No images? Click here Richard Rohr's Daily MeditationFrom the Center for Action and Contemplation Week Nineteen Julian of NorwichOneing The place which Jesus takes in our soul he will nevermore vacate, for in us is his home of homes, and it is the greatest delight for him to dwell there. . . . And the soul who contemplates this is made like [the one] who is contemplated. —Julian of Norwich On that day, you will know that you are in me and I am in you. —John 14:20 “That day” promised in John’s Gospel has been a long time in coming, yet it has been the enduring message of every great religion in history. It is the Perennial Tradition. Divine and thus universal union is still the core message and promise—the whole goal and the entire point of all religion. Lady Julian of Norwich uses the idea of “oneing” to describe divine union. In chapter 53 of Revelations of Divine Love, she writes, “This beloved soul was preciously knitted to God in its making, by a knot so subtle and so mighty that it is oned in God. In this oneing, it is made endlessly holy. Furthermore, God wants us to know that all the souls which will be saved in heaven without end are knit in this knot, and oned in this oneing, and made holy in this holiness.” [1] Julian observes, “If I pay special attention to myself, I am nothing at all; but in general, I am, I hope, in the unity of love . . . for it is in this oneing that the life of all people consists”. . . . [2] She reflects: “The love of God creates in us such a oneing that when it is truly seen, no person can separate themselves from another.” [3] Finally, let us hear Julian in her own Middle English words, speaking of divine and human unity: “For in the sighte of God alle man is one man, and one man is alle man.”[4] This is not some 21st-century leap of logic. This is not pantheism or mere “New Age” optimism. This is the whole point! Radical union is the recurring experience of the saints and mystics of all religions. We do not have to discover or prove it; we only have to retrieve what has been re-discovered—and enjoyed, again and again—by those who desire and seek God and love. When you think you have “discovered” it, you will be just like Jacob “when he awoke from his sleep” and shouted, “You were here all the time, and I never knew it!” (Genesis 28:16). As John states in his first Letter, “I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, I am writing to you here because you know it already”! (1 John 2:21; my emphasis). Like John, I can only convince you of spiritual things because your soul already knows what is true, and that is why I believe and trust Julian’s showings, too. For the mystics, there is only one Knower, and we just participate in that One Spirit. Gateway to Action & Contemplation: Prayer for Our Community: Listen to Fr. Richard read the prayer. Story from Our Community: [1] Julian of Norwich, The Fourteenth Revelation, ch. 53 (Long Text). See Julian of Norwich: Showings, trans. Edmund Colledge and James Walsh (Paulist Press: 1978), 284. Note: Minor edits made here to reflect Julian’s original text, and for more inclusive language. [2] The First Revelation, ch. 9 (Long Text), Colledge and Walsh, 191. [3] The Fifteenth Revelation, ch. 65 (Long Text), ibid., 309. [4] The Fourteenth Revelation, ch. 51 (Long text), The Writings of Julian of Norwich: A Vision Showed to a Devout Woman and A Revelation of Love, eds. Nicholas Watson and Jacqueline Jenkins (Pennsylvania State University Press: 2006), 279. Adapted from Richard Rohr, Immortal Diamond: The Search for Our True Self (Jossey-Bass: 2013), 95; “Introduction,” The Perennial Tradition, Oneing, vol. 1, no. 1 (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2013), 14 (no longer available); and Intimacy: The Divine Ambush, disc 7(Center for Action and Contemplation: 2013), CD, MP3 download. Epigraph: Showings, ch. xxii (Short Text), Colledge and Walsh, 164. Image credit:Revelations of Divine Love (detail), mid-15th century, (Add MS 37790) f. 97r from The British Library Manuscript, The British Library, London, England. Forward this email to a friend or family member that may find it meaningful. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up for the daily, weekly, or monthly meditations. News from the CACAnother Name for Every Thing Season 3Richard Rohr, Paul Swanson and Brie Stoner wrap up another season of our podcast dedicated to unpacking the wisdom in “The Universal Christ.” From practicing emotional buoyancy to finding wonder and awe in mundanity, listeners explore the deep connection between action and contemplation. Listen on our website or wherever you subscribe to podcasts. Oneing: Liminal SpaceExplore what Richard Rohr calls “love and acceptance of the unknown” in our newest issue of Oneing, available now. Richard Rohr, Russ Hudson, Felicia Murrell, and other spiritual teachers open up about their own personal experiences of liminal spaces. From raw discomfort to the terrifying unknown, discover a path to the transformation of consciousness in Oneing: Liminal Space. Action & Contemplation2020 Daily Meditations ThemeWhat does God ask of us? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. —Micah 6:8 Franciscan Richard Rohr founded the Center for Action and Contemplation in 1987 because he saw a deep need for the integration of both action and contemplation. If we pray but don’t act justly, our faith won’t bear fruit. And without contemplation, activists burn out and even well-intended actions can cause more harm than good. In today’s religious, environmental, and political climate our compassionate engagement is urgent and vital. Click here to learn about contemplative prayer and other forms of meditation. For frequently asked questions—such as what versions of the Bible Father Richard recommends or how to ensure you receive every meditation—please see our email FAQ. Visit cac.org to explore other ways to connect with the Center for Action and Contemplation. Use the “Forward” button above to share this email. Explore Richard Rohr's Daily Meditations archive at cac.org. Visit CAC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to connect with others and explore more ideas about contemplation. Richard Rohr's Daily Meditations are made possible through the generosity of CAC's donors. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation. If you would like to change how often you receive emails from CAC, click here. If you would like to change your email address, click here. Visit our Email Subscription FAQ page for more information. Submit an inquiry here for additional assistance. Inspiration for this week's banner image: Julian [of Norwich] experienced . . . sixteen visions, or “showings” as she called them, all on one May night in 1373 when she was very sick and near death. As a priest held a crucifix in front of her, Julian saw Jesus suffering on the cross and heard him speaking to her for several hours . . . then she patiently spent twenty years as an anchorite in contemplation and prayer, trusting God to help her discern the deeper meanings to be found in the visions. Finally, she wrote a long [text] titled Revelations of Divine Love. —Richard Rohr |