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Chapter 2JulianShowings.1.2

The second chapter. Of the tyme of these revelations, and how shee asked three petitions.

The First Petition: Remembrance of the Passion

Julian introduces her three petitions and describes her first desire: a deeper, bodily remembrance of Christ's Passion, shared with His lovers.

These revelations were shown to a simple creature who couldn't read, in the year of our Lord 1373, on the eighth of May — a creature who had earlier desired three gifts from God.1 The first was remembrance of His Passion.2 The second was bodily sickness in youth, at thirty years of age. The third was to have, by God's gift, three wounds. As for the first, it seemed to me that I already had some feeling of Christ's Passion, but even so I desired still more by the grace of God. It seemed to me that I would have wanted to be there at that time with Mary Magdalene and with others who were Christ's lovers, and so I desired a bodily sight through which I might know more of our Savior's bodily pains, and of our Lady's compassion, and of all His true lovers who saw His pains then — for I wanted to be one of them and suffer with Him.3 I never desired any other sight or showing of God until the soul was parted from the body. The reason for this petition was that after the showing I would have a truer remembrance of Christ's Passion.

The Second Petition: Bodily Sickness unto Death

Julian describes her second petition: a severe sickness that would bring her to the brink of death, purging her soul and preparing her for God.

The second came into my mind with contrition: I freely desired a sickness so hard it would bring me to the point of death, so that in that sickness I might receive all my rites of Holy Church, thinking myself that I was going to die, and that everyone who saw me might suppose the same—for I wanted no comfort of any kind from earthly life.45 In this sickness I desired to have every kind of pain, bodily and spiritual, that I would have if I were dying, with all the terrors and tempests of the fiends—except the soul's departure.67 I meant this because I wanted to be purged by the mercy of God and afterward live more to the honor of God because of that sickness; and also for greater readiness in my dying, for I desired to be soon with my God.89

The Third Petition: Three Wounds and Abiding Desire

Julian presents her third petition—the three wounds of contrition, compassion, and longing for God—asked unconditionally, and notes that this desire alone remained with her.

These two desires—for the Passion and for the sickness—I wanted with a condition, saying this: "Lord, you know what I want. If it is your will that I have it, and if it is not your will, good Lord, do not be displeased, for I want nothing except as you will."✦ For the third, by the grace of God and the teaching of Holy Church, I conceived a mighty desire to receive three wounds in my life: that is to say, the wound of true contrition, the wound of natural compassion, and the wound of willing longing for God.10 And this whole last petition I asked without any condition. These two desires I spoke of before passed from my mind, and the third stayed with me continually.

Read the original Middle English

These Revelations were shewed to a simple creature that cowde no letter the yeere of our Lord 1373, the eighth day of May, which creature desired afore three gifts of God. The first was mende of His passion. The second was bodily sekenesse in youth at thirty yeeres of age. The third was to have of Gods gift three wounds. As in the first methought I had sume feleing in the passion of Christe, but yet I desired more be the grace of God. Methought I would have beene that time with Mary Magdalen and with other that were Crists lovers, and therefore I desired a bodily sight wherein I might have more knowledge of the bodily peynes of our Saviour, and of the compassion our Lady and of all His trew lovers that seene that time His peynes, for I would be one of them and suffer with Him. Other sight ner sheweing of God desired I never none till the soule was departid fro the body. The cause of this petition was that after the sheweing I should have the more trew minde in the passion of Christe.

The second came to my mynde with contrition frely desireing that sekenesse so herde as to deth that I might in that sekeness underfongyn alle my rites of Holy Church, myselfe weneing that I should dye, and that all creatures might suppose the same that seyen me, for I would have no manner comfort of eardtly life. In this sekenesse I desired to have all manier peynes bodily and ghostly that I should have if I should dye, with all the dreds and tempests of the fends, except the outpassing of the soule. And this I ment for I would be purged be the mercy of God and after lyven more to the worshippe of God because of that sekenesse; and that for the more speede in my deth, for I desired to be soone with my God.

These two desires of the passion and the sekenesse I desired with a condition, seying thus: "Lord, thou wotith what I would, if it be Thy will that I have it, and if it be not Thy will, good Lord, be not displeased, for I will nought, but as Thou wilt." For the third, by the grace of God and teachyng of Holy Church, I conceived a mighty desire to receive three wounds in my life; that is to sey, the wound of very contrition, the wound of kinde compassion, and the wound of willfull longing to God. And all this last petition I asked without any condition. These two desires foresaid passid fro my minde, and the third dwelled with me continually.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Luke.22.42;Matt.26.39 — Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; but not my will, but yours be done. Matt.26.39 — And going forward a little, he fell on his face, praying and saying, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.'

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Middle English idiom for illiteracy: she knew no letters / could not read.
  2. 2 ↩ENM 'mende/mind' here means mindful recollection or keeping His Passion in mind, not merely an idea about it.
  3. 3 ↩Rendered as our Lady's compassion (genitive sense); the source lacks an explicit 'of' before 'our Lady'.
  4. 4 ↩ME underfongyn means to receive or undertake; here, to receive the Church's last rites while dying.
  5. 5 ↩Source spelling eardtly read as earthly.
  6. 6 ↩ghostly rendered as spiritual (interior/soul-pain), not spectral.
  7. 7 ↩outpassing of the soule = the soul's actual leaving of the body in death, which she expressly excepts.
  8. 8 ↩ME speede here means spiritual profit or readiness, not mere haste; rendered as greater readiness in dying.
  9. 9 ↩worshippe rendered as honor (ME worship = honor/glory), not restricted liturgical worship.
  10. 10 ↩ME "kinde compassion" rendered as "natural compassion" (kinde = natural/kindly, proper to created nature), not merely "kind" in the modern sentimental sense. "Willfull longing" = deliberate, willing longing of the will.

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