Always With You

Today we continue with the witness of Margery Kempe, a 15^th century mystic in England. In her memoir, The Book of Margery Kempe, she relates many conversations she had with Jesus. In her time, priests and bishops thought these discussions were genuine, and it was for this reason that even the archbishop of Canterbury wrote a note for her, permitting her to travel alone, and to be forgiven for her frequent weeping and wailing in public, and during church services. ( This annoyed many ministers giving sermons). 

Here is one of her dialogues with Jesus. Keep in mind that during her time, Jesus was seen as the king of the universe, and the church emphasized his judgmental character. Her dialogues suggest a more intimate, earthly and forgiving Jesus:

“And what more should I do for you, unless I were to take your soul out of your body and put it in heaven, and that I will not do yet. Nevertheless, wheresoever God is, heaven is; and God is in your soul, and many an angel is round about your soul to guard it both night and day. For when you go to church, I go with you; when you sit at your meal, I sit with you; when you go to bed, I go with you; and when you go out of town, I go with you.

Daughter, there was never child so meek to its father as I shall be to you, to help you and look after you with my grace. I sometimes behave towards you as I do with the sun. Sometimes, as you well know, the sun shines so that many people can see it, and sometimes it is hidden behind a cloud so that it cannot be seen. And yet, it is the sun nevertheless, in its heat and its brightness. And just so I proceed with you and with my chosen souls.”

For mystics and others, divine visions posed a problem: after such a vision, normal life can seem very dull by comparison. They often wrestle with the reality that God’s closeness comes and goes. This is true for non-mystics as well. At times, faith is easy, while there are other seasons of life when God’s presence, even God’s existence, may seem doubtful. In Margery’s vision, Jesus explains this by comparing God’s presence to the sun, which shines sometimes, but is obscured at other times. Yet the sun, the Son, remains. 

Faith is different from certainty. It requires the capacity to believe that the sun will shine again, and so we must live as though it is always there, even when it is obscured. In doing so, we become a bit of that sun on earth, even on the cloudy days, showing others a faint hint of the light of God, through our acts of compassion and grace towards each other. Peace.

-Rev. Stephen Milton, Lawrence Park Community Church, Toronto

Quotation source: Margery Kempe, The Book of Margery Kempe, Book 1, Chapter 14

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