Julian of Norwich on Prayer 3 – Abdur Rahman’s Corner
Peace, one and all…
In this section, Julian explores prayer as a means of alignment with the Divine will. I find this a particularly beautiful section, with a strong sense of God’s lovingkindness. There are, of course, some important differences with the Islamic tradition. In particular, as is perhaps obvious, the understanding of beloved Jesus as God incarnate, and thus one to direct our prayers to. That said, however, there is much here to benefit an earnest seeker of God.
What prayers effects when in line with God’s will; God’s goodness delights in his deeds done through us, as though he were indebted to us; all things work sweetly.
‘Prayer unites the soul to God. However like God the soul may be in essence and nature (once it has been restored by grace), it is often unlike him in fact because of man’s sin. Then it is that prayer proclaims that the soul should will what God wills; and it strengthens the conscience and enables a man to obtain grace. God teaches us to pray thus, and to trust firmly that we shall have what we ask. For he looks at us in love, and would have us share in his good work. So he moves us to pray for what it is he wants to do. For such prayer and good will – and it is his gift – he rewards us eternally. And the word ‘and you do so pray’ shows all this. In it God takes as great pleasure and delight as if he were indebted to us for all the good we do. And yet it is he who actually does it! Because we pray earnestly that he should whatever he wills, it is as though he said, ‘What can please me more than to have you pray fervently, wisely, and earnestly to do what I am going to do?’ So does the soul by prayer conform to God.
But when our Lord in his courtesy and grace shows himself to our soul we have what we desire. Then we care no longer about praying for any thing, for our whole strength and aim is set on beholding. This is prayer, high and ineffable, in my eyes. The whole reason why we pray is summed up in the sight and vision of him to whom we pray. Wondering, enjoying, worshipping, fearing — and all with such sweetness and delight that during that time we can only pray in such ways as he leads us. Well do I know that the more the soul sees God, the more by grace does it want him.
But when we do not see him thus, we feel the more need to pray to Jesus because of our basic failure and incapacity. For when the soul is tossed and troubled and alone in its unrest, it is time to pray so as to make itself sensitive and submissive to God. Of course prayer cannot in any way make God sensitive to the soul: for this is what, in his love, he always is. And I realised, moreover, that when we know we have got to pray, then our good Lord follows this up, helping our desire. And when by his special grace we see him clearly, there is need of nothing further. We have to follow him, drawn by his love into himself. For I saw and knew that his marvellous and utter goodness brings our powers up to their full strength. At the same time I saw that he is at work unceasingly in every conceivable thing, and this is all done so well, so wisely, and so powerfully that it is far greater than anything we can imagine, guess, or think. Then we can do no more than gaze in delight with a tremendous desire to be wholly united to him, to live where he lives, to enjoy his love, and to delight in goodness. It is then that we, through our humble, persevering prayer, and the help of his grace, come to him now, in this present life. There will be many secret touches that we shall feel and see, sweet and spiritual, and adapted to our ability to receive them. This is achieved by the grace of the Holy Spirit, both now and until that time, still longing and loving, we die. On that day we shall come to our Lord knowing our self clearly, possessing God completely. Eternally ‘hid in God’ we shall see him truly and feel him fully, hear him spiritually, smell him delightfully, and taste him sweetly! We shall see God face to face, simply and fully. The creature, made by God, shall see and eternally gaze upon him, his Maker. But when by special grace he reveals himself here, he strengthens the creature above its natural capacity, and he adjusts the revelation as he wills, and as best serves the occasion’.
Revelations of Divine Love, 43
