Tagebuch eines Landpfarrers

Bernanos struggled with the figure of the priest in his works, feeling a deep connection to him as a poet, since both must confront and understand the world of evil. Therefore, he studied the life of the Curé d'Ars and took his fate as a model for the country priest. Bernanos, who particularly loved this book, portrays his hero as a parable of God's incarnation and genuine solidarity without sin. "Just as the Lord on the cross, the little priest can, at the end of his life overwhelmed by shame and humiliation, say with inner conviction that no real injustice has been done to him. Even his sufferings retain a certain ridiculousness for him, which does not embitter him, just as the futility of his preaching and all his efforts, the torn nature of his life, do not. He may fall into inner darkness, prayer may be taken from him, indeed, his most beautiful priestly experience can turn into the bitterest, bringing him close to the edge of temptation towards suicide, towards sin against hope.".