There lived an ascetic who asked the Lord to grant him
knowledge of many revelations and mysteries. One day, on the road leading to
the nearest village, he met an Angel but he took the Angel for a simple man.
They stumbled on a dead horse. The ascetic pinched his nose in disgust, but the
Angel didn’t. They continued walking and saw a dead bull. The ascetic pinched
his nose again—but the Angel didn’t. When they saw a dead dog, the situation
repeated. Finally, near the village, they saw a beautiful girl wearing
fashionable clothes and jewellery. Now it was the time for the Angel to pinch
his nose.
The hermit asked the Angel, “Who are you: an Angel, a
human being, or a demon? You didn’t pinch your nose when you saw the dead and
rotten horse, bull, and dog: why do you cover your face now when you see a
pretty girl?”
The Angel disclosed to the hermit who he really was
and said, “There is nothing that God hates more than pride.” As soon as he
uttered these words, he disappeared.
The ascetic ran back into his cell and began crying
for his sins, asking God to protect him against the devil’s snares and to
safeguard him against pride that can ruin his soul.
A Parable
by St Cosmas of Aetolia
Translated
by the Catalog of Good Deeds
CONVERSATION