54/79 Each one seemed to feel the breath of the Spirit flowing into him from that hand. When the priest's turn came, he murmured: "Master, and to us ?" The dying man composed himself and replied: "Be poor, live in poverty. Take no pleasure in titles nor in proud vestments, neither in personal authority nor in collective authority. Love those who hate you; avoid factions; make peace in God's name; accept no civil office; do not tyrannise over souls, nor seek to control them too much; do not train priests artificially; pray that you may be many, but do not fear to be few; do not think you need much human knowledge,--you need only much respect for reason and much faith in the universal and inseparable Truth." The last to come forward was Maria Selva. She knelt at a short distance from the bed. |