Margery Kempe

Today is the commemoration of Margery Kempe. I have to admit upfront that I am rather fond of her – although she can be infuriating at root she seems to have been very much in touch with the love of God and tried to respond to this honestly – even though at times she chose some odd paths to tread.

She was a native of King's Lynn and married at twenty to a local business man with whom she had fourteen children. That we have an extant piece of spiritual writing from a woman at this time is extraordinary – let alone a woman who was married with children. The, perhaps better known, Julian of Norwich wrote a little earlier but had taken to the life of solitude in a cell off her parish church which can still be visited today.

Margery just does not fit into many boxes in terms of Christian mystics and this is what, to me, makes her so appealing. Everything she does, however extraordinary she wishes to be for the love of Christ. Of course, the book which she dictated to a reluctant priest, is full of medieval imagery of the church, some of which is unfamiliar or unappealing to us. But it serves to remind us that our ancestors, whilst couching their faith in different language and action, were still seeking God's revealed will in their lives – just as we are with the same sort of mixed results.

The reading from Titus about moderation fits Margery's pleas wwith God to remove her self-centredness and love of finery. She was vain to the core – much to her husband's horror. But once she embraces her faith, moderation does not come into it as she travels the length and breadth of England talking to clergy and bishops alike, apparently acting as a sort of spiritual director to some and coming under censure from those who did not like her extreme enthusiasm.

Medieval Christianity does not try to draw lines around spirituality in the ways which we do – everything is focused on faith and lack of it. Mental health and spiritual experience are all combined into one. Many of the mystics seem to have experienced times in their lives which would be clinically diagnosed in our modern culture. And this is not so much a criticism of modern medicine but a warning to us to listen to a greater range of human experience.

Margery is acutely aware of her situation and constantly seeks sponsors – again and again the men of the Church test her and again and again she stands up against them. I do not think she would have been a very comfortable person to be around – but then the Gospel and truth do not always lead to a place which feels very comfortable. Margery certainly had the ability to annoy people and frequently pays the price for this.

The Gospel from Luke has Jesus helping his follower to understand that everything they do is in some way owed to God – it is our role in life to simply serve our creator. This is a hard concept for the modern mind which has grabbed on to concepts of self actualization and deciding our own paths. We no longer like to think of ourselves as part of a created order which actually has order – often preferring to put God as a sort of non-executive director of our lives.

However mad Margery may be, however annoying – this is something which she does well – she refers to herself constantly as a creature – perhaps she is a little too self-abasing for the modern mind – but to see ourselves in relation to God Almighty rather than as God All-Agreeing will do us no harm at all.

There is no human being, except Christ, who we can hold up as a total paradigm for life. Christians are not perfect – just being perfected. But Margery reminds us in her writing and in her life that even the most extraordinary of characters are precious to God and with listening ears and a willing heart can be used in the most amazing ways.

Lord God Almighty,
we bring ourselves before you as we are,
transform us
shape us
make us more perfect servants of your Divine Will.