Chapter 2209 The righteous must walk in the path
Seeing Hayes nodding, Campane pointed at Mrs. Russ.
“We can live a very comfortable life, but what about them? What should these abandoned people do? Maybe there are a lot of helplessness in reality, as well as force majeure, war, disaster, and plague. But in the outcome of all this After it happens, are we going to let it go? Huddle up in the safe house with peace of mind, cover our ears, close our eyes, and ignore everything? Our duty is to protect people's souls, and our eyes should not just look away. For those great saints and angels, preaching to the saints once or ten thousand times has the same result. Saints are not great because of their preaching, but for these poor people who are almost swallowed by the sea of despair, a little more hope will be enough. It's like one more straw. Maybe if there are enough straws, maybe they can weave an ark to cross the boundless sea of suffering. My teachers and classmates often call me a pariah poster. In fact, I quite like this title. We join religion for Faith, what is faith for? Is it to recite scriptures from above? Or to step on the backs of believers and pretend to flog yourself?”
“No, what we really have to do is to kneel down, lie down, and focus on In the dust, under the soil, we go to the most desperate places to save the most desperate people. Even if we can't do it, we should stand with them, because we represent the gaze of the God Emperor and the human spirit. , represents sacrifice. As long as we stand beside them, live and work with them, instead of riding on their heads and boasting, then we can make them believe that the God Emperor has not abandoned anyone, at least we can prevent them from despairing. Isn't it more useful to reach out to those evil forces than to catch heretics on the streets?"
Hayes was stunned. In fact, he couldn't fully understand what the pastor said, but he felt that at least the other party meant the right thing. , or that he can understand and accept.
"So I came here, or some people think they threw me here. It doesn't matter. At first, I served as a priest in the church in Linhu Town. It was a fairly prominent position in that place. Although I was... uh , I was sent to that place, but the priests there regarded me as a superior person who came from the upper nest. They were afraid of me and flattered me. Look, what an interesting phenomenon, even the 'garbage' thrown down by the upper nest , they are all sparkling treasures in the eyes of the people of Dichao. Probably my language was too sharp, and finally the bishop couldn't bear it. He asked me to either stop preaching that kind of "vile and inconsistent with the Holy Word", or to go and talk to him. Those so-called bottom scum are lying down together."
As he spoke, Campanello opened his trousers, revealing his left leg that was fixed by metal.
“This is the result. They broke one of my legs and threw me into the wilderness. It was a group of scavengers who rescued me and brought me here. Although I was really desperate at first, But after these scavengers who asked for nothing in return rescued me, I realized that this was the mission given to me by the God Emperor and the path I really wanted to follow. This church was built with the joint efforts of everyone. It may seem too simple to you, but it took everyone three years. This is where my heart lies. I also set three rules in the church: no donations will be accepted, no visitors will be refused, and no guests will be accepted. Any tribute, my food, clothing, housing and transportation must be obtained through labor. The priest should not be a parasitic profession, but a spiritual choice."
Hayes looked at the other party and then made a decision. Eagle Ceremony.
“You are such a great man, Pastor Campane.”
Campane smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"I am just a mortal, how can I be great? Even the tragedy that Mrs. Russ suffered cannot be prevented by me. I cannot save so many people. But you, Mr. Hayes, as a Soldiers, your contribution in the expedition is truly great, especially when you are willing to come to this place for your comrades.”
“Not just your comrades, Pastor Campane, maybe you don’t know the army. Peake and I are not just comrades-in-arms, we are brothers, brothers beyond blood and life and death."
After listening, Pastor Campane nodded thoughtfully.
“It seems that my vision is narrowed after all. I’m ready. I’m going to start praying for Peak.”
Hayes nodded and placed Peak's relics on the pulpit. Campane did not need any help from books and took out an old rosary from his pocket.
". The loving God Emperor, the light of mankind who loves us, we praise your holy name, we thank you and praise you, you are worthy of all the supreme worship and praise, please be kind to the Lord to make you brave The sacrificial man finds peace, so that no dark temptation can disturb the peace of his soul, and does not block the golden road to the throne and cannot hear your holy voice." Hayes sat beside Peake's mother, listening quietly, his Both wives closed their eyes and clasped their hands on their chests, even Kang.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Hayes saw tears streaming from Mrs. Russ's eyes, forming two shallow streams on her cheeks, and forming a sad waterfall on her chin. She might not be sober, but she might understand something.
“Three praises to the God Emperor, I pray that you will cleanse his soul again and remove the evil in his soul, so that when he returns to the throne and stands before you, he will have a pure heart and an upright spirit. Three praises to God. Emperor.”
After the requiem mass, Hayes took out some money and wanted to give it to the priest, but the other party was unwilling to accept it anyway. Hayes had no choice but to carry Mrs. Russ and leave.
But before walking out of the door, the other party suddenly stopped him.
"Hayes!"
Hayes turned around.
“No matter how much darkness or despair you have witnessed, remember that hope is always there, and beauty is always there. For example, right now, it is on you and on your shoulders.”
Holding the simple long priest's staff, Campane stood in front of the emperor's icon composed of 'garbage', surrounded by the remnants of incense, and the extinguished candles formed a faint gleam behind him.
At this moment, the pastor’s eyes were burning. Although his face was blurred by the light, for some reason, Hayes felt that his figure was getting higher, higher, higher.
At this moment , he seemed to have become the beggar emperor, the civilian emperor, the wanderer emperor.
And the sound he made was as loud as the copper bell.
“We can’t change things or human power, but we can still do what we can do and do what we can do.”
Suddenly, the candlelight went out, and Campane seemed to shrink back to his original appearance. Only the simple statue of the emperor was still staring at him with the eyes on his mottled face.
Hayes nodded and turned around. Mrs. Russ's light weight behind her suddenly became as heavy as a mountain.
(End of this chapter)