Holy Saturday faces us absence, the aftermath of the death of Jesus and his burial is an emptiness. All sorts of inner turmoil is left without anything to focus on. Did it happen, of course it did, how could it have happened, in what ways did I contribute to it, I so regret some things and so on. Particular moments return in memory arousing deep feelings. These thoughts and emotions circle around within us. 

Julian of Norwich was clearly no stranger to this inner turmoil. She spent 20 years processing the deep experiences she had in her visions. Not least the contradictory thoughts and emotions that were aroused in her by her witnessing in her minds eye the passion of Jesus and how this could be reconciled with the love of God and the teaching of the church.

Today and tomorrow, we draw upon a ‘parable’, a symbolic story, that she is given which gives a profoundly helpful perspective on life, death and hope.