Chapter 6
- Kempe shares the first of her contemplative visions in this chapter.
- Kempe is following Christ's instructions to lie still and think about holy things—but she's at a loss for topics to think about. So Christ tells her to think about his mother, Mary.
- Kempe does Christ one better: she immediately sees a vision of a pregnant St. Anne, the mother of Mary. She begs to be Anne's servant and is taken on.
- Kempe attends the birth of Mary, raises her until she is twelve (the age that she is supposed to have become pregnant with Jesus), and tells her that she will be the Mother of God.
- When Mary gets pregnant with Jesus in this vision, Kempe begs to be her servant.
- So Kempe follows Mary and experiences intimately those moments from Scripture that figure in the birth narrative: the visit to St. Elizabeth, the journey to Bethlehem, and the birth of Jesus.
- Kempe imagines herself being incredibly domestic and useful so that she can witness the miraculous beginnings of Christianity.
- When Jesus is born, Kempe tends to him and feels pity because she knows how much pain he will suffer. She promises to treat him gently, spoiling him a little because of her empathy.
Chapter 7
- Kempe continues in her visionary journey with the Holy Family. She attends them when the Three Kings come to call and then when God sends Mary and Joseph are sent into Egypt.
- Kempe also begins to weep again. It happens for a variety of reasons: contrition for her own sins, sadness for what will happen to baby Jesus, anxiety for those who suffer or for souls in purgatory.
- And it's not just any kind of crying: it's violent weeping. Kempe wants to leave the troubles of the world and go to heaven.
- But God has other plans for Kempe—big plans. He tells her that she's meant to stay on earth and pray for everyone. She's going to save the souls of thousands.
- Then God gives Kempe an even bigger gift: she can have whatever she asks for.
- Kempe asks God to spare the souls of everyone on earth from damnation. Whoa.
Chapter 8
- Kempe's new prayer style must be working out for her, because she has another very profitable session of contemplation, this time with Mary.
- Mary tells Kempe that there is already a place for her in heaven, at the very knee of Jesus Christ. Who would she like to be there with her as her companion?
- Kempe names her confessor, Robert Spryngolde. Jesus is a little surprised by this (he's joined the convo at this point). Why not name her husband?
- Kempe says that Master R has gone through a lot of trouble with her and deserves something for it. Jesus says that he will save her husband, anyway. And all her children.
- Kempe does something very clever here: she asks Jesus to be the "executor" of all her spiritual good deeds. She wants to bequeath any merit she may have earned to various people. Half goes to Master R., and half she gives to Christ, to dispose of as he wishes.
- Jesus is impressed by this and agrees to be Kempe's executor. She also gets double bonus points in heaven because she is so generous with her merit.
Chapter 9
- Kempe has some domestic triumphs in this chapter.
- First, God promises to kill off all sexual desire in Kempe's husband, as she had wanted.
- Then, while Kempe is praying in church before Easter, a huge stone and beam from the roof fall onto her—but she is perfectly fine.
- A Carmelite friar named Master Aleyn inquires into the situation and deems it a true miracle.
- We are told that many people glorified God because Kempe was saved—but equally many believed that she was punished by God for something.
Chapter 10
- Kempe feels that she should travel for the benefit of her soul (we're talking pilgrimages, visiting holy men, watching religious plays).
- Kempe asks her husband for permission to travel, and he grants it, thinking that God has motivated her.
- Kempe does well abroad: people welcome her and fuss over her. Now she's worried that she'll get conceited again, but Christ tells her that he won't let that happen.
- Christ also reassures Kempe that he is fully part of her, and she is a part of him (check out our "Shout Outs" section for more on this reference to the Gospel of John).
- Here's one of the most astonishing things: Christ says that if the people Kempe advises will give up their sins, then he will guarantee whatever grace Kempe promises them.
- That's a pretty big deal, since this is awfully close to what a priest does at confession. Kempe's spirituality is getting stronger.
- Kempe travels with her husband to York (probably to see the York Corpus Christi plays) and other places.