One night a thief crept into a monastery and secretly stole a horse which belonged to the Abbot. When he was about to take the horse out of the stable, he suddenly felt himself rooted to the ground so that he could not move. God was not pleased by his attempted theft and had intervened on behalf of His servant, the abbot.

In the morning the Abbot found the thief there and guessed why he had come. He went over to the confused man, and with a smile gave him some money, saying,

"My friend, it would be unjust if I did not pay you for attending to my horse during the night. Go now in peace, but I beg you, do not sin again."

The thief, touched by the good Abbot’s generosity and fatherly kindness, was moved by grace and soon after amended his life.