Revelations of Divine Love is a book of mystical devotion written by Julian of Norwich. In the book, she relates sixteen revelations she received from Jesus on her deathbed on May 8, 1342. These revelations were generally of Christ’s passion wherein Christ gave her the understanding of his deep love and compassion for all of us, and that “all will be well.” Her work is a guide to allow us into a deeper relationship with Jesus. She wrote in Middle English (and was a contemporary of Chaucer) and is the first known woman English writer. We are using the “short text” she wrote soon after her recovery, supplemented by the long text she wrote decades later. As additional background for the study, I am reading An Explorer’s Guide to Julian of Norwich by Veronica Rolf and Love’s Trinity: A Companion to Julian of Norwich by John Roden. This Eastertide study covers six weeks.
Easter 2024
Revelations of Divine Love – Background
It is within this time of war, plague, social rebellion, and religious division that Julian receives and transmits to us, her revelations of God’s tenderness and care and that “all will be well.”
Revelations of Divine Love – The Beginning
Julian gives us a living example of how the good dirt of the parable becomes receptive to the seeds. Julian never asked for her revelations or even for intellectual insight or eternal salvation. Rather, she only asked to know Jesus better.
Revelations of Divine Love – The First Revelation
Julian’s physical vision of the Crown of Thorns gives way to a spiritual vision of Jesus enwrapping us, enfolding us, embracing us, and wholly enclosing us within his love so that we can never be truly parted.
Revelations of Divine Love – Revelations Two through Six
Julian understands that the devil is still active in the world, but she sees that Christ’s victory means that whatever evil the devil does, God turns it into joy for us and sorrow for him.
Revelations of Divine Love – Revelation Seven
God’s very real presence in our lives is unaffected by how we are feeling. She ends this Revelation with the insight that “bliss lasts forever, and pain passes and will come to nothing.”
Revelations of Divine Love – Revelation Eight
Julian understands that ultimately it is Christ’s love for us that made him suffer. Although his suffering occurred but one time, she sees that his love “was without beginning and is and ever shall be without end.” The suffering exists for a moment, but the love of Christ endures.
Revelations of Divine Love – Revelation Nine
Christ suffered, not only for us but with us. In the Incarnation, he who knew no sin, nonetheless suffered with us in our sins so that we may be at one with him and overcome our sufferings. And in the overcoming of our sufferings, God in Trinity takes great pleasure and eternal delight.
Revelations of Divine Love – Revelations Ten through Twelve
In Revelation Eleven, Mary becomes the representative of all of humanity. Therefore, just as Christ glorifies Mary, so will he glorify all of us as well.
Revelations of Divine Love – Revelation Thirteen, pt.1
The compassionate love of God in Christ that bridges the separation between the Divine and the Human, works through us and bridges the separation between all of us. Loving God and loving your neighbor all arise out of the compassion that Jesus has for us if we will but see it.
Revelations of Divine Love – Revelation Thirteen, pt.2
This union between each of us and the Trinity, this at-one-ment, this final reconciliation is what salvation constitutes. Everything – the Incarnation, the Cross, the Resurrection – works towards this ultimate union between the divine and human when “all will be made well.”
Revelations of Divine Love – Revelation Thirteen, pt.3
In this Revelation, Christ reminds Julian with a “love and assurance of spiritual safekeeping” that although she will sin and thereby experience a separation from God, this separation is never the end because “all will be well.”
Revelations of Divine Love – Revelations Fourteen and Fifteen
God’s message to Julian is for patience to await for God’s will to be carried out at the right time. She recognizes that impatience prevents her (and us) from living life now, and simply knowing the perfect end that will come should be enough.
Revelations of Divine Love – Revelation Sixteen and Conclusion
In this Final Revelation, Jesus also assured her that “it was he who had revealed everything to me before.” Jesus specifically tells her “‘Be well aware that what you saw today was no delirium, but accept it and believe it, and hold to it, and you shall not be overcome.”