Julian of Norwich on Sin 2 – Abdur Rahman’s Corner
Peace, one and all…
We recently shared a few selections from Julian of Norwich Revelations of Divine Love on sin. I wanted to offer another reading on the same broad theme. There is much we can learn from her spiritual insight about God’s love, compassion and mercy, and how Allah can transform every situation into a occasion of potential liberation.
May the hearts of the lovers be opened
‘It is an expression of royal friendship on the part of our courteous Lord that he holds on to us so tenderly when we sin, and that, moreover, his touch is so delicate when he shows us our sin by the gentle light of mercy and grace. When we see our self to be so foul, we know that God is angry with us for our sin. In turn we also are moved by the Holy Spirit to pray contritely, desiring to amend our life to the best of our ability, that we may quench the anger of God and find rest of soul, an easy conscience. Then we hope that God has forgiven us our sins. And so he has! It is then that our Lord in his courtesy shows himself to the soul, gaily and with cheerful countenance, giving it a friendly welcome as though it had been suffering in a prison. ‘My beloved,’ he say, ‘I am glad that you have come to me. In all your trouble I have been with you. Now you can see how I love you. We are made one in blessedness’. So sins are forgiven through merciful grace, and our soul is honourably and joyfully received…
But if, because of all this spiritual comfort we have been talking of, one were foolish enough to say, ‘If this is true, it is a good thing to sin because the reward will be greater,’ or to hold sin to be less sinful, then beware! Should such a thought come it would be untrue, and would stem from the enemy of the very love that tells us of all this comfort. The same blessed love teaches us that we should hate sin for Love’ s sake alone. I am quite clear about this: the more a soul sees this in the courtesy and love of our Lord God, the more he hates to sin and the greater is his shame…
When we set our will to be loving and humble the effect of mercy and grace is too make everyone beautiful and clean… His love for us is not broken by our sins; nor does he intend that our love should be broken for ourselves or our fellow Christians… ‘
Revelations of Divine Love, 48
Here 40
