Julian of Norwich and the Healing of Wounds (original) (raw)

JULIAN OF NORWICH, HER SHOWING OF LOVE AND ITS CONTEXTS �1997-2024 JULIA BOLTON HOLLOWAY || JULIAN OF NORWICH || SHOWING OF LOVE || ST BIRGITTA OF SWEDEN || BIBLE AND WOMEN || EQUALLY IN GOD'S IMAGE || MIRROR OF SAINTS || BENEDICTINISM || THE CLOISTER || ITS SCRIPTORIUM || AMHERST MANUSCRIPT || HEAVEN WINDOW || CATALOGUE (HANDCRAFTS, BOOKS ) || BOOK REVIEWS || BIBLIOGRAPHY || � Mirfield Publications, House of the Resurrection, Mirfield, West Yorkshire, WF14 OBN, England; � Julian of Norwich, Bronze, Connie Cook, Collection of the Right Honourable Norman St John-Stevas, M.P.

HEALING OF WOUNDS

y Child, what is that troubles you? You look full of pain and anxiety?

I am full of dread and near to despair. The journey has been for me one fall after another. I am bruised and tired, and it seems to me now a waste of time to have started at all.

I can see that you seek the comfort that only the Lord can give you.

The Lord will not give me comfort because most of my troubles are my own fault. I feel cast away and forsaken.

But dearworthiest child, the Lord does not want you to despair like this. However many falls you have had, whether they be your own fault, or whether they be caused by the blows from life that you have received, his love for you is like a rock. None of your falling can harm or alter it.

How can this be so? I am wretched and unholy, full of weakness, unlovely and unlovable.

You must forget how you feel about yourself; only look at him and see how he feels about you. He wants to assure you of his love. All the hurt and distress that has come to you only moves him to love you for your weakness or your blindness. He wants to surround you with his love. Only come to him and his tender touch will restore you.

If I could dare to believe that what you say is true! This would be all that I could desire. In my heart of hearts, I have always wanted his love, despite what I have done. But what is that I see in your hand?

It is something the Lord showed to me. He said it is everything that exists; though to me it appears as a small, fragile thing, like a hazel nut.

But what does it mean?

As I looked at it, he said to me that all things and everything, however weak, is made by him, loved by him and sustained by him.

Everything - does that include me?

Yes, most of all it includes you. You are made, loved and sustained by him. If you come to him, cling to him, he will take from you all your distress and grief. He promises that in the end, though you cannot imagine such a thing, all your wrongs will be made right, all your hurts healed, and all your longing and praying will be rewarded.

It is almost too wonderful to believe, yet I begin to feel that it might be so.

My child, it is indeed so. For it is love that you are seeking, it is love for which you were made, and it is love that the Lord will give to you. Begin to put your confidence in him; he wants you to come to him, now.

I found this pamphlet in the Catholic Cross and Passion Convent, Kilcullen, Kildare, Ireland. It is from the Anglican Community of the Resurrection, Mirfield, Yorkshire, England.

Margaret Sparshott, Drawing of Chartres Sculpture of Christ Creating Adam, Lee Abbey Retreat, 1998

Naomi Klein, The Shock Doctrine, at http://books.guardian.co.uk/video/2007/sep/07/naomiklein