Curious Christian

Shortly after the death of Blaise Pascal in 1662 at the age of 39, a servant was sorting through Pascal’s clothes and noticed something sewn into a coat that Pascal had often worn. Out of curiosity the servant cut open the cloth and found a parchment, inside of which was a faded piece of paper. He read this:

The year of grace 1654.

Monday, 23 November, feast of St. Clement,

pope and martyr and others in the martyrology.

The eve of Saint Chrysogonus martyr and others.

From about half-past ten in the evening

        until about half-past midnight.

Fire.

The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.

Not of the philosophers and intellectuals.

Certitude, certitude, feeling, joy, peace.

The God of Jesus Christ.

My God and your God.

Your God will be my God.

Forgetfulness of the world and of everything except God.

One finds oneself only by way of the directions taught

        in the gospel.

The grandeur of the human soul.

Oh just Father, the world has not known you,

       but I have known you.

Joy, joy,,, joy, tears of joy.

I have separated myself from him.

They have abandoned me, the fountain of living water.

My God, will you leave me?

May I not be separated from him eternally.

This is eternal life, that they know you the one true God

       and J.C. whom you have sent.

Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ.

I have separated myself from him. I have run away from him,

        renounced him, crucified him.

May I never be separated from him.

One preserves oneself only by way of the lessons taught

         in the gospel.

Renunciation total and sweet.

And so forth.