McDonald's Cost Control - Essay Example

Julian of Norwich Not much is known of the life of Julian of Norwich, but what is known reveals this woman to be one of the great religious mysticsof any age. She had the independence of mind and fortitude to describe her spiritual experiences in a manner that others found both inspiring and accessible. As such, she managed to influence people over many centuries. What is known of her life is truly impressive and the writing she has left behind shows her to be someone who was not willing to blindly accept other peoples' interpretation of God; she wanted to find out for herself who God really was.

Julian lived in England in the 1300-1400s and evidently lived into old age. She was a kind of hermit attached to a church. It is believed that in her 30s she had a number of religious visions that led her to establish her lonely life. She spent hours each day in prayer and meditation, and soon came to write down her ideas about God. In her lifetime she found increasing fame and attention due to the originality of this work. It was partly the simplicity of her prayers and worship that attracted followers as McColman writes in his book on mysticism (195).

Even her most famous line “all shall be well” resonates to this day; in other forms, such as “let it be,” it has become a modern mantra (McColman, 258). In an era of doctrine and formality, a Christianity based mostly on rules and duties, Julian brought a different message to the people, and one that has proven to be truly influential down the arc of years: God loves everyone. In her work, she chose to focus on divine love and the specialness of every person. Carol Lee Flinders makes an excellent point about Julian: “She founded no order, she set up no hospital or school, she launched no reform movement.

She simply saw, and, realizing that what she had seen was not intended for her alone, she reported it back to the rest of us” (79). She did not found her own sect of Christianity; she simply wrote what she believed in clear and inspiring language. It was enough to change almost everything. She wrote about love and she wrote about motherhood: “To the property of motherhood belong nature, love, wisdom and knowledge, and this is God. (Julian of Norwich, Long Text of Showings, 60). Approaching Julian of Norwich without knowing very much about her can be daunting.

It is hard to know what life was like 600 years ago. It was the Dark Ages and people spoke and wrote in a challenging type of English. But the message of Julian—that of divine love—is so simple and clear that it cuts through all those centuries that separate us from her. Her work is truly a marvel to behold. It is especially impressive because women at that time had many fewer educational opportunities than men. Julian rose above it all to become one of the most famous women in the world.

Work consulted Flinders, Carol Lee. Enduring Grace- Living portraits of Seven women mystics. HarperOne, 1993. McColman, Carl. The Big Book of Christian Mysticism: The Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality. Hampton Roads, 2010. Norwich, Julian of. Love's Trinity: A Companion to Julian of Norwich, Long Text with a Commentary. Liturgical Press, 2009.