St. Maurus served at the monastery of Monte Cassino when he was a young boy. The great St. Benedict was the founder and abbot of this monastery, and Maurus was one day bringing dinner to the saint. On his way the good, simple boy found a large serpent. He took it up and, putting it in the fold of his cloak, brought it to St. Benedict, saying: "See, Father, what I have found."

When the holy Abbot and some other monks came near to look, the serpent began to hiss and tried to bite them.

Then St. Benedict said, "My child, go back and put it where you found it."

After St. Maurus had gone to return the snake, St. Benedict turned to those who were with him and said: "My brethren, do you know why that animal is so gentle with that child? It is because he has never lost his baptismal innocence."

When we receive baptism, our soul is filled with the loving presence of God, the maker of the world. It becomes as beautiful as it was in the garden of Paradise. In this incident with little Maurus, we see that even brute animals can feel this touch of God, this small piece of paradise.

However, God does not want us to pick up poisonous snakes or other deadly creatures to prove that we have kept our baptismal innocence. He wants us instead to love Him as best as we can. By doing this, we will certainly make Him as happy as St. Maurus did.