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The Simple Sight of Sin

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2024

Conrad Pepler O.P.
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Mother Julian was able to resolve the conflicting paradoxes involved in the relation between the world and God because she had attained to that concrete touch by which the Spirit of God brings all into one. By the ‘touch’ of divinity the Spirit draws all the experience and ideas of a life-time into the immediate orbit of the single and simple reality of his being.

And what might this noble Lord do of more worship and joy to me than to shew me that am so simple this marvellous homeliness? (e. 7, p. 16.)

Type
Research Article
Information
Life of the Spirit , Volume 4 , Issue 37 , July 1949 , pp. 10 - 19
Copyright
Copyright © 1949 Provincial Council of the English Province of the Order of Preachers

References

1 Von Hügel shows the Pseudo-Dionysian trait in all this, but emphasises, I think too much, the Neo-platonic element in this mystical approach to evil. He gives further references to St Augustine and St Thomas (Mystical Elements, ii, 290, sqq).

2 Cf. Tauler, Meditations on the Life and Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ (English trans.: p. 107). Bl. Angela of Foligno in Thorold, Christian Mysticism (p. 112-3) and St Catherine's Dialogue (passim). In view of the latter's vivid descriptions of the evil of sin it must be remembered that she often repeats with Mother Julian, ‘Sin is nothing’.

3 Mother Julian never allows her revelations to draw her away from the faith in which she is most securely grounded. She recognises that there are some mysteries, containing truths beyond our comprehension, which ar are intelligible in themselves but which will not be shown to us. Other mysteries, God does wish us about—the Church in particular teaches the latter. (c. 33-4).

4 This paradox is worked out. in particular from chapter 45 to chapter 50.

5 Cf. Henry Petitot, O.P., Saint Teresa of Lisieux. (London, Burns Oates; 1927) p. 62. She took ‘of the Holy Face’ as an addition to her name during her novitiate.

6 Compare Hebrews (the Epistle of the Precious Blood) 7, 25 with Mother Julian c. 12 p. 30. Also an interesting comparison could be made with St Catherine(cf. Mother Julian c. 61 p. 155 and c. 63 p. 158). St Catherine in her death agony, oppressed by the horrible catastrophe of the beginning of the Great Schism, could but breathe this word ‘Blood’.

7 The whole of this very important doctrine which runs right through the Revelations of Divine Love should be compared with St Thomas. In the 1st book of the Contra Gentiles, c. 01, where he deals with God's love, he shows how all the different attributes—Justice, Anger, Mercy, Repenting, etc.—are simply different aspects, according to the effects, of that self-same, changeless love.