Faith in the Flesh
March 22, 2008 by pistolpete
from The Diary of a Country Priest by Georges Bernanos …
“No, I have not lost my faith. The cruelty of this test, its devastation, like a thunderbolt, and so inexplicable, may have shattered my reason and my nerves, may have withered suddenly withint me the joy of pray — perhaps for ever, who can tell? — may have filled me to the very brim with a dark, more terrible resignation than the worst consulsions of despair in its cataclysmic fall; but my faith is still whole, for I can feel it.
I cannot reach it now; I can find it neither in my poor mind, unable to link two ideas correctly, working only on half delirious images, nor in my sensibility, nor yet in my conscience.
Sometimes I feel that my faith has withdrawn and still persists where certainly I should never have thought of seeking it, in my flesh, my wretched flesh, in my flesh and blood, my perishable flesh which yet was baptized.”
Bernanos has a definite gift of expression with honesty. And you have a gift for finding such quotations. I thank God that you have shared your gracious comments and observations which have been like a friend to me this past year. You and your family are foremost in my prayers today.
The Pistol fires back: Thank you so much for your prayers. God is certainly answering them.
Great quote. Thinking of you often.
The Pistol fires back: Bernanos is great. I heard they did a French film on “The Diary of a Country Priest”. Thanks for your thoughts.