A little crazy

Marjery Kempe is one of my favorite commemorations. Everyone has heard of Julian of Norwich - she is famous as a mystic and recluse and as the first woman who wrote in English.

Marjery Kempe was from King's Lynn - so about 45 miles from Norwich where Julian was - must have been something in the Norfolk water that these two devout but very different women emerged at a similar time in the same place. Marjery was married and had lots of children. Her husband was a prominent business man - so she would have had financial resources.

However, she had visions and ended up dashing about all over the place talking to Bishops and anyone else who would listen to her. She has an edge which is almost manic but at the same time she is utterly remarkable in her belief and her tenacity.

I suppose I like her so much because she is unconventional and yet utterly orthodox in her belief in God - God is the center of everything for her and she really does not care what other people say about her - she does what she does because she believes herself called to do it. This level of daring is still required for women in our society - even though it looks very different on the surface scratch a little and you find an nest of opinion which believes that women should be at home and highly ornamental.

I think that the Book of Marjery Kempe should be required reading for all aspiring young women but it should also be on the list for all of us who find ourselves being buffeted by the pre-suppositions of others. I remember being told once that God is not very good at telling ages when he asks people to do things - so young and old alike are asked to prophesy. I don't think God has a person description which looks middle aged and male and kinda wise, but not too much, either.

I do not think Marjery Kempe was in it for the shock value - I think she just acted on what she believed. Can we say the same - that we act on the extraordinary life that we live in Christ - even if we do not seem to fit the description of the prophet or the monk or nun? Perhaps I should have titled this "allowing ordinariness" - for whilst Marjery Kempe certainly was a little crazy at times, she also allowed herself, all of her ordinary, married, childbearing and sometimes annoying self, to work for the Lord she loved.