St Anthony of Padua is probably one of the most loved saints; he is known by the faithful as the saint we can invoke to help us located lost articles and hopeless causes. But, St Anthony is much more than that. Anthony was born into a very wealthy family in present-day Portugal in the late 12th century in an era when much of the Iberian peninsula of modern-day Portugal and Spain was controlled by the Moors, Muslims who arrived from northern Africa. 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 on God’s word. Anthony was 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.”
We know as Christians, we are to be the salt of the earth, to bring flavor to the world. We are to be a light shining in the darkness and the shadows. Being a Christian is not always easy. However, with the intercessions of St Anthony, the Blessed Mother, and all of the community of saints, our lives may be constantly converted to God and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we may renew the face of the earth.
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