43 pages • 1 hour read
Julian of NorwichRevelations of Divine Love
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1393A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Longing for God
Julian speaks about our longing or desire for God, and God's longing for us. Because we lack the immediate vision of God here on earth, our longing to see him “face to face” is great. The idea of God as the supreme object of our desire is epitomized in Chapter 26, where Jesus tells her:
It is I who am highest; it is I you love; it is I who delight you; it is I you serve; it is I you long for; it is I you desire; it is I who am your purpose; it is I who am all; it is I that Holy Church preaches and teaches you; it is I who showed myself here (78).
God in turn longs for our love and allegiance, descending to our level in the Incarnation of his Son in order to reclaim our souls and bring us to heaven with him. There, in heaven, we will know and experience God fully and our longing will be satisfied.
The Problems with Prayer
Julian devotes a lengthy section towards the middle of the book to prayer and the problems associated with it. She defines prayer as union of the soul with God: “A new, gracious, lasting will of the soul united and fast-bound to the will of God by the previous and mysterious working of the Holy Ghost” (100).
