“After confession, a crown is given to penitents.” – St. John Chrysostom
Chapter 3 – May it be Acceptable to You
Corleone walks through the hilly town lead by the Path of Saints. He admires the long spiraling buildings that are continuously growing upward. The Path of Saints leads him up to one of these towers for a closer look. The towers are made of the bodies of many large people who are smiling and committing various sins even as they continuously mutate and become more deformed as they ascend. One of them appears to have some clarity of mind and looks at Corleone.
He says, “Join us. God has granted us our wish to be who we want. There is no sin here. There are only bliss and unending joy.”
Ignoring the man, Corleone continues to follow the Path of Saints. It leads him to the largest tower in the hilly town and the only one that isn’t made of people. Parts of the roof are collapsed, and stone doors are locked with no lever or handle to open them. With his new strength, Corleone moves aside the rubble of the tower to clear a path forward and lights the nearby lanterns to open the doors. From here, it’s only a manner of repeating the same tasks over and over again until Corleone makes it to the top of the tower to find the Nail Cross of Penance and a water basin. There is no roof on the top floor of the tower. It offers a nice view of the surrounding area and the many towers made of sinners.
Not wanting to waste any more time, Corleone dunks his head into the basin. His head is snagged on something in the basin that he didn’t see in it. He struggles then manages to pull out his head that now has a crown of thorns stuck on it. The pain from his penances subside as his penitential armor of thorns, the thorny vine in his throat, and his thorn sword release their grasp of him and fall off. He sighs in relief, crosses himself, and makes a silent prayer of thanksgiving on his knees.
“Receive ye the third indulgence for giving the third death, Corleone. With this, your penance is done,” a voice says.
Corleone prostrates himself and vows never to sin again. When he lifts his head, he still sees the Path of Saints that shows him to the very edge of the tower’s roof.
“Many have sacrificed themselves for the sins of others as I have. Unite your suffering and sacrifice with mine or walk away. It is your choice to make.”
Looking out at the spiraling towers and knowing the nature of sin, Corleone walks the Path of Saints to the very end and throws himself off the tower. His body plummets to the ground while his soul ascends to Heaven. The many towers and buildings in the hilly town begin to fall as the price of sin has been paid across the world. Some men sin not long after and are given their punishments again while others praise God and promise that they will never sin again, however, as it is well known, even the most pious men fall. It is only those who do penance and the will of God who are saved in the end.
The End
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