Seeing Hayes nodding, Compane pointed at Mrs. Russ.
"We can have a very comfortable life, but what about them? What should these abandoned people do? Perhaps there are many helplessness in reality, as well as force majeure, war, disaster, plague... But after all this happens, do we have to let it go? I am so at ease in a safe house, covering my ears, closing my eyes, and not asking about everything? Our duty is to protect people's souls, and our eyes should not be focused only on those great saints and angels, and preaching to the saints once and ten thousand times.
The fruits are the same. The saints are not great because of preaching, but for these poor people who are almost swallowed by the desperate sea, a little more hope is like a straw. Perhaps there is enough straw, or they can weave an ark to survive the endless sea of ​​suffering... My teachers and classmates often call me a pariah propagandist, but in fact I like this title very much. We devote ourselves to religion for faith. What is faith for? Are we chanting scriptures high above? Or are we stepping on the back of believers and pretending to whip ourselves?"
"No, what we really have to do is to kneel down, lie down, put your eyes on the dust, and put it under the soil, and go to the most desperate place 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, the spirit of mankind, and the sacrifice. As long as we stand by them, live and work with them, instead of riding on them, they can believe that the God Emperor has not abandoned anyone, at least they will not extend their hands to those evil forces in despair. Isn't this more useful than catching heretics all over the street?"
Hayes was stunned. In fact, what the pastor said could not be fully understood, but he felt that the other party was at least right, or that he could understand and accept it.
"So I came here, or some people thought it was thrown here, it didn't matter. At first I was a priest in the church in Linhu Town, a place that was still prominent. Although I was sent to that place, the priests there regarded me as the best man from the upper nest. They feared me and flattered me. Look, what an interesting phenomenon, even the 'trash' thrown from the upper nest was shining treasures in the eyes of the lower nest people... Perhaps my language was too sharp, and in the end the bishop could no longer bear it. He asked me to either stop proclaiming the kind of 'lower and not in line with the holy word' or go lying with the so-called lower nest scum."
As he said that, Companet pulled open his trousers to reveal 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 saved me and brought me here. Although I was indeed desperate at the beginning, after these scavengers who did not seek any reward, I realized that this was the mission given to me by the God Emperor and the way I really wanted to do. This church was built by everyone. Although it may seem too simple to you, it took everyone three years. This is where my heart lies. I also set three rules in the church, not accepting any donations, not rejecting any visitors, and not receiving any tribute. I have to obtain my food, clothing, housing and transportation by myself. Priests should not be a parasite profession, but a choice of the soul."
Hayes stared at the other party and then performed a Skyhawk salute.
"You are such a great man, Pastor Kompane."
Compane shook his head with a wry smile.
"I am just a mortal, and there is no greatness. Even the tragedy suffered by Mrs. Russ is unable to stop it. I cannot save so many people. On the contrary, you, Mr. Hayes, as a soldier, your contribution to the expedition is truly great, especially if you are willing to come to this place for your comrades."
"It's not just comrades, Pastor Compane, you may not know the army. Peck and I are not just comrades, we are brothers, brothers who have transcended blood and life and death."
After hearing this, Pastor Compane nodded thoughtfully.
"It seems that my vision is still narrow after all... Okay, I'm ready, I'm going to start praying for Peak."
Hayes nodded and placed Peak's relics on the sermon stage. Without any help from books, Compane took out a string of old rose rosary from his pocket.
"...The loving God Emperor, who loves our human light, we praise your holy name, we thank you and praise you, worthy of all supreme worship and praise, and ask the loving Lord to bring peace to those who sacrifice bravely, so that any temptation of darkness cannot invade the peace of his soul, and will not hinder the golden path to the throne, and cannot hear your holy voice..."
Hayes sat next to Peak's mother and listened quietly. His two wives closed their eyes and held their hands in front of their chests, even Kang was the same.
Suddenly, Hays caught a glimpse of tears in Mrs. Russ' eyes, and two shallow streams formed on her cheeks, forming a sad waterfall on her chin. Although she realized that she might not be awake, she might also understand something.
"...San Praise the God Emperor, praying that you will cleanse his soul again, remove the evil in the soul, so that when you return to the throne, you will have a clean heart, an upright spirit, and a three Praise the God Emperor."
The Requiem Mass was over, and Hayes took out some money and wanted to hand it over to the priest, but the other party was unwilling to accept it anyway. Hayes had no choice but to carry Mrs. Russ on her back and leave.
But before walking out of the gate, the other party suddenly called him.
"Hays!"
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, it is on you and on your shoulders."
Holding the simple long priest's staff, Compane stood in front of the emperor's holy elephant of "garbage", surrounded by residual incense, and the extinct candlelight formed a faint light behind him.
At this moment, the priest's eyes were bright. Although his face became blurred due to the light, for some reason, Hays felt that his figure was constantly rising, rising, and rising...
At this moment, he seemed to have become the beggar emperor, the civilian emperor, and the wanderer emperor.
And the sound he made was as loud as the bronze bell.
"The world or manpower cannot be changed, but we can still do what we can do and do what we can do."
Suddenly, the candle fire went out, and Compane seemed to have retreated back to his original appearance, only the simple statue of the emperor was still staring at him with his eyes on his mottled face.
Chapter completed!