JULIAN OF NORWICH

Julian of Norwich was one of the greatest spiritual mystics of the Middle Ages. Born in 1342 in Norwich, which was the second largest city in England in those days, she grew up during the most daunting, challenging times in all of history. When she was just six, the great plague broke out all over Europe. Three-fourths of Norwich’s population perished! So her earliest days were haunted by the specter of constant, inexplicable suffering and sorrow.

Politically, England was in turmoil, as was the Church, as two rival popes battled for supremacy. John Wyclif campaigned to reform Church and society, but faced violent opposition. Then, during a fierce galestorm, the towering steeple of the cathedral in Julian's hometown of Norwich toppled to the ground – and citizens regarded this catastrophe as an ominous sign of God’s judgment.

Julian’s own health was poor, and as a young woman she was lingering near death – when she began to have startling visions. She gazed on a crucifix, and it came to life; she found herself in open conversation with Jesus, listening, talking, questions, answers, reflections. After contemplating the content and meaning of these “showings” for many years, even though she felt inadequate as a person and as a writer, she felt she had to share what had been given her by God.

The result is the first book written by a woman in the English language. English, oddly enough, was suspect as a language in the Church; the Catholics tried to stamp out its usage, and if you were found with an English Bible (John Wyclif was the one laboring to get it translated!), you could be executed.

In such intimidating, treacherous, grief-filled and fearful times, Julian wrote of the great joy and peace that Christ gives. With steeple stones still piled on the ground, the city a shell of its former self, recent graves outnumbering the living by three to one, the economy in shambles, where did Julian look for security? “Thus will I love, and thus do I love, and thus I am safe” – for her conversations with Christ were all about love, his for her, hers for him, his for the city, and all of God’s people.
Julian wrote, “The Soul must perform two duties. One is that we reverently marvel. The other is that we humbly endure, and take pleasure in God.” To recover our ability to “marvel,” to be awed by the greatness of God, the sheer mercy in Christ’s grace! and then to endure, to be patient, to find joy in God no matter the circumstance. This was Julian’s secret in her own life: “God wants us to know that he keeps us equally safe, in woe as in well-being.”

Having been granted peculiar, wonderful visions of Christ, Julian lived the rest of her life in a small stone room with three windows – which matched her threefold desire: for contrition (grief over her sin), compassion (for Christ and for the hurting), and longing for God. Think of this: Julian longed to long for God! For her, “seeking is better than seeing.” Like many great spiritual writers through history, she understood that, theologically speaking, questions are better than answers; if we get a glimpse of God or learn some truth, more questions are provoked; we never figure God out, but take immense delight in the never-ending quest to learn more, to draw closer.

The Christ she loved was the Christ who suffered. It was a crucifix that came alive, and much like St. Francis of Assisi, Julian wanted to feel what Christ felt in the hour of his suffering for us. In her visions, Jesus showed her the wound in his side – and she saw in it “the entire kingdom of heaven.” She suffered much, but she did not see God as the cause of her suffering: “All that is good our Lord does; all that is evil our Lord suffers.” Her suffering brought her closer to the Lord, who suffers what we suffer. But the peace and joy of the Lord’s presence transform everything: Julian’s most famous words were, “All shall be well, and all shall be well; all manner of things shall be well.” This is no sunny optimism about tomorrow being a more chipper day; this is hope, the vested confidence that when all is said and done, the love of God will triumph over plagues, storms, illness, a crumbled Church, political machinations, and even death itself.

People from the town and surrounding villages came to her stone room, bringing her food and other essentials – and gave her these in return for her prayers and counsel. Imagine a world where there is a woman so holy, so close to God, that we would travel to her, simply to hear her speak of God, and to ask how to live. Julian taught them to offer their desires to God, as she had. She wanted what was not of God to be purged from her soul: “Lord, you know what I want. If it is your will for me to have it, let me have it. If not, do not be displeased, for I only want what you will.”

* Recommended book - Amy Frykholm, Julian of Norwich: A Contemplative Biography

* Julian's classic book: Showings

* a great book on Wyclif and the battle to translate the Bible into English? Benson Bobrick, Wide as the Waters