Revelations of Divine Love

by Julian of Norwich

For the blessed comfort that I saw, it is large enough for us all.

And when have fallen, by frailty or blindness, then our courteous Lord touches us and stirs us and calls us; and then wills that we see our wretchedness and meekly be aware of it. But he does not wish for us to stay like this, nor that we become busy with accusation, nor feel wretched about ourselves. Instead, he wills that we immediately turn ourselves to him.

And everything that is helpful, it is Christ in us.

He showed himself reigning at various times, as I have said, but principally in the human soul. He has made there his resting-place and his fair city; and he shall never rise from nor leave it.

And by this I understood that the Lord regards the servant with pity and not with blame. For this passing life does not ask to be lived without blame and sin. He loves us endlessly, we sin habitually and he exposes us very gently. Then we sorrow and mourn discreetly, turning ourselves to gaze on his mercy, hugging his love and goodness, seeing that he is our medicine and perceiving we do nothing but sin. And so with the humility won by sight of our sin, faithfully aware his everlasting love, thanking and praising him, we please him.

But this was shown: that in falling and in rising we are always kept precious in one love. For in beholding God we do not fall, and in beholding our self we do not stand; and both these are true as I see it. But beholding our Lord God is the highest truth.

And I saw so clearly that before God made us he loved us; and this love never slackened, nor ever shall. In this love he has done all his works; in this love he has made all things to benefit us and in this love our life is everlasting. In our making we had a beginning; but the love in which we were made was in him and without beginning. In this love we have our beginning; and all this we shall see in God, without end.