Two hours of Blaise Pascal’s life

Of the five folded corners of Generous Orthodoxy, this one requires the least explanation. Brian McLaren quotes Blaise Pascal on a poem – this guy – Pascal, was a prose-happy, rational being who seemingly had a few fleeting hours of heart filled inspiration and gratefulness that expressed itself.

MEMORIAL
The year of grace 1654
Monday, 23 November…
From about half past ten in the evening until about half past midnight
FIRE.
“GOD of Abraham, GOD of Issac, GOD of Jacob”
not of the philosophers of the learned.
Certitude. Certitude. Feeling. Joy. Peace.
GOD of Jesus Christ.
“My God and your God…”
Forgetfulness of the world and of everything
except GOD.
He is to be found only in the ways taught in the Gospel.
Greatness of the human soul.
“Righteous Father, the world has not known you,
but I have known you.”
Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy.
I have departed from him:
“They have forsaken me, the fount of living water.”
“My God, will you leave me?”
Let me not be separated from him forever.
“This is eternal life,
that they might know you, the one true God,
and the one that you sent, Jesus Christ.”
Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ.
I left him;
I fled him,
renounced,
crucified.
Let me never be separated from him.
He is only kept securely by the ways taught in the Gospel:

Renunciation, total and sweet.
Complete submission to Jesus Christ and to my director.
Eternally in joy for a day’s exercise on the earth.
Not to forget your words. Amen.

I think it is one of the most beautiful and honest things I have ever read.

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