"Also, our lord God showed us that it is very greatly pleasing to him that a simple soul come to him nakedly and plainly and homely (simply). For this is the kind yearning of the soul by the touching of the Holy Ghost, as I understand by this showing: "God, from your goodness, give me your self; for you are enough to me and I may ask nothing that is less that may be complete honour to you. And if I ask anything that is less, always I am lacking, but only in you have I everything." And these words are very lovely to the soul and touch the will of God, and his goodness, very closely; for his goodness comprehends all his creatures and all his blessed works, and is endlessly surpassing, because he is the endlessness. And he has made us only for himself and restored us by his blessed passion and keeps us in his blessed love. And all this is from his goodness."
(chapter five)
In the passage above, Julian brings the goodness of God to the fore. Like love, God's goodness is infinite and ever present. It "comprehends all his creatures and all his blessed works." It is the air we were made to breathe, our natural habitat. The following poem, which I came across this morning, expands this metaphor. It was written by Mechthild of Magdeburg, a medieval mystic who lived from 1210-1297.
A fish cannot drown in water,
A bird does not fall in air.
In the fire of creation,
Gold doesn't vanish:
The fire brightens.
Each creature God made
Must live in its own true nature;
How could I resist my nature,
That lives for oneness with God.
The last few days I've been attempting to live out of faith in God's goodness. To approach each day simply and plainly, with the hope that what I need will be given to me. To breathe deeply and not worry. There are times when my breathing becomes shallow, perhaps I'm overtired or anxious or judgmental. But I catch myself and find that the air supply has not diminished, it has been there all along. I inhale deeply again and know that God smiles.
(chapter five)
In the passage above, Julian brings the goodness of God to the fore. Like love, God's goodness is infinite and ever present. It "comprehends all his creatures and all his blessed works." It is the air we were made to breathe, our natural habitat. The following poem, which I came across this morning, expands this metaphor. It was written by Mechthild of Magdeburg, a medieval mystic who lived from 1210-1297.
A fish cannot drown in water,
A bird does not fall in air.
In the fire of creation,
Gold doesn't vanish:
The fire brightens.
Each creature God made
Must live in its own true nature;
How could I resist my nature,
That lives for oneness with God.
The last few days I've been attempting to live out of faith in God's goodness. To approach each day simply and plainly, with the hope that what I need will be given to me. To breathe deeply and not worry. There are times when my breathing becomes shallow, perhaps I'm overtired or anxious or judgmental. But I catch myself and find that the air supply has not diminished, it has been there all along. I inhale deeply again and know that God smiles.
