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The Verba Seniorum - a collection of texts on the monks who lived
in the desert at the beginning of the Christian era - tells the
story of a hermit who managed to spend a whole year eating only
once a week.
After so much effort, he asked God to show him the true meaning
of a certain passage in the Bible.
He heard no answer.
"What a waste of time," said the monk to himself. "I
made all that sacrifice and God does not even answer me! Better
get out of here and look for some other monk who knows the meaning
of this text."
At that moment an angel appeared before him.
"The twelve months of fasting only served for you to believe
you were better than the others, and God has no ears for the vain.
But when you were humble, you thought of asking your neighbor for
help, and God sent me."
And the angel told the monk what he wanted to know.
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