When Abba Macarius was passing one time through the wadi to his cell, carrying some palm branches, the devil met him on the path with a scythe. He tried to strike Abba Macarius but was unable to, and said to him, "You are powerful, Macarius! I can't do anything against you! Look - what you can do, I can do too: you fast and I don't eat anything at all; you keep vigil and I don't sleep at all. There is only one thing are which you're better than me."
Abba Macarius said to him, "What is that?"
The devil said to him, "It's your humility. On account of your humility, there is nothing I can do to you."
And when the saint stretched out his hands, the demon disappeared and Abba Macarius continued on his way, giving glory to God.
from
St Macarius the Spiritbearer
Coptic Texts Relating to Saint Macarius the Great
Translated by Tim Vivian
SVS Press 2004
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