How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Page)
Quote #4
Then many people were amazed at her, asking her what was wrong with her; to which she, like a creature all wounded with love, and in whom reason had failed, cried with a loud voice: "The Passion of Christ slays me." (I.41.136)
Direct communion with divinity has its perks: you get the skinny on the spiritual status of other people, and you can ask for favors pretty efficiently. But then there's this: Kempe suffers right alongside Christ because she enters into the events of his Passion emotionally. It feels to her as though she's seeing all the terrible events of the end of Christ's life right before her eyes.
Quote #5
"Ah, blissful Lord, I would rather suffer all the cutting words that people might say about me, and all clerics to preach against me for your love [...] than this pain that I have." (I.56.176)
So, Kempe really doesn't like physical illness. While she often doesn't think she can bear the emotional and spiritual strain of the contemplative life, one good case of dysentery convinces her that physical suffering might just have as much merit as spiritual labor.
Quote #6
And this affliction lasted twelve days altogether, and just as previously she had four hours in the morning of holy speeches and confabulation with our Lord, so she now had as many hours of foul thoughts and foul recollections of lechery and all uncleanness, as though she would have prostituted herself with all manner of people. (I.59.183)
Kempe has lost a fight with Jesus about the damnation of souls. And for her disobedience, J. C. has taken away all the "good thoughts and speeches" that he's been having with her and allows the devil equal time—just so that she knows the difference between true good and evil. Kempe does not like this one bit. She especially hates that she feels compelled to do gross and evil things.