The novel The Power and the Glory was recognized by the author as his best work. It gives a picture of the persecution of Christians in Mexico in the early twentieth century. The clergy are practically destroyed and those who have renounced the dignity - they cast themselves out of dignity, having risen on the "wide path", abandoning their vows thereby succumbing to the ridicule of the former flock. The remaining last priest in one of the states of Mexico is forced to hide from the authorities, he suffers hunger, cold and humiliation. At the risk of his life and the lives of the people who help him to hide, he secretly baptizes and professes. It is hard for the protagonist to bear his cross, but because of its weight he does not have the strength to throw it.
In the course of the narrative, the reader is moved to respect and even admiration for the personality of the protagonist. The priest is clearly aware of his mortal sins and sincerely repents at the end of the journey. He goes through serious internal work inside himself searching for illumination. It is in this ambiguity that the main charm of the novel lies in. After all, the main glory of a person is not in words, but in deeds.
For the tenth year, the priest os traveling in forests, ragged, in fever and constant fear to perform his duties: hold liturgies, take confessions, commune, baptize. If only it was not so clear (it was not in vain taught in the spiritual academy) that only the diabolical pride leads him through the woods for the tenth year under the threat of being shot. That he is a bad person and a bad priest. That he loves only a fruit of his sin (his daughter, who was born not in marriage) although he must love everyone, every soul. One cannot not hide behind self-righteousness.
The priest rushes through the slamming trap in an illusory hope to be saved. He knows that suffering is the path to heaven. It is not for nothing that the martyrs are especially revered by the church. But it's one thing to read about the martyrs in books, and quite another - hungry and ragged to rush from house to house, losing faith in himself, in God, in people, in everything.
The Power and the Glory is a continuous process of breaking stereotypes, this novel is not religious, but moral. It is called to show how dangerous it is to hang labels on people without trying to dig deeper.
