One day the moles told the other animals that the owl was the greatest and wisest of all the animals because he could see in the dark. “Can he see in the day time too?” asked a red fox. All the other animals laughed loudly at this silly question. Then they sent a messenger to the owl and asked him to be their leader.

When the owl appeared among the animals it was high noon and the sun was shining brightly. “He’s God!” screamed a Plymouth Rock hen. And others took up the cry, “He’s God!” So they followed him wherever he went. Finally he came to a concrete highway and he started up the middle of it and all the other creatures followed him. Presently a hawk flying high above observed a truck coming at them at fifty miles an hour and he reported to the secretary bird and the secretary bird reported to the owl. “There is danger ahead,” said the secretary bird. “To wit?” said the owl. “Aren’t you afraid?” the secretary bird asked. “Who?” said the owl calmly, for he could not see the truck. “He’s God!” cried all the creatures again, and they were still crying “He’s God!” when the truck hit them and killed all of them.

This is only a legend but it illustrates well what happens when we deify people and worship their opinions in place of the truth of God.

Revere every work, every thought of the Word of God, of the writings of the Holy Fathers, and amongst them, the various prayers and hymns which we hear in church or which we read at home, because they are all the breathing and words of the Holy Spirit… St John Kronstadt