To read Julian’s Revelations in order, which is far better, begin at the Introduction. She continues here a remarkably interwoven, almost triple-plaited, study of the nature and relationship between the soul and its Creator which she began in chapter 52 .
Sixty-first chapter
Jesus usith more tenderness in our gostly bringing forth; thow He suffrith us to fallyn in knowing of our wretchidness, He hastily resysith us, not rekyng His love for our trespass, for He may not suffre His Child to perish. For He will that we have the prop-erte of a Child fleing to Him alway in our necessite.
And in our spiritual birth,
He uses more tenderness of keeping,
with no physical likeness,
as our soul is of more price in His sight.
He kindles our understanding, He directs our ways,
He eases our conscience, He comforts our soul,
He lights our heart, and gives us, in part,
knowledge and love of His blissful Godhead,
graciously showing His sweet Manhood, His blessed passion,
with the courtly marvel of His high, surpassing goodness,
making us love all that He loves for His love,
and be satisfied with Him and all His works.
If we fall, He raises us hastily
by His lovely caring, and gracious touch;
Then strengthened by His sweet work,
we willingly choose Him, by His sweet grace,
to be His servants, His lovers,
lastingly, without end.
After this He suffers some of us to fall,
harder, more grievously, than we ever thought before;
then we, who are not altogether wise,
think all we had begun was worthless;
but it is no so.
For we need to fall, we need to see it.
Without falling we should not know
how feeble, how wretched, we are alone;
nor fully know our maker’s marvellous love.
For we shall see truly in Heaven, without end,
that though we have grievously sinned in this life,
yet we were never hurt in His love,
nor ever less prized in His sight.
By the trial of this falling we shall have high,
marvellous, endless knowledge of God’s love
which may not, will not, be broken for our sin.
It is powerful, enduring, and marvellous.
This is one valuable understanding.
Another is the humility,
the meekness we shall get from seeing our fall,
without which we might never be raised in Heaven;
we must see it or gain nothing from our fall.
First we fall and then we see it,
both by God’s mercy.
For love a mother may let her child fall ,
or be distressed so it may learn,
but not let any peril come to it.
Though an earthly mother might let her child perish,
our heavenly Mother, Jesus,
shall not let us, His own children, perish.
For He is almighty, all wisdom, all love,
as is none but He – Blessed may He be.
Often when we see our falling, our wretchedness,
we are so sore afraid, so greatly ashamed,
we hardly know where to put ourselves.
But our courteous Mother will not let us flee,
for nothing is worse for Him than that.
But He would rather we be like a child,
that, when it is distressed or afraid,
runs hastily to its Mother for help
with all its might.
He wishes us to be like a meek child,
saying, “Kind Mother, gracious Mother,
precious Mother, have mercy on me.
I have made myself foul, unlike you,
and I cannot put it right
without your own help and grace.”
We do not feel eased at once,
we may be sure He uses the way of a wise mother.
If it is better for us to mourn and weep,
He suffers it with sadness and pity,
until a better time, for love,
wanting us to have that child’s nature
trusting always in its Mother’s love
in weal and in woe.
He wants us to hold strongly
to the faith of Holy Church,
finding there our precious Mother,
in solace of true understanding,
with the whole blessed community.
For a single person may often be broken,
as it seems to itself,
but the whole body of Holy Church
was never broken, nor ever shall be.
Therefore it is a sure thing, good and a gracious,
to desire, meekly and mightily,
to be sustained and united in our Mother,
Holy Church, that is Jesus Christ.
For His precious blood and precious water
is the plentiful food of mercy
to make us fair and clean.
Our Saviour blessed wounds are open
and treasured for our healing.
The sweet gracious hands of our Mother
are ready and diligently about us.
For in all this work He fills the office
of a kind nurse, with nothing at all to do
but attend to the salvation of her Child.
It is His service to save us.
It is His worship to do it.
It is His will that we know it,
for He wants us to love Him sweetly
and trust in Him meekly, and mightily.
And this He showed in these gracious words:
I keep thee full securely.
anthonyinuk 