Rev. Dundas Harford Ma

Comfortable Words for Christ's Lovers: Being the Visions and Voices Vouchsafed to Lady Julian Recluse at Norwich in 1838 Rev. Dundas Harford Ma

Juliana of Norwich was born about 1342 and was a recluse attached to the Church of Saint Julian. She explains the various methods she received these revelations. ?"By bodily sight, I have said as I saw, as truly as I can ? By words formed in mine understanding, as for the words formed, I have said them right as our Lord showest me them ? By ghostly sight. But the ghostly sight ... I may never fully tell it.? Let us consider her three desires: ?The first was, to have mind of Christ's Passion. The second was, bodily sickness. The third was, to have of God's gift three wounds.? Describing the Cosmos she was shown: ?In this little thing I saw three parts: The first is that God made it. The second is that He loves it. The third is that God keeps it.? ?God showed me full great pleasance that He has in all men and women that mightily and meekly and worshipfully receive" the preaching and the teaching of Holy Church. For He is Holy Church. For He is the Ground: He is the Substance: He is the Teaching: He is the Teacher: He is the End: He is the Midst, for which each true soul travails. And He is known and shall be known to each soul to whom the Holy Ghost declares it. And I am sure that all those that feel thus shall speed, for they seek God.? "I am the ground of thy beseeching. "First, it is My will that thou have it. "And then I make thee to will it. "And then I make thee to beseech it. "And if thou beseech it, how should it then be that thou should not have thy beseeching?" This is an inspiring little work and fruitful for meditation.