Pilfer (intransitive verb) to steal; especially to steal stealthily in small amounts and often again and again. For example, a few grains of wheat in a large sack pilfered by a rodent in the middle of the night will at first hardly be missed. Yet, over time, and little by little, the whole bag can be depleted and spoiled. We slept, and in small amounts again and again, the world went about pilfering, and spoiling sacred things.

Dennis D. Frey, Th.D., President
Master's International University of Divinity
the.mdivs.edu