The Christian Conscience

The word of God is not a tangled ball of yarn.

It's a beautiful woolen thread which winds itself around the spindle.

As he spoke to us, thus we ought to listen.

As he spoke to Moses.

As he spoke to us through Jesus.

As he spoke to us all, thus we ought to listen.



Yes, my child, if that's how it is, if it's like this that we ought to listen

     to Jesus.

That we ought to listen to God.

Literally.

To the letter.

Strictly, simply, plainly, exactly, soundly.

On the level.

Then my child what a trembling, what a commandment of hope.

What an opening up, what a shock of hope. What a crushing. The

     words are there.

There's nothing to analyze, what an entry into the thoughts of God.

Into the will of God.

Into the intentions, (the ultimate intentions), of God.

Abyss of hope, what an opening, what lightning, what thunder, what a

     passageway.

What an entrance.

Irrevocable words, what an entry into the very Hope of God.

God deigned to hope in us.  Hope for us.

Revelation, what an incredible revelation. Sic non est, Thus it is not.

Incredible hope, unhoped-for hope Thus it is not

Voluntas ante Patrem vestrum, the will before your Father,

Qui in caelis est, Who is in heaven.

Ut unus.  That a single one

Of these little ones.  De pusillis istis.

Pereat.  Should perish.



And he told them this parable, saying:

Which one of you, if he had a hundred sheep;

(This is according to St. Luke);

And if he lost one of them,

Would not dismiss (would not leave), the ninety-nine in the desert,

And look for the one,



quae perierat, which was lost, which had perished,



That's what had happened.



Until he finds it?

And when he finds it,

he places it on his shoulders rejoicing;



(He puts it) on his shoulders.



And returning to the house, he summons, (he calls), his friends and

     relatives, saying to them:



Rejoice, (be happy), with me, because I have found my sheep that

     had perished?



I tell you,

There will be as much joy in heaven

Over one repentant sinner,

Than over ninety-nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.

Excerpted from Charles Péguy's The Portal of the Mystery of Hope