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In light of the part of your discussion on what is Maurriac saying about salvation for the wealthy., it has me wondering whether we might be better off praying for poverty, or at least praying, Dear God, don't make me rich. Of course, rich is a bit in the eye of the beholder, but Louie fits in anyone's definition.

I am grateful for where the book goes and the subtlety. It's made me pray differently for my Louie, for sure.

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I think so. That's really what the "daily bread" petition of the Lord's prayer is asking–it harkens back to the manna in the wilderness that wouldn't last more than 24 hours. It echoes Agur's prayer in Proverbs 30: 'don't make me too poor, lest I steal and profane the name of God; nor too rich, lest I forget him altogether.'

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I read that the Latin root "vipera" comes from "vivus" meaning "living" and "parera" meaning "to beget." Double entendre?

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This is a side note, but in the beginning of the novel, Louis mentions having made his First Communion and that being the only time he received the sacrament. So while he never showed himself to be religiously minded, he would have been baptized already in order to receive First Communion. He wouldn’t have needed to be received in the Church, though he certainly stood in need of Confession. Mauriac is intentionally vague whether any of those private conversations with the priest led to Confession. Had it, he could have received Communion. It does make me wonder if the priest advised waiting, the reader can only know what we are told. In many ways, this made me think of the last chapters of The End of the Affair.

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I know this is was mentioned in the prior episode, but I was reading my Daughter "Madeline's Rescue" and there is a scene at Deux Magot. And it seems it refers to it as a place of questionable repute.

Also, the Isa scene with the kisses stuck out in my mind as well.

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