall have an end, and the everlasting joy and bliss shall be fulfilled; which day and time for to see, all the Company of Heaven longeth. And all that shall be under heaven that shall come thither, their way is by longing and desire.
- Also in this marvellous example I have teaching with me as it were the beginning of an A.B.C., whereby I have some understanding of our Lord’s meaning. For the secret things of the Revelation be hid therein; — notwithstanding that all the Shewings are full of secret things.
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Julian_of_Norwich
Julian's positive, hopeful message is beloved by many and held in high esteem by Catholics and other Christians. Her teachings on sin, forgiveness, and the motherhood of God are unique in Catholic theology. Although she was never beatified she is called "Saint" Julian of Norwich. She is commemorated by the Roman Catholic Church on May 13, and by both the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as a renewer of the Church and the AnglicanChurch on May 8.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Julian Of Norwich And The Revelations Of Love
via facebook.com
Haley Barbour reportedly doing well after back operation | gulflive.com
ACKSON, Miss. -- Governor Haley Barbour had minimally invasive, out-patient surgery on his lower back this morning, according to his office.
The surgery was scheduled to address a minor back issue commonly encountered in active individuals and former athletes, a spokeswoman said.
"The procedure was a success and the prognosis is excellent. The surgery relieved the pressure on the nerves in the Governor's low back that caused the discomfort," said Dr. Jack Moriarity, the neurosurgeon at NewSouth NeuroSpine who performed the procedure.
The surgery occurred at River Oaks Hospital in the Jackson area, and the Governor returned home around noon today, a few hours after surgery.
"I received immediate relief, and I expect to be back to work full time this week," said Governor Barbour.
Homebuilder Confidence Fell This Month on Sales Outlook, NAHB Index Shows - Bloomberg
Confidence among U.S. homebuilders fell in April, led by a decline in the outlook for sales, a sign the residential construction market may languish near record-low levels.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo sentiment index declined to 16 this month from 17 in March, data from the Washington-based group showed today. A measure of sales expectations for the next six months dropped to the lowest level since October, and a gauge of current purchases also fell. Readings below 50 mean more respondents said conditions were poor.
Housing construction is one of the weakest parts of the economic recovery as a glut of distressed properties on the market competes with new homes. The prospect of more foreclosures in the pipeline, declining prices and an unemployment rate forecast to average 8.7 percent this year means any recovery in housing may take years to develop.
“Homebuilders are finding it difficult to compete with deeply discounted existing properties,” said Michelle Meyer, a senior economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York. “The backdrop for builders is still negative.”
The measure, which has been at 16 in five of the last six months, was less than the median forecast of 17 in a Bloomberg News survey. Projections among the 47 economists surveyed ranged from 16 to 20.
via bloomberg.com
U.S. credit rating outlook lowered by S&P - Apr. 18, 2011
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Standard & Poor's lowered its outlook for the nation's long-term debt Monday, even as it reaffirmed the agency's top-tier rating for the U.S. economy.
S&P maintained its 'AAA/A-1+' credit rating on U.S. sovereign debt, saying the nation's "highly diversified" economy and "effective monetary policies" have helped support growth.
via money.cnn.com
South recovering from storms, death count climbs | Reuters
(Reuters) - Severe weather in the South in recent days -- including tornadoes, thunderstorms, flooding and hail -- has killed at least 45 people, officials said on Monday.
The count that may rise as recovery efforts continue.
Some forecasters expect another around of severe weather to hit the central Plains and the Mississippi and Ohio valleys on Tuesday.
"Beginning late today and tonight, a small area from eastern Kansas to western Kentucky could have a few localized gusty storms before a more widespread severe weather threat unfolds," metrologist Bill Deger of Accuweather.com said.
Meanwhile, the Midwest is expected to get a mix of snow and rain around the Great Lakes, according to the Weather Channel, and flood warnings were in effect along and near the Ohio River in Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois, the National Weather Service reported.
via reuters.com
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