June 13, 2008
Feast of St. Anthony of Padua
Doctor of the Church, Confessor
St. Anthony of Padua
The statue above is one of my collections. I covered it with glass frame in order to protect the image from grime and dirt.
I cannot fail to give tribute to one of my favorite saints. I do not know much about St. Anthony but I always feel a love for this Saint. I always feel that whenever I have needs I can always turn to this Saint to be my prayer warrior. As a child I was fascinated by stories and legends told about St. Anthony. My late grandmother Maria (May she rest in Peace) related to us a bed time story many years back. With my childish imagination I ask my grandmother why St. Anthony is depicted as holding a child and who the child was. My grandmother told us that one time when St. Anthony was about to enter a Church, he read a sign on the door post that says "only those with children could enter this church". The saint, because of his great devotion for the Mass wanted to enter the church badly, but since he was a friar bound by the vow of chastity he can never have a child by himself. By a miracle the Child Jesus appeared to St. Anthony and told him to take him. So St. Anthony was able to enter the Church. Well, that was a pure childish legend but I was impressed. The love for the saint wasplnted in my simple consciousness. But as I grew older and matured, I almost forgot St. Anthony, but of late he has been manifesting his favor to me. I have asked for many things and St. Anthony was always ready to answer my petitions.
Moral Lesson:
The Almighty Father and Our Lord has shown great favor to St. Anthony, thats why those who seek the intercession of the Saint obtain their wishes. This because St. Anthony has shown His great love, devotion and service to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He desired martyrdom, but instead God made Him a great preacher. His humility and owas his outstanding characteristic. He was not like the proud theologian who brag about his erudition but he was humbl and preached the gospel in all its simplicty. So much so that like St. Paul he would say that it was not by human wisdom that he preached the gospel but by power and action.
Prayer:
Dear St. Anthony, your humility and love for the Gospel and your love for the Lord has earned you the pearl of great price. Help us by your intercession that while on earth we may strive to do the will of the Lord. May we heartily seek the daily martyrdom for the will of God so that we may earn the Pearl of Great Price. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning now and forever. Amen.
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