The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks - 15. Humility (8/9/89)

The hermits said that once someone gave the brothers in Scetis a few figs: but because they were so few, they did not give any to Arsenius, for fear he should be offended by the smallness of the present. When he heard of this, he he did not go out as usual to the service with the brothers, and said, 'You have excommunicated me, by not giving me the food which the Lord sent to the brothers; it was because I was not worthy to receive it.' They were edified by his humility, and the priest took him some of the figs, and brought him back to the congregation content.