St Alphonsus M Liguori |
A hermit, on
Mount
Olivet,
kept a devout image of Mary in his cell, and said many prayers before
it.
The devil, unable to endure such devotion to the Blessed Virgin,
continually
tormented him with impure thoughts; so much so, that the poor old
hermit,
seeing that all his prayers and mortifications did not deliver him, one
day said to the enemy: 'What have I done to thee that thou tormentest
me
out of my life?' On this the devil appeared to him, and replied, 'Thou
tormentest me much more than I do thee; but,' he added, 'if thou wilt
swear
to keep it secret, I will tell thee what thou hast to give up, that I
may
no more molest thee.' The hermit took the oath, and then the devil
said:
'Thou must no more approach that image which thou hast in thy cell.'
The
hermit, perplexed at this, went to consult the Abbot Theodore, who told
him that he was not bound by his oath, and that he must not cease to
recommend
himself to Mary before the image, as he had always done. The hermit
obeyed,
and the devil was put to shame and conquered.
The Glories of Mary
St Alphonsus M Liguori