episcopal mysticism @bourgeault-bookshelf - Tumblr Blog

Our Lady of Chickens, Ade Bethune, 1942

They hate me for my punk sensibilities and Christ-centered devotion

Christ should radicalize you. Christ should change you. Christ calls us to sit with the diversity of creation, and love it all radically.

speakthewordonly

« she should be in the club » everyone knows your late twenties are for becoming increasingly offputtingly religious

ohholydyke

Happy feast day to St Julian of Norwich (yes ik she’s only canonized in the Anglican Church I don’t care she’s a canonized saint to me the anglicans got this one right) the best anchoress to ever live

- Penned the famous all shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well line

- Wrote about a Christ who willingly chooses to become permanently disabled out of love for humanity and how this elevates the honor and dignity of the disabled body

- Lowkey a universalist?? She hedges it by going “of course disclaimer here I agree with the church” but fully espouses a theology in which all shall be saved and all shall be restored to Christ and thus all shall be well

- Had a cat

- Gave us gems like the world is a hazelnut

- Apparently cast Satan out of her anchorhold “the power of Christ compels you” style

- Was a renowned teacher and frequently sought after for advice in her community and by pilgrims including the famous Margery Kempe

- Seriously go read revelations of divine love/the shewings of Julian of Norwich it’s so good it changed my relationship with religion

patron-saint-of-lesbeans

there is still time! Julian of Norwich didn’t start having divine revelations until she was in her 30s! you still have time!

fierysword

Catholicism was the only spiritual flavor available to Julian of Norwich in her time and place. This was the home in which the Holy One visited her. From there, he took her hand and led her out into the wild places of spirit where all mystics travel—a place that has no map and transcends all description.

Julian of Norwich: The Showings: Uncovering the Face of the Feminine in Revelations of Divine Love by Mirabai Starr

thyateira

Okkk so apparently this exhibition on Medieval women has

- Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love

- The ONLY surviving manuscript of Margery Kempe

- JOAN OF ARC's literal signature

Literally getting on the tube to central as we speak

ohholydyke

The saints manifesting as their patronage

Finding the fiery eyes of St Michael in the freedom fighter, standing in the protest in black bloc and hurling a tear gas canister back at the cops before it can hurt anyone.

Finding St. Paul in the person producing scathing zine after zine, scattering them throughout churches when the sanctuary’s empty and in the streets, filled with long letters criticizing the failures of those who do not love as they ought to love.

Finding St. Hildegard in the chronically ill academic, gifted with extraordinary visions and analysis and channeling it into frenzied work between pouring her heart out in advice to anyone who needs it late at night in the school library.

Finding St. Julian in the old lady at the bus stop who shares a cigarette and tells you that it’s okay, honey, everything’s about love, and god doesn’t judge you for feeling like you’re at rock bottom.

Finding St. Theresè in the nun, the custodian, the lunch lady, the street sweeper, the child who stays behind to pick up after the others before leaving, serving others in love and humility with a smile on her face and moving others to gentleness in return.

Finding St. Francis in the park ranger, in the conservation activist, in the climate advocate, demanding care for the poor and the non human peoples of the world.

Finding St. Joan of Arc in the youth movements for justice, in the young students catalyzing change by refusing to just be seen and not heard, in the community leaders and defenders and your older sibling who teaches you how to hold your head up and punch harder if someone tries to punch you.

Finding St. Dismas in the shoplifter, who meets your eyes before you look away and pretend to not see anything, in the confession booth, in the person shunned by the rest of the parish who lives and breathes devotion

Finding St. Martha in the housewife, the cleaning lady, the waitress, the service worker, who shoulders the weight of responsibility with ease and strength beyond imagination.

Finding St. Mary Magdalene in the death doula, the mortician, the funeral agent who prepare the body after death, and ensure it is properly cared for during and after the burial.

Just….seeing the saints in our human community as well as our spiritual one.