< The 1st Showing – part 2 Her 2nd Showing >
Chapter 8
“A recapitulation of that is seid; and how it was shewid to hir generally for all. Eighth chapter.”
And as long as I saw this sight,
the profuse bleeding of the head,
I could not cease saying,
“Benedicite, Domine.”
In this showing I understood six things.
First,
the tokens of the blessed passion
and profuse shedding of His precious blood.
Second,
the Maiden, His precious Mother.
Third,
the blissfull Godhead
that ever was, is, and ever shall be,
almighty, all wisdom, all love.
Fourth,
all that He has made:
Heaven and earth and all that is made,
is vast – large, faire and good,
but it showed as so little in my sight
because I saw it in the presence of Him,
the maker of all things.
To a soul that sees the maker of all,
all that is made seems very little.
Fifth,
He that made all things for love;
by that same love it is kept
and shall be without end.
Sixth,
God is everything that is good,
as to my sight,
and the goodness that everything has
is Him.
All these our Lord showed me in this first showing
with time and space to behold it.
The bodily sight faded
and the spiritual sight stayed in my understanding.
I remained in reverent awe,
rejoicing in what I saw,
desiring, if it were His will,
and as much as I dared,
to see more,
or for a longer time to see the same.
In all this I was greatly stirred,
in love for my fellow Christians,
that they might see and know that which I saw,
for I wished it to be comfort to them.
For this sight was shown for all.
Than I said to them that were about me,
“Today is doomsday with me”;
for I expected to die,
and in my understanding,
the day a man dies,
he is judged to eternity.
I said this wanting them to love God better,
to remind them that this life is short,
as they might see in my example,
for I expected to die.
And that was strange to me,
and somewhat sad, for I thought
this vision was for the living.
And I say this personally,
to all my fellow Christians,
for in our Lord God’s spiritual showing
I have learnt that He intends this.
So I pray you all for God’s sake,
and counsel you for your own profit,
do not behold the wretch
to whom this vision came,
but mightily, wisely, and meekly behold God
who, in courteous love and endless goodness,
wishes it shown generally
to comfort us all.
For it is God’s will that you take it
with great joy and happiness
as if Jesus had shown it to you all.
Chapter 9
“Of the mekenes of this woman kepeing hir alway in the feith of Holy Church; and how he that lovyth his evyn Cristen for God lovith all thing. Ninth Chapter.”
This showing does me no good unless I love God better.
And inasmuch as you love God better,
it is more value to you than to me.
I speak not to them that are wise,
for the wise know it well,
but I say it to you that are simple
for your ease and comfort,
for we are all one in comfort.
Truly I was not shown that God loved me
better than the least soul in grace.
I am sure there are many
who have had no showing or sight
than Holy Church’s common teaching
that love God better than I.
For if I look only to myself
I am truly naught;
but if I look to all
I am one in hope and charity
with all my fellow Christians.
For in this unity stands the life
of all mankind that shall be saved.
For God is all that is good in my sight.
God has made all that is made
and God loves all that He has made;
and he that loves generally
all his fellow Christians for God’s sake,
loves all that is.
For in mankind that shall be saved
is comprehended all,
that is to say,
all that is made
and the Maker of all;
for in man is God,
and God is in all.
And I hope by the grace of God
he that sees it thus
shall be truly taught
and strongly comforted
when he needs comfort.
I speak of them that shall be saved,
for at this time God showed me no other.
But in everything I believe
as Holy Church believes,
and preaches and teaches.
For the faith of Holy Church,
which I had understood beforehand,
stood continually in my sight,
and, as I hope by the grace of God,
I kept with all my will,
in use and custom,
forever willing and meaning,
to receive nothing
that might be contrary to it.
And with this intent I beheld the showing
with all my diligence,
for in all its blessedness,
I beheld it as one with God’s meaning.
All this was shown three ways,
in my bodily sight,
by word formed in my mind,
and by spiritual sight.
But I cannot nor may not
show the spiritual sight as openly now
as fully as I would wish.
But I trust in our Lord God Almighty
that He shall in His goodness,
and for your love,
make you to take it more spiritually
and more sweetly than I can or may tell it.
anthonyinuk 