Certainty and Pascal
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) has been a faithful companion from the “cloud of witnesses” for 26 years of my life. In many difficult and quiet moments I have thought of him. He was the voice from the past that ushered me out of a difficult chapter of my life and gave me a vision for what a living faith could be. On this day after Pascal’s birthday, I wanted to share a couple of things that Pascal taught me about “certainty” and how it has made a difference in my life. On November 23, 1654, when he was 31 years old, Pascal experienced what has come to be known as his “Night of Fire.” I quote the beginning here, but the whole thing Is worth reading (I’ll include a link in the comments): “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob! not of philosophers and scholars. Certainty, certainty, heartfelt joy, peace.” At the time of my life when I started reading Pascal in earnest, I had already had my “Night of Fire” – a moment when I experienced God’s overwhelming peace. It was a moment of tra...