Wednesday, May 8, 2013

St. Julian of Norwich

I don't know a lot about this mystical lady from Norwich England. From what I've read on Wikipedia I find her fascinating. Her writings such as Revelations of Divine Love illuminate an aspect of divinity that is in stark contrast to the standard image popular among Christianity today and her time as well.

This very well known quote is one of hers: "All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well."

This to me speaks to the 'Okay-ness' of things in spite of troubles, frets, difficulties and even suffering. The last thing needed in relating to the divine is fearful constant trembling at a god that is secretly believed to be out to get us. A god that we somehow privately understand has rigged the game all along is one that is difficult to relate to or even want to relate to and take seriously.

I think Julian not only presents us with a corrective to this wrathful god-image, but an alternative that can be counted on - at least until we come to our own understanding or gnosis.

There are so many mind made hindrances that prevent us from trekking the spiritual path. To my mind, St. Julian dispels many of these and her work is the healing salve that allows our seeking nature to be at home and have a place to work from.

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