Oh, oh, oh, how I love the woman of today's feast day: Dame Julian of Norwich. I bought her book at a library sale once and saw it was prefaced by a Protestant and published by a Protestant house. How nice that they've discovered her too. What's not to love? And is not love the operative word in this long-lived anchoress' life? She saw many visions (mostly of the Lord's passion, but also of the world and all that is in it). This is from her manuscript, "Revelations of Divine Love":
Wouldst thou learn thy Lord's meaning?
Learn it well: love was His meaning.
Who shewed it thee? Love.
What shewed He thee? Love.
Wherefore shewed it He? For love.
Hold thee therein and thou shalt learn and know more in the same.
And her most famous words of consolation:
The Lord said, "I can make all things well: I will make all things well: I shall make all things well: and thou shalt see thyself that all manner of things shall be well.
Julian lived well into her 70's. Although a recluse, she had two maidens to assist her in her declining years, and she greeted and expounded her message of love to those many who came to her window. She died in 1423.
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