Julian of Norwich, a contemporary of Geoffrey Chaucer, was an English anchoress in East Anglia. At the age of 30, suffering from a severe illness and believing she was on her deathbed, Julian had a series of intense visions of Jesus, which she recorded and then expanded on later in her life.
Her message for today's readers is simply this:
- She reveals the feminine face of the Divine and reminds us to see God there.
- All our failings are an opportunity to learn and grow; that they should be honored, but not dwelled upon.
- God's love has nothing to do with love and retribution and everything to do with love and compassion.
- In spite of all appearances, all is well.