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Julian of Norwich

Julian of Norwich

Julian of Norwich (1342 - 1416)

Julian of Norwich was an English anchoress and an important Christian mystic and theologian. Her Revelations of Divine Love, written around 1395, is the first book in the English language known to have been written by a woman. Julian was also known as a spiritual authority within her community, where she also served as a counsellor and advisor. She is venerated in the Anglican and Lutheran churches. The Roman Catholic Church has not declared her to be a saint or given her the title Blessed. Accordingly, she does not appear in the Roman Martyrology, nor is she included in the calendar of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

The first printed version of the Revelations was edited by a Benedictine, Serenus Cressy, in 1670. It was reprinted in 1843, 1864 and again in 1902. Modern interest in the text increased with the 1877 publication of a new edition of the Long Text by Henry Collins. An important moment was the publication of Grace Warrack's 1901 version of the book, with its "sympathetic informed introduction" and modernised language, which introduced most early 20th century readers to Julian's writings. Following the publication of the Warrack edition, Julian's name spread rapidly and she became a topic in many lectures and writings. Many editions of the works have been published in the last forty years (see below for further details), with translations into French (five times), German (four times), Italian, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Dutch, Catalan, Greek and Russian.

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Julian of Norwich

A Part of His Passion

AFTER this Christ shewed a part of His Passion near His dying. I saw His sweet face as it were dry and bloodless with pale dying. And later, more pale, dead, languoring; and then turned more dead unto blue; and then more brown-blue, as the flesh turned more deeply dead. For His Passion shewed to me ... Read More
Julian of Norwich

A Revelation of Love—in Sixteen Shewings

THIS is a Revelation of Love that Jesus Christ, our endless bliss, made in Sixteen Shewings, or Revelations particular. Of the which the First is of His precious crowning with thorns; and therewith was comprehended and specified the Trinity, with the Incarnation, and unity betwixt God and man’s soul... Read More
Julian of Norwich

A simple creature unlettered.—Which creature afore desired three gifts of God

THESE Revelations were shewed to a simple creature unlettered,7 the year of our Lord 1373, the Thirteenth day of May. Which creature [had] afore desired three gifts of God. The First was mind of His Passion; the Second was bodily sickness in youth, at thirty years 3 of age; the Third was to have of ... Read More
Julian of Norwich

All thing that is done, it is well done: for our Lord God doeth all.” “Sin is no deed

AND after this I saw God in a Point,52 that is to say, in mine understanding,—by which sight I saw that He is in all things. I beheld and considered, seeing and knowing in sight, with a soft dread, and thought: What is sin? 26 For I saw truly that God doeth all-thing, be it never so little. And I sa... Read More
Julian of Norwich

Every man shall be rewarded for his willing service and for his time

AFTER this our good Lord said: I thank thee for thy travail, and especially for thy youth. And in this [Shewing] mine understanding was lifted up into Heaven where I saw our Lord as a lord in his own house, which hath called all his dearworthy servants and friends to a stately feast.65 Then I saw th... Read More
Julian of Norwich

For every man’s sin that shall be saved He suffered

AND thus I saw our Lord Jesus languoring long time. For the oneing with the Godhead gave strength to the manhood for love to suffer more than 43 all men might suffer: I mean not only more pain than all men might suffer, but also that He suffered more pain than all men of salvation that ever were fro... Read More
Julian of Norwich

God willeth to be seen and to be sought: to be abided and to be trusted

AND after this I saw with bodily sight in the face of the crucifix that hung before me, on the which I gazed continually, a part of His Passion: despite, spitting and sullying, and buffetting, and many languoring pains, more than I can tell, and often changing of colour. And one time I saw half the ... Read More
Julian of Norwich

God, of Thy Goodness, give me Thyself;—only in Thee I have all

IN this same time our Lord shewed me a spiritual25 sight of His homely loving. I saw that He is to us everything that is good and comfortable for us: He is our clothing that for love wrappeth us, claspeth us, and all encloseth26 us for tender love, that He may never leave us; being to us all-thing t... Read More
Julian of Norwich

