Joining with Lara at Holy Mothering in a weekly sharing of favorite books...
It's a classic, and I completely fell in love with this book. It came as a real surprise to me that I would feel so strongly about Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich because I thought it would be too challenging for me to understand. It's written in Olde English and I thought it would take forever for me to finish, but once I opened the pages, I couldn't close the book until I was finished. It was breathtaking poetry from beginning to end! Here are the passages that have remained embedded in my heart...
"I saw Him-yet the more I saw the more I needed to see. I had Him-and the more I had of Him the more I knew I lacked."
"For that contrariness is cause of our tribulations and all our woe, and our Lord Jesus taketh them and sendeth them up to Heaven, and there they are made more sweet and delectable than heart may think or tongue may tell."
"They that were His friends suffered pain for love."
"All His doings be easy and sweet, and to great ease bringing the soul unto the fair sweet deeming of our Lord God."
"I was left in heaviness and weariness of my life, and irksomeness of myself, so that scarcely I would have patience to live. Souls sometimes be in comfort and for profit of man's soul, a man is sometimes left to himself. Freely our Lord giveth when He will; and suffereth us to woe sometimes. And both are one love."
"For this is the cause why we be not all in ease of heart and soul; that we seek here rest in those things that be so little, wherein is no rest, and know not our God that is Almighty, All-wise, All-good. For He is the very rest."
Such beautiful poetry, such heart-felt prayers...I could rewrite the whole book for you here because I loved all of it! But, I will leave the rest for you to discover for yourself, if you haven't already. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing. I will have to look for this book, as I have not read this one yet.
ReplyDeleteGod bless and have a wonderful day
I have a copy of this book and I have been wanting to read it for the longest time, but somehow it just keeps getting buried. I've read excerpts here and there, and now plan to go forth headlong and start reading this book.
ReplyDeleteA few years from now, when my children are in high school, I would like to pursue doctoral studies in English, focusing on the medieval women mystics, especially Julian.
Thank you for the encouragement to pursue God's revelation through His servant Julian. It's quite incredible the "God-incidences" He is using to pull us together ... first Anne Lamott and now Julian of Norwich. :)
Many blessings, dear Anne!
Susanne :)
I loved this book. The writings of the earlier saints can be hard to read, but like you I love poetry and these books are like heavenly poems. My favorite poem of all time is " The Hound of Heaven " by Francis Thompson. Have you read this one?
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