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A 20-minute meditation with the writings of Julian of Norwich, using Lectio Divina.

You are probably familiar with Mother Julian’s saying “All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.”

On her deathbed, Julian was given a vivid and powerful vision of Christ on the cross. She revived from this extreme illness, and went on to spend the rest of her life as an anchoress, enclosed in a cell, that she might meditate on the meaning of this vision. She lived in medieval Norwich and her writings are the earliest English language writings attributed to a woman.

In this meditation we listen prayerfully to some of these words, describing the understanding she was given after many years of meditating on the vision (see text below).

I am relatively new to Julian of Norwich and so I invite you to begin to explore her insights together with me as a beginner. 

If you’d like to explore more about Julian, I did read the fictional autobiography “I, Julian” by Claire Gilbert last year and can heartily recommend it. My friend Nikki, who has a great devotion to Julian, also commends “Anchorhold: Corresponding with Revelations of Divine Love” by Kirsten Pinto Gfroerer, a book of meditations on her words.

Blessings as you meditate with her words here today and thank you again for being here.

Text for meditation:

“Throughout the time of my showings I wished to know what our Beloved meant. More than fifteen years later the answer came in a spiritual voice. This is what I heard: Would you like to know our Lord’s meaning in all this. Know it well. Love was his meaning. Who revealed this to you? Love. What did he reveal to you? Love. Why did he reveal it to you? For love. Stay with this and you will know more of the same. 

You will never know anything but love, without end. And so what I saw most clearly was that love is his meaning. God wants us to know that he loved us before he even made us. And this love has never diminished and never will. All his actions unfold from this love and through this love he makes everything that happens of value to us. And in this love we find everlasting life. Our creation has a starting point. But the love in which he has made us has no beginning and this love is our true source. 

Thanks be to God!”

Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love, Chapter 86 (Mirabai Starr translation)

Contemplative at Home offers guided meditative prayer – space to slow down and listen to the truth that is being born out of God’s love for you today – drawing on Ignatian spirituality and at times, Lectio Divina.

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All music by Pete Hatch.