Chapter 38
In Heaven "the token of sin is turned to worship."—Examples thereof
In Heaven, "the sign of sin is turned into honor." Examples of this
Also God shewed that sin shall be no shame to man, but worship. For right as to every sin is answering a pain by truth, right so for every sin, to the same soul is given a bliss by love: right as diverse sins are punished with diverse pains according as they be grievous, right so shall they be rewarded with diverse joys in Heaven according as they have been painful and sorrowful to the soul in earth. For the soul that shall come to Heaven is precious to God, and the place so worshipful that the goodness of God suffereth never that soul to sin that shall come there without that the which sin shall be rewarded; and it is made known without end, and blissfully restored by overpassing worship.
God also showed that sin will bring people not shame, but honor. Just as every sin is rightly met with pain, so love gives the same soul bliss for every sin. Different sins are punished with different pains, according to their seriousness. In the same way, they will be rewarded with different joys in Heaven, according to the pain and sorrow they caused the soul on earth. For the soul that will come to Heaven is precious to God, and Heaven is a place of such honor. So God in his goodness never lets that soul sin without rewarding it for the sin. And the sin is made known forever and blissfully made good with surpassing honor.
For in this Sight mine understanding was lifted up into Heaven, and then God brought merrily to my mind David, and others in the Old Law without number; and in the New Law He brought to my mind first Mary Magdalene, Peter and Paul, and those of Inde; and Saint John of Beverley; and others also without number: how they are known in the Church in earth with their sins, and it is to them no shame, but all is turned for them to worship. And therefore our courteous Lord sheweth [it thus] for them here in part like as it is there in fulness: for there the token of sin is turned to worship.
In this vision, my understanding was lifted up into Heaven. Then God joyfully brought David and countless others under the Old Law to my mind. From the New Law, he brought to mind first Mary Magdalene, Peter and Paul, and those of Inde; and Saint John of Beverley; and countless others. They are known in the Church on earth along with their sins, and those sins bring them no shame. Instead, all is turned to their honor. So our gracious Lord shows this for them here in part, just as it is in Heaven in fullness. For there, the mark of sin is turned to honor.
St. Thomas and St. Jude. According to tradition, these Apostles brought the Gospel to India.
St. John of Beverley was consecrated Bishop of Hexham in 687 and later became Archbishop of York. "He founded the monastery of Beverley in the midst of the wood called Deira, among the ruins of the deserted Roman settlement of Pentuaria. This monastery, like so many others of the Anglo-Saxons, was a double community of monks and nuns. In 718 John retired for the remaining years of his life to Beverley, where he died in 721 on the 7th of May.... He was canonised in 1037. Henschenius the Bollandist, in the second tome of May, has published books of the miracles wrought at the relicks of St John of Beverley written by eye-witnesses. His sacred bones were honourably translated into the church of Alfric, Archbishop of York, in 1037. A feast in honour of his translation was kept on the 25th of October." Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints, etc.
And Saint John of Beverley, our Lord shewed him full highly, in comfort to us for homeliness; and brought to my mind how he is a dear neighbour, and of our knowing. And God called him Saint John of Beverley plainly as we do, and that with a most glad sweet cheer, shewing that he is a full high saint in Heaven in His sight, and a blissful. And with this he made mention that in his youth and in his tender age he was a dearworthy servant to God, greatly God loving and dreading, and yet God suffered him to fall, mercifully keeping him that he perished not, nor lost no time. And afterward God raised him to manifold more grace, and by the contrition and meekness that he had in his living, God hath given him in Heaven manifold joys, overpassing that [which] he should have had if he had not fallen. And that this is sooth, God sheweth in earth with plenteous miracles doing about his body continually.
And our Lord showed me Saint John of Beverley in great glory, to comfort us with a sense of closeness. He reminded me that Saint John is a dear neighbour, someone we know. And God called him Saint John of Beverley, just as we do, with a most glad and sweet expression. He showed that Saint John is a very great and blessed saint in heaven in his sight. God also mentioned that, in his youth and tender years, Saint John was a beloved servant of God. He greatly loved and feared God, and yet God allowed him to fall. God mercifully kept him from perishing or losing any time. Afterward, God raised him to much greater grace. And because of the sorrow for sin and humility he showed during his life, God has given him many joys in heaven. These joys surpass those he would have had if he had not fallen. And God shows that this is true through the many miracles he continually performs around Saint John's body on earth.
"and browte to mynd how he is an hende neybor and of our knowyng" (that is, he was a fellow countryman). "hende" means near, urbane, or gentle.
And all this was to make us glad and merry in love.
And all this was to make us glad and joyful in love.