The Book of Margery Kempe Book I, Chapters 76-80 Summary

Chapter 76

Kempe's husband takes a fall down the stairs and gets a pretty serious head wound.
Kempe's not happy, for two reasons: 1) she has to interrupt her prayers to take care of him; and 2) people say that she should be hanged if he dies, since she should have been there to prevent it.
Kempe explains that she and her husband had been living apart, since keeping their vow of chastity was too hard when they lived under the same roof.
Although Kempe doesn't want to take care of her husband, Jesus orders her to do so. He tells her that caring for her sick husband pleases him as much as her prayers.
Kempe does as she's told, but it's clear that she doesn't love it. John has become "childish" and incapable of taking care of his basic needs.
Kempe's kind of disgusted by the whole episode. However, she decides that this is her punishment for lusting after John's hot young bod in the old days.

Kempe remembers when she first started "crying," or screaming out in public. People told her that she would cause men to sin by drawing attention to herself.
Kempe immediately asks Jesus to take the screaming away from her. He will have none of it.
In fact, he tells her that she must obey his will so that she learns her place. As in, everything she does will be for Christ, not for herself.
On the other hand, Jesus promises to be "hers." Kempe will get her ultimate desire—to be with him in heaven for eternity.
Jesus likens his power to a force of nature (a thunderstorm). Like the wind that can't be seen but can be felt, so God's power moves in certain people and sets their hearts on fire.
Jesus also explains that he has to "break" spiritual beginners by making them submit to his will in a merciless way. But Kempe is no beginner, and he promises to deal with her more gently.
Jesus tells Kempe that she can be sure of his love by a number of "tokens" or signs.
In short, Jesus tells Kempe to pay no mind to those who grumble about her screamings. She will not cause others to sin because of it.
Kempe is forever grateful for this and worries that she doesn't deserve his love, because she is a miserable sinner.
Jesus tells Kempe that she does penance best when she shows her love for him.
In the end, Kempe hopes that people pick on her screaming every day of her life, because it will help to show her love for God even more.

Kempe recollects her experiences on many Palm Sundays over the years. She describes her spiritual revelations during the processions and other ecclesiastical celebrations of the day.
In her spiritual sight, Kempe sees Jesus enter Jerusalem and cries out in her devotion. She seizes on the phrase "The Lord Jesus languishes for love"—spoken during the sermon—and is consumed by the fire of love in her heart. It is emotionally overwhelming for her.
Kempe's crying is so loud and energetic that she's actually embarrassed by her behavior. Jesus tells her not to worry: the more ridicule she gets from the world, the better he loves her.
Jesus also foretells an episode of plague that will hit Kempe's town. It happens, and Kempe feels more secure in the revelations she has after this.
Jesus also tells Kempe that he wants her to be an example to others so that they repent of their sins and become more perfect.
When the priest strikes the church door on Palm Sunday, Kempe thinks she sees the gates of hell opening and Jesus saving the souls there.
As the crucifix used in procession is revealed to the crowd, Kempe is entirely swept up into spiritual sights. Everything around her melts away, and she sees Christ standing before her.

Kempe's vision of Christ going to his crucifixion continues. This time, she sees an exchange between him and his mother. Mary doesn't think she can live without her son.
Jesus comforts Mary by saying that she will have much greater joy and honor if he goes through with his death and resurrection. He tells her that she has to stay behind him and become an example for all the church. He also promises to come for her personally when she dies and make her Queen of Heaven.
Kempe sees Mary give Jesus her blessing and then fall to the ground in agony. Kempe grabs at Jesus's clothes and sobs.
Jesus tells Kempe to chill out—he'll be back to comfort both his mother and her.
In her mind, Kempe follows Jesus in his suffering through to his resurrection. She sees him betrayed by Judas and then scourged by his enemies.
Kempe tells us that though these are "spiritual sights," she sees them as clearly as if they are happening before her bodily eyes.
These revelations occurred to Kempe every Palm Sunday and Good Friday for many years.
Jesus tells Kempe that he loves her very much for suffering with him in this way.

Kempe wants to tell us more about her spiritual revelations. She sees Jesus as she had seen him on the Despenser Retable in Norwich Cathedral, with his hands bound above his head.
These visions are meant to increase Kempe's devotion, which shows itself in her weeping and screaming.
Kempe also sees Christ's mother, Mary, meeting him as he carries his cross.
Kempe describes how she takes the journey to his crucifixion spiritually, noting specific details from the crucifixion story.
Kempe focuses on her hatred of the Jews for their role in the death of Christ. In her vision, she hears Mary rebuking the Jews for their role in the crucifixion, specifically.
Kempe describes a very gory scene, as Jesus is nailed to the cross and dies there. She sees Mary fall to the ground in a faint.
Kempe continues her vision and sees Jesus's body taken down from the cross to be anointed with oils by Joseph of Arimathea. (Remember that she had seen the Stone of Anointing in Chapter 29, when she was in Jerusalem).
Kempe imagines herself as a madwoman, wishing she could get the body of Christ to herself so that she can adore him alone.
Kempe sees Mary attempting to keep her son's body with her, rather than sending it off for burial.