To recap the previous post introducing St. Julian of Norwich, she lived in Norwich, England, during the time of the Black Death (1348-50) and Peasant Revolt (1381). Her early life is not known, but she had great religious devotion and seemed well versed in theology. She wrote that when she was young, she prayed for three graces:

1. Deep participation in Christ’s Passion;
2. A bodily sickness coming close to death so she could experience Christ’s pain better; and
3. The three heart wounds of contrition, compassion, and longing for God.

In 1373, at age 30 and a half, she did fall deathly ill.  After five days lying near death, when it seemed that she might really die, she was shown a cross by the village priest. When she focused on the cross, she received 16 “showings” or revelations. These were vivid visions, many of Christ in his Passion, with profound teachings and explanations imparted in the visions, which we will go into in the next post.

Amazingly, she recovered and soon wrote down the visions and their teachings in English (not Latin as most religious writings were composed in at the time). This was a short manuscript that we are still able to read today, and later in life she wrote more developed explanations of the visions and their meanings in a longer manuscript, which we also are able to read. Together, they form the book, Revelations of Divine Love, which is said to be the first complete book written in the English language. An internet search shows quite a few English translations of Revelations of Divine Love are currently available.

St. Julian and St. Hildegard were quite different, but they shared an ability to innovate creatively, driven by the urgings of the Holy Spirit. During the Middle Ages, women saints being able to write in their native language was important for articulating and sharing religious experience from a personal point of view, not limited to studying, repeating, and analyzing Church-approved theology. As contemplative practitioners, we can benefit greatly from their sharing of their personal experiences. When some experiences resonate, we can be reassured that we are not alone. Where they are different from ours, they can inspire and inform us.