Caput XXVI
The Hermit Deceived by a Devilish Thought
A hermit, deceived by the devil into believing that expelling lustful seed like phlegm was permissible, died in that sin and was handed over to demons, prompting his companion to despair—until an angel revealed that one vice of uncleanness had defiled all his virtues.
This is proved by the case of a certain hermit who, together with many virtues and with a certain son of his as his companion, had deserted his own calling. The thought was injected into him by the devil that whenever he was stirred by lust, he ought to expel the seed from the rubbing of his genital member just as one would expel phlegm from the nostrils. And because of this, dying, he was handed over to the demons — his companion watching — since that same companion, not knowing his guilt but recalling the exercises of the virtues, nearly despaired, saying: 'O who can be saved, when that man has perished!'✦ To him an angel standing by said at once: 'Do not be troubled. For although that man accomplished many things, nevertheless through that vice which the Apostle calls uncleanness, he defiled everything.'✦
Scripture and the Weight of a Single Vice
The prophet Isaiah's words—'Your hands are full of blood'—are cited as divine testimony against the hermit whose single vice corrupted all his works.
Of him the prophet says: 'Your hands are full of blood' (Isa.✦ 1, 15).
God Makes Both Ancient and Recent Things
Odo reflects that if such a shocking case has occurred in their own time, its novelty should not diminish its gravity, for the God who works ancient miracles also works recent ones.
If indeed something of this kind has happened in our own time — and it must be considered, lest its novelty cause it to be held in low regard — it is because the One who makes the latest things is the same One who makes the ancient things.✦ And the poet says:
Ancient Miracles as Warnings for the Present
Odo states plainly that miracles from ancient times serve as moral warnings for people of the present age.
Again, miracles from ancient times serve as warnings for our own.
The Presumptuous Priest of Abricantia
A priest, nephew of the abbot of Mont Saint-Michel, having despaired of continence, made nine pilgrimages to Rome hoping to win immunity from blessed Peter through sheer frequency of visits, yet remained deeply afraid—revealing the inner trembling that betrays depraved men.
A certain priest in the district of Abricantia, a nephew of John the abbot of Mont Saint-Michel, had given up hope of ever living in continence. This man went to Rome nine times, hoping to win immunity for his crime from blessed Peter himself — as if the sheer frequency of his visits to the place could earn him that favor. Although he would not give up his sin, he was still deeply afraid — because this is the way of depraved men: even though they grow arrogant in their guilt, even though they boldly commit wicked acts in the open, they are still compelled to tremble in their hearts, so that their very fear becomes an open witness to their condemnation.
Adam's Flight and the Fear of the Guilty
Odo compares the priest's fear to Adam's flight after the Fall, whose terror grew even greater because he answered God harshly.
This is why Adam fled to a hiding place after his sin; and though he was already afraid, he grew even more fearful, because he had answered God harshly.✦
Divine Judgment at the Ninth Return
The priest, returning to Rome a ninth time and feeling secure, repeated his sinful union and perished at the very moment of his act—God making clear that no satisfaction is accepted for sins not truly abandoned.
So this man, trembling as though he were performing an act of religious devotion, kept going there — but God made it clear that he does not accept any satisfaction unless it is for sins that are actually abandoned. When he returned for the ninth time and, feeling more secure than ever, repeated his sinful union, the wretched man perished by divine judgment: at the very moment he spent his seed, he breathed out his soul — just as the unhappy woman testified.
Shechem's Vengeance: The Lesson Confirmed
Odo confirms the lesson through the example of Shechem, who could not escape vengeance for his crime even by submitting to circumcision after violating Dinah.
The same thing was made plain in the case of Shechem, who chose to keep Dinah after he had violated her; he did not escape the vengeance for his crime even by submitting to circumcision.
Read the original Latin
Hoc ille eremita suo facto probat, qui cum multis virtutibus cum quodam filio suo collega deseruisset, haec illi per diabolum injecta cogitatio est, ut quandocunque libidine titillaretur, sic semen de tritu genitalis membri egerere deberet, tanquam flegma de naribus projiceret. Qui ob id et daemonibus moriens vidente socio traditus est, cum quidem isdem socius reatum ejus ignorans, sed exercitia virtutum recolens, pene desperavit dicens: O quis poterit salvus esse, quando iste periit! Cui mox angelus astans dixit: Ne turberis, iste enim licet multa fecerit, tamen per illud vitium, quod Apostolus vocat immunditiam, cuncta foedavit. De quo ait propheta: Manus vestrae sanguine plenae sunt (Isa. I, 15). Si quidem tale aliquid nostro tempore contigit, quod ne sui novitate vilescat, considerandum est, quia ille facit novissima qui facit antiqua. Et poeta dicit:
Rursus ab antiquis veniunt miracula causis. Quidam itaque presbyter in pago Abricantino, nepos Joannis praepositi de monte sancti Michaelis, de continentia desperaverat. Hic per novem vices Romam adiit, a beato scilicet Petro impunitatem sceleris, quasi propter frequentem loci visitationem sperans promereri. Quamvis enim peccatum deserere nollet, tamen vehementer timebat: quoniam iste est mos pravorum, ut licet in culpa superbiant, licet prava foras audacter faciant, in corde tamen trepidare coguntur, ut ipse timor sit apertus testis damnationis. Unde Adam post culpam ad latibulum fugit, et timens multum timuit, quia Deo dure respondit. Hic ergo timens quasi religionis obsequium deferebat: sed ut Deus ostenderet, quod satisfactionem nisi pro his peccatis quae deseruntur non recipit, cum rediret nona vice, et quasi securior concubitum repeteret, ita divino judicio miser interiit, ut cum semen funderet, animam pariter exhalaret, sicut infelix mulier perhibuit. Hoc quoque in Sichem expressum est, qui videlicet Dinam, quam corruperat, retinere maluit, ultionem stupri nec circumcisus evasit.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Matt.19.25 — When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished, saying, 'Who then can be saved?'
- ↩Eph.5.3;Col.3.5;Rom.1.24 — But sexual immorality and all impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints. Col.3.5 — Put to death, therefore, the parts of you that belong to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Rom.1.24 — Therefore God gave them over, in the lusts of their hearts, to impurity, so that their bodies were dishonored among themselves.
- ↩Isa.1.15 — And when you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen—your hands are full of blood.
- ↩Isa.43.18-Isa.43.19 — Do not remember the former things, and do not consider the things of old. Isa.43.19 — Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth. Will you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
- ↩Gen.3.8-Gen.3.10 — And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Gen.3.9 — And the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" Gen.3.10 — He said, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself."
Collationes (Conferences / Collations) companion
Day 11 and onward, delivered every morning
All 140 conferences — and the rest of the Sub Rosa library — in daily portions in the free Chosen Portion iOS app
Odo urged a daily return to sacred reading as the cure for the soul's slow decline; Chosen Portion makes that daily return a scheduled habit on your phone.
- Continue through all three books of the Conferences at 5 minutes a day
- Daily examination-style readings drawn from 78+ historic works
- One morning notification to keep the practice going past day 10