Jesus

Jesus

Marie's references to Jesus Christ run through the whole diary, mostly in prayers (the invocation «Jésus, Sainte Vierge, priez Dieu pour moi» recurs: 017.0159, 034.0071, 050.0510, 052.0052) and in her religious crisis of 1875-77: 010.0436, 013.0187, 027.0130, 046.0327, 051.0207, 052.0249, 060.0445, 062.0261, 062.0543, 066.0527, 067.0286, 069.0666, 073.0334. She also thinks about him: on Holy Thursday 1876 (058.0005); when she climbs the Scala Santa steps on her knees, «tandis que Jésus a monté le même escalier» (052.0346, 21 Jan 1876); in a Bible discussion in June 1876, «Oui je crois en Dieu, en Jésus-Christ mais cela ne veut pas dire que Dieu fasse attention à moi» (062.0182); when she takes communion in April 1878 (079.0485); and on the Passion paintings she sees (043.0163-0194, Murillo's Virgin with the Child; 095.0118, a scene of the burial of Jesus).

She is sceptical of Church readings, as in the anacreontic song read as an allegory of Jesus and the Church (037.0470, 27 July 1875), and she calls herself «impie» for noticing a handsome Russian during the reading of the Passion (031.0337). Later in 1880 the Gospel brings «un retour vers la ferveur» (090.0179).