6/12/2013 - Thursday of 10th week in ordinary time- 2 Cor 3:15-4:1, 3-6

       I have had a problem with wax in my ears since my days as a missionary.  I usually am able to get the wax out, but about a month ago, my ears had gotten so clogged up with wax that I could not hear very well.  I did not realize how bad my hearing had gotten – the ladies in the office at the parish had to yell at me in order for me to hear what they were saying.  I went to an ear, nose and throat clinic in Tupelo, and once the wax came out, I was amazed at what I was able to hear. 

         Paul tells us today, that whenever a person turns to the Lord, it is like a veil is removed.  Just like me hearing so much better once I got the wax out of my ears, once we turn to God, the way we see the world is so different as well. We are called to do much more than going through the motions of our faith.  We are called to truly turn to the Lord with our hearts, to feel the Lord in the bottom of our souls. 

         As we hear this message today, we celebrate St Anthony of Padua.  He is known by many of the faithful as the saint we invoke to help us located lost articles.  But, St Anthony is much more than that.  Anthony was born into a very wealthy family in present-day Portugal in the late 12^th century in the era when much of that region of Europe was controlled by the Moors. Anthony  joined that Canons Regular, a group of priests who lived under the Augustinian rule, but then he joined the Franciscans when he encountered a group of them who were on their way to Morocco to bring the Gospel to that part of the world.  Anthony did not make it to Morocco, but rather settled in Italy.  Filling in for a preacher one day, all were amazed at his eloquent preaching and profound reflections.  Anthony is named a saint just a year after his death, and was named as a Doctor of the Church in 1946.  I particularly like this quote from St Anthony:  “Attribute to God every good that you have received. If you take credit for something that does not belong to you, you will be guilty of theft."

         With the intercessions of St Anthony and all of the community of saints, may our hearts turn to God and may he enlighten our vision.