One day Christ and St. Peter were walking about the earth and came to a
village. In one house folks were singing so finely that Christ stayed to
listen, whilst St. Peter went on. He turned back and found Christ still
at His post. St. Peter went on again, and looked back: Christ was still
listening. St. Peter went on again and then glanced back a third
time—and Christ was still listening. Then he went back and heard a
splendid folk-song in the house, stayed a while, and went on to another
house where there also was singing. There St. Peter stayed, but Christ
passed on. St. Peter hurried up and looked astounded.
“What’s the matter?” asked Christ.
“I could not make out why you stopped to listen to folk-songs and passed
by the house where hymns were being sung.”
“Oh, my dear son,” said Christ, “there was a good scent there in the one
house where folk-songs were being sung; but there was no reverence about
the house where they were chanting hymns.”