Not Necessary

The mystic Julian of Norwich wrote Showings in 1373, making her the first woman to write a book in the English language. Showings is a record of the visions she received during an illness, and these visions are honestly the kindliest and most love-drenched that I have ever encountered in this line of literature. "Many men and women believe that God is almighty and may do everything, and that he is all wisdom and can do everything, but that he is all love and wishes to do everything, that is where they fail," she writes. Her use of the term "Mother Christ" also sets her musings quite apart from the usual, expected thing.

Julian was a contemporary of Chaucer, and English was an infant language, so it's much easier for a modern person to read a "translation" of her writings, even though they're written in English. However, as with all translation, there are pitfalls. "Sin is necessary," the modern translation goes, but that's not quite it. Julian wrote that "Sin is behoovely."

I'm not saying that I know a better word for behoovely. I'm just pointing out that it's not necessary.