'From the time these things were first revealed I had often wanted to know what was our Lord's meaning. It was more than fifthteen years after that I was answered in my Spirit's understanding. 'You would know our Lord's meaning in this thing? Know it well. Love was his meaning. Who showed it you? Love. What did he show you? Love. Why did he show it? For love. Hold onto this and you will know and understand love more and more. But you will not know or learn anything else - ever!'
So it was that I learned that love was our Lord's meaning. And I saw for certain, both here and elsewhere, that before ever he made us, God loved us; and that his love has never slackened, nor ever shall. In this love all his works have been done, and in this love our life is everlasting. Our beginning was when we were made, but love in which he made us never had beginning. In it we have our beginning.
All this we shall see in God for ever. May Jesus grant this.
Amen.'
Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love, p.111.
