Julian of Norwich
Icon "borrowed" from Paul the BB.
"The soul that would preserve its peace, when another's sin is brought to mind, must fly from it as from the pains of hell, looking to God for help against it. To consider the sins of other people will produce a thick film over the eyes of our soul, and prevent us for the time being from seeing the 'fair beauty of the Lord'-- unless, that is, we look at them contrite along with the sinner, being sorry with and for him, and yearning over him for God. Without this it can only harm, disturb, and hinder the soul who considers them. I gathered all this from the revelation about compassion...This blessed friend is Jesus; it is his will and plan that we hang on to him, and hold tight always, in whatever circumstances; for whether we are filthy or clean is all the same to his love."
What is going on in the Anglican Communion now, if it's not bringing to mind the so-called "sins" of others, who because they love people of the same sex must not be fully included in God's church and must not have their unions blessed by the church? Would that we'd all follow Lady Julian's directive to "preserve our peace" and fly from contemplating the sins of others as from the pains of hell. If we choose to spend our time contemplating sin, are not our own "manifold sins and wickedness" enough?
Better still, could we spend our time "seeing the 'fair beauty of the Lord'...for whether we are filthy or clean is all the same to his love"?
PRAYER
Lord God, who in your compassion granted to the Lady Julian many revelations of your nurturing and sustaining love: Move our hearts, like hers, to seek you above all things, for in giving us yourself you give us all; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Lady Julian's words from The Lectionary.
Amen.
ReplyDeleteJulian was a wise lady.
ReplyDeleteThank you Grandmere. It is always such a blessing to come here. Fresh oxygen.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, thanks. It seems simple enough.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mimi!
ReplyDeleteI have a great love of Julian. Her prayer, "God, of Your Goodness, give me Yourself, for You are enough for me . . . " is the heart of serenity and Presence.
What a wonderful passage from her work. Your application of it to our "contemplating the sins of others" in not just the Anglican Communion, but in our society as well is well put. I keep praying that "all manner of thing shall be well."
ReplyDeleteMark, you're welcome. God is enough, even when others abandon us.
ReplyDeleteAmelia, despite what we see around us, "all manner of things shall be well".
"And they looked up and saw only Jesus."
My name-day Saint. I'm not named for her, but I like to think I've benefitted w/ sharing (a form of) her name, anyway. :-)
ReplyDelete