For Every Man's Sin That Shall Be Saved He Suffered
Jesus suffered to atone for every man's sin that shall be saved, and to show His love and kindness for humanity.
Julian of Norwich preaches about the profound suffering and love of Jesus Christ, emphasizing that He endured more pain than all men combined, considering His divine worthiness and the ignominious death He faced. She reflects on the strength and tenderness of Jesus in His suffering, highlighting His ability to empathize with every person's sin, sorrow, and desolation out of kindness and love. Julian describes how Jesus willingly chose to endure such immense suffering out of His strong love for our souls, with the promise that the pains of Christ's Passion will ultimately lead to everlasting joy.
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AND thus I saw our Lord Jesus languoring long time. For the oneing with the Godhead gave strength to the manhood for love to suffer more than 43 all men might suffer: I mean not only more pain than all men might suffer, but also that He suffered more pain than all men of salvation that ever were from the first beginning unto the last day might tell or fully think, having regard to the worthiness of the highest worshipful King and the shameful, despised, painful death. For He that is highest and worthiest was most fully made-nought and most utterly despised.
For the highest point that may be seen in the Passion is to think and know what He is that suffered. And in this [Shewing] He brought in part to mind the height and nobleness of the glorious Godhead, and therewith the preciousness and the tenderness of the blessed Body, which be together united; and also the lothness that is in our Kind to suffer pain. For as much as He was most tender and pure, right so He was most strong and mighty to suffer. And for every man's sin that shall be saved He suffered: and every man's sorrow and desolation He saw, and sorrowed for Kindness and love. (For in as much as our Lady sorrowed for His pains, in so much He suffered sorrow for her sorrow;--and more, in as greatly as the sweet manhood of Him was worthier in Kind.)
For as long as He was passible He suffered for us and sorrowed for us; and now He is uprisen and no more passible, yet He suffereth with us. And I, beholding all this by His grace, saw that the Love of Him was so strong which He hath to our soul that willingly He chose it with great desire, and mildly He suffered it with well-pleasing. For the soul that beholdeth it thus, when it is touched by grace, it shall verily see that the pains of Christ's 44 Passion pass all pains: [all pains] that is to say, which shall be turned into everlasting, o'erpassing joys by the virtue of Christ's Passion.
Sermon Outline
- The Passion of Christ
- The strength of the Godhead in the manhood
- The worthiness of the highest worshipful King
- The shameful, despised, painful death
Key Quotes
“For the oneing with the Godhead gave strength to the manhood for love to suffer more than 43 all men might suffer” — Julian of Norwich
“For He that is highest and worthiest was most fully made-nought and most utterly despised” — Julian of Norwich
“For the soul that beholdeth it thus, when it is touched by grace, it shall verily see that the pains of Christ's Passion pass all pains” — Julian of Norwich
Application Points
- We can find comfort and strength in Jesus' love and kindness, especially in times of sorrow.
- Jesus' suffering was not in vain, but has brought us eternal joy and salvation.
- We can understand the depth of Jesus' suffering by beholding His love and kindness for us.