Julian of Norwich on Sin 1 – Abdur Rahman’s Corner
Peace, one and all…
Julian of Norwich was an English mystic and recluse, who lived in 14th century England. Her book, Revelations of Divine Love, is a beautiful exploration of Divine love and our journey to God, all emerging from a series of inner revelations as a younger woman.
There are so many pearls of wisdom in this book, and so many interesting connections with the broad Islamic tradition, that I wanted to share some of her writings, especially as we approach the sacred month of Ramadan. In these posts, I will share her writings on sin, love and prayer.
May the hearts of the lovers be opened
‘Moreover God showed that sin need be no shame to a man but can even be worthwhile. For just as every sin has its corresponding penalty because is true, so the same soul can know every sin has its corresponding blessing because God is love. Just as various sins are punished with various penalties according to their seriousness, so may they be rewarded with various joys in heaven if they have brought punishment and sorrow to the soul on earth. For the soul that comes to heaven is precious to God, and the place is so holy that the goodness of God will never allow the soul who gets there to have sinned without that sin being compensated. Ever known, it is blessedly made good by God’s surpassing worth’
Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love, 38
‘Dearly does our Lord hold on to us when it seems to us that we are nearly forsaken and cast away because of our sin – and deservedly so. Because of the humility we acquire this way we are exalted in the sight of God by his grace, and know a very deep contrition and compassion and a genuine longing for God. Then suddenly we are delivered from sin and pain, and raised to blessedness and even made great saints!
By contrition we are made clean; by compassion, ready and by a genuine longing for God, worthy. It is by means of these three that souls can attain heaven, as I understand it … By these medicines it is necessary for every soul to be healed. Though healed, the soul’s wounds are still seen by God, not as wounds, but as honourable scars. Counterbalancing our punishment here with its sorrow and penance is our reward in heaven through the courteous love of almighty God. His will it is that no one getting there shall be deprived of any of the benefits gained by his hardships. The reward we will receive will be no small one, but one rather is great, glorious, and honourable. So shall shame be turned to greater honour and joy.
Our courteous Lord does not want his servants to despair even if they fall frequently and grievously. Our falling does not stop his loving us. Peace and love are always at work in us, but we are not always at work in peace and love. But he wants us in this way to realise that he is the foundation of the whole of our life in love, and furthermore that he is our eternal protector, and mighty defender against our enemies who are so very fierce and wicked. And, alas, our need is all the greater since we give them opportunity by our failures’.
Revelations of Divine Love 39
Sin can teach us many important lessons, not least of which is humility. Beloved Hazret-i Uftade also makes it clear that encountering a sin can be useful in spiritual wayfaring, as it shows us where we still need to grow:
‘the unveiling of the soul’s faults is better for us than that of the heavens and of the earth; in fact its faults, its impiety, its straying are particularly well hidden , so much so that when they are revealed the seeker may turn it to good account, for he can be free of them, remove the obstacle which obstructs his path and reach his goal’
(Quoted in Paul Ballanfat, The Nightingale in the Garden of Love, 63)
We explored some these issues in a previous post.
