In the midst of this dark time, Julian experienced the blazing light of mystical vision. As the first real English woman writer, she described her visions in her remarkable book Revelations, in which Jesus showed her the all-embracing, all-healing love of God. She speaks of Jesus as "our true mother’ and as ‘our courteous Lord." She sees a tiny hazelnut as "everything that is made," existing because "God made it…God loves it…God keeps it." In her special devotion to Christ’s Passion Julian saw in the cross the fullness of divine love that is triumphant over all the sufferings of life.

The most repeated words in her Revelations, like the theme of a Puccini Opera, are Jesus’ saying to her: Sin is necessary, but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.

There are words of absolute realism and unconquerable hope, both at once. Julian understood the mess of human life and the failure and tragedy of sin. She lets us know that we must not live the illusion that life will be without suffering or sin, even in the church. God does not cause it, but sin is somehow necessary-"Behoovely" is her exact, marvelous word- in God’s saving work. Brokenness is an inevitable part of things and in the alchemy of divine love God works through it for good.

In the midst of her difficult age, Julian is never cynical. She saw joy permeating everything. She perceived that life and history are ultimately found to be good. "All shall be well"-all things, not just some things shall be well-because of the unconquerable love of God. "Our falling is dreadful," she wrote, "our failing is shameful, and our dying is sorrowful. But in all this the sweet eye of pity and love cometh never off us, nor the working of mercy ceaseth not."

This is the faith that we all need, and need always, amid the shadows of life’s corridor. It leads us to see God in the midst of all things and to focus only on God’s love. Everything is transformed when we live this way. Failings become occasions for God’s mercy. Sin becomes and opportunity for divine compassion. Our shortcomings seen in the light of Christ’s "homely love" call forth the kindness of God.

Julian is a saint for our time. May we see with her eyes and hold to her unconquerable hope. Our "courteous Lord" is surely loving us in all things, and all indeed shall be well.

Faithfully Yours in Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Henry N. Parsley, Jr.