"A brotherhood of monks complained to St Macarius the Great about another monk who allowed a woman into his cell. They asked Abba Macarius to come rebuke the monk. So Abba Macarius followed them to the cell of the monk.
When the monk saw them coming, he hid the woman under a large earthenware vessel. Abba Macarius knew this, and as he entered the cell he immediately sat on the vessel, and told the brethren to search the cell, but that he is tired and unable to get off the vessel. So they searched and did not find the woman. The could not dare to ask Abba Macarius to step off the vessel, so they left in shame.
Abba Macarius rebuked them for attacking an "innocent monk." Then he turned to the monk and said, "Brother, judge yourself before they judge you!" Upon leaving the cell, Abba Macarius heard a voice from heaven saying, "Blessed are you Macarius for you have acted like your Saviour in covering peoples' sins."
+ Desert Fathers
