Julian of Norwich writes, “It seemed to me that I could feel the Passion of Christ strongly, but yet I longed by God’s grace to feel it more intensely.”
This is my heartfelt prayer too — I want to linger with love at the cross of Christ. Everything that is good in my life, starting with the forgiveness of my sins, flows from the blood of my Savior. That’s why I’ve been reading Julian’s classic devotional book from the 14th Century, Revelations of Divine Love. She’s the most popular of the English mystics and was a Benedictine nun in Norwich. She’s also considered the first great female writer in the English language.
When she was extremely ill, almost to the point of death, she wrote some precious words that can warm our hearts and drew us closer to Jesus. She gives us a helpful way of approaching Jesus’ cross and our own crosses also. It all begins here: “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene… and the disciple whom he loved” (John 19:25-26).
Feeling the Passion of Christ
Julian of Norwich writes:
It seemed to me that I could feel the Passion of Christ strongly, but yet I longed by God’s grace to feel it more intensely. I thought how I wished I had been there at the crucifixion with Mary Magdalene and with others who were Christ’s dear friends, that I might have seen in the flesh the Passion of our Lord which he suffered for me, so that I could have suffered with him as others did who loved him…
It suddenly occurred to me that I should entreat our Lord… so that he would fill my whole body with remembrance for the feeling of his blessed Passion… for I wanted his pains to be my pains, with compassion, and then longing for God. Yet in this I never asked for a bodily sight or any kind of showing of God, but for fellow-suffering, such as it seemed to me a naturally kind soul might feel for our Lord Jesus, who was willing to become a mortal man for love. I wanted to suffer with him, while living in my mortal body, as God would give me grace.
And suddenly I saw the red blood trickling down from under the crown of thorns… (Revelations of Divine Love, pp. 3 and 6)
A Naturally Kind Soul is Drawn to Jesus at the Cross
I want to be a kind-hearted person who is drawn to be near Jesus at his cross (click to tweet). Jesus’ death on the cross wasn’t just a one time event that is over and done with — yes, the work of the cross is complete and history has been written — but our Lord and Savior is still living a cross kind of life, still humbled in his eternal incarnation, still continually wounded with love for us sinners.
In this spirit of kindness and compassion for Christ, Julian of Norwich asks for “fellow-suffering” with him. She’s following the example of Paul who wrote: “I want to know Christ… and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings” (Phil. 3:10). I find that often I have opportunity to companion with Jesus in his sufferings. For instance, recently a pastor tried to undermine a ministry event I was leading, a Christian blogger attacked my character, and I felt rejected by someone I love. How do I react to these trials?
I share my hurts, fears, and anger with safe friends and with God. And as I pray I seek the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings by recalling how Jesus experienced painful things like these out of love for me. Then I find that I feel a special intimacy with Jesus that encourages me. In my trials and pain I’m not alone.
“For the joy set before him Jesus endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2). Like Jesus, I can find joy in my cross by setting aside angry reactions or self-pity and in order to focus on the love of God for me and for those who have offended me.
