I Believe All Shall Be Well

I believe that all manner of things shall be well.

These words from St. Julian of Norwich were on my lips often beginning in November of 2016: "All shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well."

I needed the comfort of this prayer, because there was so much that did not feel well to me. Then in March of 2020, I began to wonder if this, perhaps, was not my prayer. It was becoming all too apparent that for me, a white woman of relative privilege, it was true: All shall be well. As the pandemic exposed just how many people were dying from racism and inequality, I became more uncomfortable praying for something that I already had. Hearing it from others with whom I prayed, those who were also privileged and at less risk for what was befalling so many around us, I even became resentful of this prayer. I would not utter the words. 

But it came back to me in recent months, for many reasons. At first I would hear it whispering in my head, almost teasing me- "c'mon, say me." And finally, I did. And I realized how much I needed it to be true, that all manner of things shall be well. I started saying the prayer again, not just for myself, but for all. Recognizing it as a prayer for the global, universal all, not just for my all, made me fall in love with it again, and believe it. This prayer is a reminder for me when things feel too heavy, when it's hard to understand the chaos and pain of what is happening, when my heart is breaking from injustice, that those I see cruelty inflicted upon shall be well. This little run-on sentence of a prayer keeps me going and helps me to work toward all being well, for me and for others as I can. 

So I believe that all manner of things shall be well, because that is how God tells us this story ends. I don't understand why there has to be so much fear and struggle or why so many have to suffer before we get there, but I believe that fear and struggle and suffering will end because God says it will. And when the suffering is over, those who endured it shall be well. Just as I shall be well, you shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. 

Amen.