All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Episode 8: The Eleventh and Twelfth Shewings — The Joy of Christ (His Blessed Mother) and the Gaze of Heaven

Summary:
In this episode, Julian of Norwich is drawn into the radiant joy of Christ—the joy He takes in His Blessed Mother, and the glory revealed in His glorified Face. In the Eleventh Shewing, Christ lovingly invites Julian to “see her”—to behold the Virgin Mary as He does, with delight and reverence. Through Julian’s vision, we glimpse the profound place of Mary in Christ’s heart and in the life of every Christian. In the Twelfth Shewing, Julian is lifted to contemplate the joy of Heaven: the Beatific Vision, where the saints behold the Face of Christ and are fully seen, fully known, and fully loved. Drawing from Julian’s text, Scripture, the Catechism, and the wisdom of the saints, this episode opens the mystery of divine joy that begins in Christ’s Passion and culminates in eternal glory.

For other episodes in this series visit: All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor

Primary Source:
From Revelations of Divine Love, Long Text, Chapters XXV-XXVI, trans. Grace Warrack, Methuen & Co., 1901 (PDF edition).
You can access PDF edition here

Full Julian of Norwich Quotations Used in Episode 8:
“Wilt thou see her?” — The Shewing of Mary

“AND with this same cheer of mirth and joy our good Lord looked down on the right side and brought to my mind where our Lady stood in the time of His Passion; and said: Wilt thou see her?” (Ch. 25)
“And for the high, marvellous, singular love that He hath to this sweet Maiden, His blessed Mother, our Lady Saint Mary, He shewed her highly rejoicing… as if He said: Wilt thou see how I love her, that thou mightest joy with me in the love that I have in her and she in me?” (Ch. 25)
“For after Himself she is the most blissful sight. But hereof am I not learned to long to see her bodily presence while I am here, but the virtues of her blessed soul: her truth, her wisdom, her charity; whereby I may learn to know myself and reverently dread my God.” (Ch. 25)
“And Jesus in that word shewed me ghostly sight of her: right as I had seen her afore little and simple, so He shewed her then high and noble and glorious, and pleasing to Him above all creatures.” (Ch. 25)

The Three Shewings of Mary


“AND after this the Lord shewed Himself more glorified, as to my sight, than I saw Him before wherein I was learned to my understanding that it shall be thus in Heaven without end to all that shall come there. For the change of His blessed Countenance shall be the joy of the blessed without end that see Him.” (Ch. 26)
“This blessed Countenance of the Godhead fulfilleth the joy of the saints in Heaven; which blessed Countenance of the Lord is open to be seen, and shall be seen evermore of the blessed, which for His homely loving behold Him gladly; evermore enjoying Him, that is, God, their Maker and their Keeper, their Lover and their Bliss.” (Ch. 26)



Quotes from the Saints and other resources


“Lift up thine heart and behold thy Lord with eyes of love, for He hangeth there for thee… His arms stretched wide to embrace thee, His side open to receive thee, His blood flowing to cleanse thee.”