And all this shewed He full blissfully, signifying thus: See! I am God: see! I am in all thing: see! I do all thing: see! I lift never mine hands off my works, nor ever shall, without end: see! I lead all thing to the end I ordained it to from without beginning, by the same Might, Wisdom and Love whereby I made it. How should any thing be amiss?
Thus mightily, wisely, and lovingly was the soul examined in this Vision. Then saw I soothly that me behoved, of need, to assent, with great reverence enjoying in God.

– Julian of Norwich’s (1343 – Sometime After 1416) Revelations of Divine Love [Chapter 10, treating of the third revelation)

In sunny early summer decades gone
at mismatched furniture, light bright like bliss
through giant windows, three souls chat along.
All hovered ’round age twenty: brother, sis,
and friend to both, who hopes to suit soon her.
In thrift-store collared Ts and canvas shorts,
they live a blessed dream: so safe and sure;
A river sparkles through parks; Town exhorts:
relax, walk, talk, eat, drink in happy sun.
He speaks of Julian of Norwich, locked
in chosen cell to pray God’s Kingdom come.
“Most know that God can do all, yet are shocked
to learn God is doing everything.’
Is not that crazy? All the bad things in life —
God’s work?” Square-framed Eyes n’ thin mouth oped: this stings —
the uncanny. Bro n’ sis nod, not feeling the knife.
But older now, their paths diverged, three hear
Saint Julian’s voice grow ever more clear.
“‘Everyone knows that God can do everything possible;
what most people don’t realize is that God is doing everything possible’!
Isn’t that crazy? God is doing everything?!? All the terrible things that have ever happened — those were all God, too?”
Yes, it is crazy. Yet let it be True.
And let the Truth of God-as-All and us as nought
make the mountains sing and the soul rejoice.
Yes, it is crazy that we have no say.
Yet let it be True and let us see the way
to bear witness to God’s Love —
that never faileth, nor push nor shove,
but abideth always in kind delight
healing our hearts and oping our sight.
Please God of this nuance so tricky for us
that we choose not, yet are free, and so must
be kind be gentle be careful with all.
You choose all deeds, yet we should heed your call:
How does that fit together?
And yet You knit us whether
we like or no.
Insofar as we are Love, we are You as You would feel and do.
Insofar as we are not Love, we do your will without your ways.
But we never want again to act without our rest in the Love that’s You.
Because it’s too lonesome where a heart’s got nowhere to stay

Author: BW/AW
Editor: AW/BW
Copyright: AM Watson