Because of the great,


infinite love which God has for all humankind,


he makes no distinction in love between the blessed soul of Christ


and the lowliest of the souls that are to be saved . . .


We should highly rejoice that God dwells in our soul


and still more highly should we rejoice that our soul dwells in God.


Our soul is made to be God’s dwelling place,


and the dwelling place of our soul


is God who was never made.

Julian’s words from over six centuries ago focus on God’s warmth, nurturance, compassion, generosity and love. She is focused on desire for human salvation: “he makes no distinction in love between the blessed soul of Christ/and the lowliest of the souls that are to be saved”.

She has been a source of inspiration for many writers, including Denny Bradbury, who writes about her in “The Call.”

Denny wonders about Julian’s origins, “I don’t know your name/the one that your mother would call/as you wandered away from your home/in the grip of your holy enthral”. She looks back on her life and ponders whether Julian was the same person before God’s revelations to her: “were you always convinced of your goal/did you instinctively know what is right/was yours always a pure childish soul?”.

She wonders if her religious beliefs are are strong as Julian’s “Shall I ever be even so true/to a tenth of what you left behind?” but admits that “only god knows”.

The Call

Mother Julian! Mother Julian!

I don’t know your name

the one that your mother would call

as you wandered away from your home

in the grip of your holy enthral.

As you sat looking out at the blue

of the sky be it daytime or night

were you always convinced of your goal

did you instinctively know what is right

was yours always a pure childish soul?

Did God’s voice on the wind or the tide

gently slide in with delight

and rock you with thoughts so divine

you said, ‘Now I’m for an Anchorite

I know the course that is mine’

Was it simple for you, did you doubt

were you ever tempted to sin?

When children bullied and fought

were you there on the edge looking in

thinking violence will all come to nought?

I hope that you gave up some gritty

childhood pleasures and joys

that you threw sticks and muddied the water

and you cried over old broken toys

wishing to stay evermore as a daughter

freezing time that was precious and good

but then you discovered your Father

in churches so simple and plain

that you walked away from your family

a much greater one for to gain.

How proud and how sad was your mother

when you donned the linen pure

the mark of your face in her memory

full of light and conviction so sure

holy work the one truth in your story.

Do I envy you the faith that was riven

so deep in your brilliant mind?

Shall I ever be even so true

to a tenth of what you left behind?

Only God knows but maybe I do!