Assembly Sermon:Thoughts on Julian of Norwich

The preacher for Eucharist at Assembly was our chaplain, the Rev. Jeanne Lutz. Jeanne shared thoughts by Julian of Norwich on prayer. Julian said that “God wishes to be known and desires to be sought” and that “seeking God is as good as contemplating God”. She said we are partners with God in our will and our work. Julian had an intimate relationship with Christ that we can aspire to. In fact she stated that He is “Our Mother Christ”, an interesting new way of looking at the Lord.  

Julian taught that “Prayer is our work”. For Daughters of the King this should ring very true. Jeanne shared some of Julian’s advice for us to consider and put into practice:

1.      Prayer depends on facts not moods.

2.      We ought to have habitual prayer and prayer time.

3.      Prayer is not a plea from servant to master or child to parent, but from redeemed to Redeemer.

4.      Prayers are eternal, partakers of the ‘quality of heaven’, which is the “incorruptible treasure” Jesus refers to (“store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:20)

5.      Prayer is not individualistic but is always a part of the Body of Christ. We are the Body of Christ. The Church and Christ are always fastened together.

6.      We should intercede for one another and contemplate the goodness of God of each person, knowing that we are each a part of the Body.

 

Julian noted that we ought to be satisfied with what God choses to reveal or to conceal. That should not stop us from being persistent in prayer.

Jeanne concluded her sermon by reminding us that Jesus encourages us to “ask, seek, knock” (Matthew 7:7). She noted that in the Lord’s Prayer Jesus addresses God as Father (or Abba, meaning Daddy). It is this relationship that God desires with us so that we can come to God with any and all concerns and needs.