Three Collects and Three Spiritual Songs for the Feast of Julian of Norwich

On May 8th the Church of England, the Episcopal Church, and other Anglican Churches commemorate Julian of Norwich, a mystic, theologian, and anchoress whose Revelations of Divine Love is the earliest known book in English by a woman. Her vivid visions of Christ during a grave illness brought profound theological insight into God’s mercy, grace, and maternal care. Her reflections, such as “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well,” continue to offer comfort and challenge across centuries. Julian bore witness to a God of infinite compassion.

Three Collects:

Common Worship (2000)

Most holy God, the ground of our beseeching,
who through your servant Julian
revealed the wonders of your love:
grant that as we are created in your nature
and restored by your grace,
our wills may be so made one with yours
that we may come to see you face to face
and gaze on you for ever;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Lesser Feasts and Fasts (2024)

Triune God, Father and Mother
to us all, who showed your
servant Julian revelations of your
nurturing and sustaining love:
Move our hearts, like hers, to
seek you above all things, for in
giving us yourself you give us all.
Amen.

Forward Day By Day

Lord God, in your compassion
you granted to the Lady Julian
many revelations of your
nurturing and sustaining love:
Move our hearts, like hers,
to seek you above all things,
for in giving us yourself
you give us all;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Three Three Spiritual Songs

The Bells of Norwich

Words & Music: Sydney Carter

1 Loud are the bells of Norwich
and the people come and go.
Here by the tower of Julian
I tell them what I know.

Ring out, bells of Norwich,
and let the winter come and go.
All shall be well again, I know.

2 Love, like the yellow daffodil,
is coming through the snow;
Love, like the yellow daffodil,
is Lord of all I know.

Ring out, bells of Norwich,
and let the winter come and go.
All shall be well again, I know.

3 Ring for the yellow daffodil,
the flower in the snow.
Ring for the yellow daffodil
And tell them what I know.

Ring out, bells of Norwich,
and let the winter come and go.
All shall be well again, I know.

4 All shall be well, I'm telling you,
let the winter come and go.
All shall be well again, I know.

All shall be well, I'm telling you,
let the winter come and go.

All shall be well again, I know.
All shall be well again, I know.

Mothering God, You Gave Me Birth

Words: Julian of Norwich; Jean Janzen
Music: MOTHER JULIAN, John L. Bell

1 Mothering God, you gave me birth
in the bright morning of this world.
Creator, source of ev’ry breath,
you are my rain, my wind, my sun.

2 Mothering Christ, you took my form,
offering me your food of light,
grain of new life, and grape of love,
your very body for my peace.

3 Mothering Spirit, nurt’ring one,
in arms of patience hold me close,
so that in faith I root and grow
until I flow’r, until I know.

All Will Be Well

Words & Music: Steven C. Warner

1 Our Lord said that all would be well,
all manner of things would be well.
All will be well, and all will be well,
all manner of things will be well.

2 With all the sadness wrought in this world,
the good shall always prevail.
All will be well, and all will be well,
all manner of things will be well.

3 In all the doubts that shroud simple truths,
We pray for the wisdom of God.
All will be well, and all will be well,
all manner of things will be well.

4 Give us the faith to trust in your love,
when things are concealed from our view.
All will be well, and all will be well,
all manner of things will be well.

5 Our faith is firm and stands on the Word,
the Word that endures for all time.
All will be well, and all will be well,
all manner of things will be well.

6 And so we pray to trust in the hope
that all manner of things shall be well.
All will be well, and all will be well,
all manner of things will be well.
will be well, will be well.