When bodily concerns predominate, everything in man is asleep: the intellect, the soul and the senses. - Nilus of Sinai

Improbable details are often included in a story because of the deeper truth they signify.

We should turn our attention to material things only in so far as some necessity forces us to do so. But always to be creeping on the ground in search of pleasure is defiling and degrading for someone with experience of spiritual knowledge.

Why do we cling to money and possessions, and disperse our intellect among a host of useless cares? Our preoccupation with such things diverts us from what is more important and makes us neglect the well-being of the soul, leading us to perdition.