In our world of narrowing down what God does or who he loves, I share with you some of my observations from Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love.
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God still does miracles. He intervenes actively in our lives. These are usually preceded by very rough times.
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God cannot be manipulated by prayer. Asking the intercession of saints, and trying to make prayer more effective by citing arguments or mentioning special things or events, are not helpful. Prayer is effective when it is the result of God wanting a person to receive something, and putting the content of the prayer into the person’s mind. Julian seems well-aware that this sounds as problematic as all other accounts of the power of prayer.
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God still issues calls to individuals. Apparently He does not call the “beautiful people”, whose lives and abilities seem perfect, for special assignments. Instead, he chooses the obviously flawed individuals, people
who get ridiculed for some reason by others through no fault of their own. -
Christ reveals Himself to living persons. When He does, He is always a warm, intimate, and “courteous” friend. This increases their faith tremendously, and they in turn are called to share this revelation with others. Julian was one such person, and she expressed the hope that people would not consider her a celebrity or focus on her, but on Christ.
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The Jewish people will be saved. Julian asked about the good Jewish people and whether they would be saved. It is clear that she was told “Yes”, because right after she mentions this, she adds a few paragraphs saying how she was sure that nothing in the revelation contradicted anything she’d been taught in church
Prayer
Lord give us hearts of inclusiveness that allow us to live with people as you love them. The world seeks to splinter and divide your creation and we know that you came to bring us together and show us a better way.
You want all who are called to serve you.
You offer miracles of grace and healing to those who seek them.
Lets us open our eyes and just see.
Amen
“And in this he showed me a little thing, the quantity of a hazel nut, lying
in the palm of my hand, as it seemed. And it was as round as any ball. I looked upon it with the eye of my understanding, and thought, ‘What may this be?’ And it was answered generally thus, ‘It is all that is made.’ I marveled how it might last, for I thought it might suddenly have fallen to nothing for littleness. And I was answered in my understanding: It lasts and ever shall, for God loves it. And so have all things their beginning by the love of God.
In this little thing I saw three properties.
—–Julian of Norwich
Read more of about Julian of Norwich
Related articles
- Julian of Norwich 1 (julianproject.wordpress.com)
- Denise Levertov, Julian of Norwich and that Blessed Hazelnut. (livingwittily.typepad.com)
A Pastor's Thoughts 
Thank you for sharing your walk of faith. I have added Julian quotes to my blog to support a particular post. Not widely known or quoted, but very inspirational !