Saint Who?
Saints Who Battled the Devil
Saint Anthony of Egypt
Abbot († 356) Feast: January 17
According to his biographer, Saint Athanasius, Anthony of Egypt was something of a homebody. A pious and dutiful son, in his youth he desired only “to live a plain man at home.” But shortly after his parents’ death, he was inspired to give away his wealth. Then he sought out men of virtue and learned to imitate them. In his early twenties he became a hermit.
The devil strove to dissuade him, and at last resorted to open warfare: At one point Anthony was found beaten unconscious, and his friends removed his lifeless body from the old tomb where he lived. But in the night Anthony awoke and asked to be taken back. Unable to stand, he challenged the devil: “Here am I, Anthony; I flee not from your stripes, for even if you inflict more nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ.”
Faithful to daily discipline, he became well-nigh impervious to the enemy, perfectly convinced of the devil’s powerlessness in the face of Christ’s grace. His followers often heard him sing: “Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered” (cf. Ps 68:2). Anthony advised, “Let us heed not [the devil’s] words, for he is a liar: and let us not fear his visions, seeing that they themselves are deceptive.” He died in the year 356.
Heavenly Father, aided by Saint Anthony,
may we scorn the devil’s lies and follow
Christ in daily discipline.