Greatly stirred in charity to my fellow-Christians

AND as long as I saw this sight of the plenteous bleeding of the Head I might never cease from these words: Benedicite Domine! In which Shewing I understood six things:—The first is, the tokens of the blessed Passion and the plenteous shedding of His precious blood. The second is, the Maiden that is... Read More
Julian of Norwich

I desired to suffer with Him

AND when I was thirty years old and a half, God sent me a bodily sickness, in which I lay three days and three nights; and on the fourth night I took all my rites of Holy Church, and weened not to have lived till day. And after this I languored forth13 two days and two nights, and on the third night... Read More
Julian of Norwich

If I look singularly to myself, I am right nought

BECAUSE of the Shewing I am not good but if I love God the better: and in as much as ye love God the better, it is more to you than to me. I say 44 not this to them that be wise, for they wot it well; but I say it to you that be simple, for ease and comfort: for we are all one in comfort. For truly ... Read More
Julian of Norwich

It is not God’s will that we follow the feeling of pains in sorrow and mourning for them

AND after this He shewed a sovereign ghostly pleasance in my soul. I was fulfilled with the everlasting sureness, mightily sustained without any painful 34 dread. This feeling was so glad and so ghostly that I was in all peace and in rest, that there was nothing in earth that should have grieved me.... Read More
Julian of Norwich

Julian of Norwich Quotes

“All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.” ― Julian of Norwich “The greatest honor we can give Almighty God is to live gladly because of the knowledge of his love.” ― Julian of Norwich “He said not 'Thou shalt not be tempested, thou shalt not be travailed, thou... Read More
Julian of Norwich

See Him that is all my life, and all my bliss, and all my joy suffer?

AND in this dying was brought to my mind the words of Christ: I thirst. For I saw in Christ a double thirst: one bodily; another spiritual, the which I shall speak of in the Thirty-first Chapter. 37 For this word was shewed for the bodily thirst: the which I understood was caused by failing of moist... Read More
Julian of Norwich

Suddenly the Trinity filled my heart with utmost joy

IN this [moment] suddenly I saw the red blood trickle down from under the Garland hot and freshly and right plenteously, as it were in the time of His Passion when the Garland of thorns was pressed on His blessed head who was both God and Man, the same that suffered thus for me. I conceived truly an... Read More
Julian of Norwich

The dearworthy blood of our Lord Jesus Christ

AND after this I saw, beholding, the body plenteously bleeding in seeming of54 the Scourging, as thus:—The fair skin was broken full deep into the tender flesh with sharp smiting all about the sweet body. So plenteously the hot blood ran out that there was neither seen skin nor wound, but as it were... Read More
Julian of Norwich

The Enemy is overcome by the blessed Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ

AND after this, ere God shewed any words, He suffered me for a convenient time to give heed unto Him and all that I had seen, and all intellect59 that 30 was therein, as the simplicity of the soul might take it.60 Then He, without voice and opening of lips, formed in my soul these words: Herewith is... Read More
Julian of Norwich

The Goodness of God is the highest prayer

THIS Shewing was made to learn our soul wisely to cleave to the Goodness of God. And in that time the custom of our praying was brought to mind: how we use for lack of understanding and knowing of Love, to take many means [whereby to beseech Him].31 Then saw I truly that it is more worship to God, a... Read More
Julian of Norwich

The Ground of Our Praying

Prayer is the deliberate and persevering action of the soul. It is true and enduring, and full of grace. Prayer fastens the soul to God and makes it one with his will, through the deep inward working of the Holy Spirit. I am the ground of your praying. First, it is my will that you should have this;... Read More
Julian of Norwich

The Parable of the Lord and the Servant

Our gracious Lord answered in showing very mysteriously a wonderful illustration of a lord who has a servant, and He gave insight to my understanding of both of them....For the first was thus: I saw two persons in bodily form, that is to say, a lord and a servant; and with this God gave me spiritual... Read More

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