Notes on Julian of Norwich's Showings
Julian of Norwich: Showings
Translated from the Critical Text
With an Introduction by Edmund Colledge, O.S.A. and James Walsh, S.J.
Preface by Jean Leclercq, O.S.B.
Paulist Press
Cover Art
Artist: Pomona Hallenbeck, native of the southwest, currently residing in New York City.
Artistic Engagement: Teaches at schools and workshops in New York, Texas, New Mexico, Canada; also creates textile designs and multimedia educational materials.
Interpretation of the Cover:
Depicts Julian of Norwich's vision during a critical illness at age 30.
Encounter with Death and realization of there being "no death".
Vision emphasizes an all-encompassing Love which sustains and protects.
Through the contemplation of Christ's Passion, Julian perceived a unified past, present, and future through her connection to Christ.
Essence of message: Love as the Source, Energy, and Joy; divine connection revealed through the Passion.
Final Thought: Julian communicates the immediacy of the Christ Within, emphasizing that in crises, Love is the enduring truth.
Preface
Acknowledges the significance of Julian's work within mystical tradition and its relevance for modern spirituality.
Contents
Short Text
Long Text
Bibliography
Indexes
Short Text
Chapter 1
Vision: An account of a vision by the goodness of God, experienced by a devout woman named Julian in Norwich around A.D. 1413.
Graces Desired:
Three specific graces were sought from God:
Recollection of Christ’s Passion.
Experience of bodily sickness.
Receipt of three spiritual wounds.
Chapter 2
Experience of Sickness:
At age 30.5, Julian suffered a severe bodily sickness lasting three days and three nights.
Received the last rites, believed to be on the brink of death, but wished to live on to love God better.
Julian expressed the longing for a deeper connection with Christ and his Passion during this period.
Chapter 3
Desire for Compassion:
In seeking to empathize with Christ's suffering, Julian desired to share in His wounds of compassion and longing.
Vision Received: Witnessed blood flowing from Christ’s crown of thorns, demonstrating Christ’s deep love and sacrifice.
Chapter 4
Understanding of Divine Love:
God as our clothing, encompassing love, guiding and embracing us tenderly.
Julian saw a hazelnut as representative of all creation, highlighting God’s enduring love that ensures existence.
Chapter 5
Reflection: Julian witnessed the tokens of Christ's Passion, recognizing that God loves everything He created, and reflecting on how sin minimizes and distracts from this truth.
Chapter 6
Personal Application: Julian encourages the contemplative reading of revelations for comfort, signifying a universal truth applicable to all Christians.
Chapter 7
Teaching Revealed: Julian differentiates between giving the revelation as a personal experience versus a communal teaching meant for general edification.
Chapter 8
Divine Presence: Encounter with God instilled Julian with assurance of God’s active presence in all creation, making her contemplate the true nature of sin and its absence in God’s design.
Chapter 9
Degrees of Bliss: God revealed three degrees of bliss experienced by souls based on their service and dedication to Him.
Chapter 10
Suffering of Christ: Deep examination of Christ’s physical and spiritual suffering, reflecting on His humanity's pain and ultimate sacrifice, emphasizing love's triumph over anguish.
Chapter 11
Choosing Christ: Julian committed to choose Jesus as her heaven, even amidst His suffering, emphasizing the need to find solace and joy in Him regardless of circumstance.
Chapter 12
Joy in Suffering: Immediate change in Christ's appearance from suffering to joy elucidates the connection between suffering and eventual joy in the divine realm.
Chapter 13
Vision of Holiness: Encounter with the glorified body of Christ emphasizes His love and the mutual love shared between Him and Our Lady, underscoring the unique relationship they maintain.
Chapter 14
Understanding of Sin: Julian is taught the necessity of sin for the manifestation of God’s love and the ultimate restoration of man; sin as a means to greater compassion and redemption.
Chapter 15
Reassurance from God: God’s assurance that all will be well, emphasizing His omnipotence, wisdom, and unity of purpose within the Trinity regarding salvation.
Chapter 16
Teaching on Patience: The presentation of patient suffering and how it is pleasing to God aids in purifying the soul, reinforcing the concept of enduring earthly trials in anticipation of heavenly joy.
Chapter 17
Revelation of Protection: Julian is enveloped in love for all Christians, emphasizing God's view of their goodness and a vision of their unyielding will to love God against sin’s influence.
Chapter 18
Fear and Sin: Acknowledges the prevalence and dangers of sin, urging rejection of false fears while maintaining a reverent fear of God that leads to true peace and strength.
Chapter 19
Conditions for Prayer: God emphasizes the importance of praying in harmony with His will, which enhances the efficacy of prayer and establishes a reassuring relationship with the divine.
Chapter 20
Longing for Heaven: Julian's longing for God amidst earthly pain consolidates her understanding of the transient nature of life and solidifies the significance of enduring struggles for future glory.
Chapter 21
Return to Reality: Julian's experience post-revelation underscores the fragility of human perception and the ongoing battle with despair, ultimately trusting in God’s mercy for comfort and strength.
Chapter 22
Visions of the Soul: Julian sees her soul as a glorious kingdom wherein Christ dwells, signifying the eternal security of His presence coupled with teachings of trust and overcoming.
Chapter 23
Combating the Devil: The account of Julian struggling against the devil's temptations reflects the importance of Christ's essence and teachings as shields against despair and disillusion.
Chapter 24
Types of Fear: Julian categorizes fears, delineating helpful from harmful, and the powerful role that reverent fear plays in drawing one closer to God while other fears distract and disturb.
Chapter 25
Consolation through Understanding: Final reflections on the role sin plays in distinguishing between good and evil, emphasizing that God desires souls full of love for Him, free from sin and fear.
Conclusion
Julian emphasizes the significance of recognizing God’s matter in both creation and salvation beyond the constraints of sin, aspiring towards a perpetual union in divine love for oneself and fellow creatures.
According to the text, the body and its senses play a crucial and integral role in Julian of Norwich's experience of mystical ecstasy and divine union. Her severe bodily sickness at age 30.5, which led her to the brink of death, served as the direct catalyst and setting for her visions. In fact, she had desired "Experience of bodily sickness" as one of three specific graces from God, indicating a conscious understanding of its spiritual significance.
Her physical state allowed for a profound empathetic connection with Christ's suffering. She desired "to empathize with Christ's suffering" and to "share in His wounds of compassion and longing." This desire was fulfilled through sensory visions, such as witnessing "blood flowing from Christ’s crown of thorns," which demonstrated Christ's deep love and sacrifice. Furthermore, she "saw a hazelnut as representative of all creation," highlighting God's enduring love through a direct sensory perception.
The text also emphasizes the visual and physical aspects of her encounters: she "witnessed the tokens of Christ's Passion," saw the "immediate change in Christ's appearance from suffering to joy," and had an "Encounter with the glorified body of Christ." Even her "longing for God amidst earthly pain" consolidated her understanding of life's transient nature, showing how physical discomfort deepened her spiritual resolve. Thus, the body and its senses are not merely passive recipients but active conduits through which Julian experiences and comprehends divine revelations and union.