Uncommon Grace

I finished this day another novel by Walter Wangerin Jr.: Saint Julian a novel retelling of the life of the legendary saint. Two others I have read, The Book of the Dun Cow and its sequel and have cried at every one. Wangerin's books feel to me like a thick fog and their resolutions always arrive so quietly and crushingly that I am unprepared and fall to tears.

Julian reads between the hiccups of his sobs: "Misericordia Dei. The mercy of God."

"Lordling," the Almoner sings dovelike now: "Heavenly mercy never left thee. Here it hath lain" ---placing the flat of his hand upon Julian's caven chest---"and here it lieth still above thine heart, waiting, waiting for thee so to fail thyself that nothing is left but mercy."

"But what shall I do?" he says. He begs this. It is the very supplication which has tormented him all these latter years; aye, but this time he begs and does not answer it himself. For now he knows he has no answer, and so his begging is pure.

Julian heaves his wounded body to its knees. He places his hands together. Face to face with the Almoner, he is the supplicant, pleading: "But what shall I do? How shall I live my miserable life?"

The Almoner... takes hold of Julian's hands, and one by one he kisses the tips of the fingers, singing, "Ten servants to join the hosts of Heaven."

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."