Rev. Cara Scriven,
Lead Pastor
Each year, pastors in our annual conference are expected to do at least 20 hours of continuing education. Several weeks ago, I decided that I would attend the last Conspire Conference hosted by the Center for Action and Contemplation to complete the last of the hours I needed for the year. Usually, this conference is in person in New Mexico, but the last two years it has been virtual which has made it more accessible for those who cannot travel.
The weekend of the conference, I found myself in bed as my asthma had gotten a bit out of control. At first, I thought I could attend the conference despite not feeling well after all it was virtual. However, I soon learned that it was foolish of me to think so. As I have gotten better, I’ve begun to watch recordings of the presenters which I had missed.
One of the speakers, Mirabai Starr, an author and translator of sacred literature, spoke about Meeting the Mystics in the Landscape of Loss. As Starr began to talk about Julian of Norwich, a 14th century mystic, I was struck by the realization that Julian lived during the Bubonic plague which is more commonly known as the Black Death. This plague came in two waves and killed up to 60% of the population in England. It was hard to hear this and not recognize some similarities between what Julian experienced and the pandemic of the 21st Century.
Julian also lived through a church schism and the Peasant’s Revolt which followed the Black Death. All of this brought great anxiety and uncertainty to the English living during this period. Like Julian, we too, are experiencing great change and anxiety in our society as we journey through a pandemic, confront racism, end a 20-year war, deal with the effects of climate change, and church schism at least in the United Methodist Church. While Julian didn’t address these issues directly, her visions did provide a sense of grounding in a time that lack certainty.
In one of her visions, God tells Julian that “All shall be well, all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” Yet, Julian asks God how can all things be well with so much sin? We might ask, why is there suffering? Why do people continue to die from COVID-19? Why is there still systematic racism? Why does God not stop the suffering?
Julian spends over a decade of her life meditating on these words from God. When she finally understood, she wrote:
“Know it well, love was his meaning. Who reveals it to you? Love. What did he reveal to you? Love. Why does he reveal it to you? For love. Remain in this, and you will know more of the same. But you will never know different, without end. So I was taught that love is our Lord’s meaning.”
Love is what makes all things well. The Divine Love that speaks to our hearts. Love that transforms us from the inside out. Love that causes us to act. Love will make all manner of things well.
May Julian’s words take root in our hearts today. And may we trust that God’s love shall make all things well.