Chapter 4-5
The Book of Margery Kempe: Detailed Study Notes
Temptations and Spiritual Trials
Confession and Penance
Margery Kempe frequently went to confession, adhering to the penances prescribed by her confessor.
Despite her confessions, she experienced ongoing and increased temptation rather than relief from them.
She felt abandoned by God due to these temptations, which contributed to her struggles with despair.
God's Grace
Margery reflected on the grace she received from God, marked by daily periods of contrition (compunction).
She experienced a significant emotional turmoil, often mourning as if God had completely forsaken her.
Trial of Temptation
During one year, her trials intensified, making her feel as distant from God's grace as if she had never experienced it.
Divine Encounter on Christmas Eve
Revelation of Christ
On the Friday before Christmas Day, while kneeling in a chapel, she asked for mercy and forgiveness from God.
Christ revealed Himself to Margery, asking why she was weeping and affirming His sacrificial love and forgiveness.
He promised her salvation, assuring that she would not enter hell or purgatory.
Christ emphasized that her sins had been brought to her mind for the purpose of confession and absolution, granting her contrition until the end of her life.
Instructions from Jesus
Margery was encouraged to refer to Jesus as her love and was instructed to stop wearing a physical hair-shirt in favor of a spiritual hair-shirt in her heart.
Christ commanded her to give up meat and instead partake in Holy Communion, highlighting that this would infuse her with grace, such that others would marvel at her conviction.
He promised to protect her from enemies and divinely assured her of His continuous presence regardless of her state of happiness or sorrow.
Directive on Prayer
Jesus instructed her to minimize repetitive prayers and focus on contemplation, promising that He would instill thoughts into her mind.
She was to spend time in meditation after a designated prayer period and to consult an anchorite, revealing the insights and counsel Jesus bestowed upon her.
Anchorite's Response
After visiting the anchorite and sharing her revelations, he emphasized the significance of what she experienced, likening it to receiving a pledge of paradise.
He urged her to receive divine thoughts humbly and to report back to him, who would discern if they were from the Holy Spirit or the devil.
Spiritual Struggles and Temptation
First Two Years of Temptation
Margery initially felt strong in her faith and had great peace during her first two years, fearing no temptation.
She became confident, mistakenly believing she loved God more than God loved her, which led to presumption.
To humble her, God allowed a three-year period of greater temptations, specifically with lechery, demonstrating the spiritual enemy's persistency in testing human frailties.
Lechery Temptation
As tempations resurfaced, Margery was led into a struggle with feelings of lechery during a period when she thought she was beyond such desires.
Despite engaging in spiritual practices, including confession and bodily penance, she felt overwhelming pressure from temptation.
A man made advances toward her on St. Margaret's Eve and she was troubled by this encounter, leading to intense spiritual conflict.
Conflict with Temptation
Margery struggled with her thoughts during evensong, believing that God had forsaken her as a result of her temptations.
Ultimately, she experienced a moment of resignation to sin before encountering the man again, but he rebuffed her advances.
This led Margery into despair, feeling unworthy of God's mercy due to her consent to sinful thoughts.
Emotional Turmoil
The internal conflict left her in a state of desperation, feeling as if she would end up in hell due to her perceived betrayal of God.
Her torment illustrated the depths of her struggle and longing for grace, encapsulating her journey towards spiritual reconciliation.