1 Timothy 4:13
Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching.
“Tony, Tony, Look around. Something’s missing, can’t be found.”
For a long time, that’s all I knew about Saint Anthony of Padua …. better known as finder of lost articles.
While reading A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms – I happened across the entry for St Anthony. I soon learned that there was much more beneath the “Help me find this!” prayer I recite at least once a week.
St Anthony was born in Portugal during the late 1100s, and aspired to be a Franciscan priest, hoping for martyrdom. His family was wealthy, and had hopes of him becoming a nobleman. Instead, St Anthony gave up his comfortable background to lead others to Christ.
He planned to go to Morocco to minister to Muslims in that area. Along the way, his ship was blown off course, and was shipwrecked in Sicily. He joined other Franciscan brothers there. After being asked to fill in when a scheduled speaker failed to appear, St Anthony used his gift of knowledge of Sacred Scripture, teaching, and evangelizing throughout Italy and France. He was able to instruct even the most uneducated peasants about the Gospel, and became known as the Hammer of the Heretics.
He died at age 36, and was named a Saint within a year’s time. He is invoked as the patron saint of travelers, expectant mothers, sailors and more.
Looking for ways to celebrate this beloved saint’s feast day? (June 13th) Drop a little extra in your parish’s Poor Box, following St Anthony’s lead of giving to the poor and oppressed. You could bake St Anthony’s Bread, and deliver to your favorite priest, or donate to a food bank. In the Kennedy house, I’m finishing up a novena to St Anthony.
How are you choosing to live like St Anthony this week? Giving to the poor? Teaching others the Faith? Be sure and share your thoughts below.
Looking for more faith filled posts? You’ll find me visiting Soli Deo Gloria,Jump Tandem,Scripture and a Snapshot, Sunday Snippets, Spiritual Sundays, Hear it on Sunday, Playdates with God,Titus 2sday,On Your Heart Tuesday,Domestically Divine Tuesdays,Gratituesday,Word Filled Wednesdays, Walk With Him Wednesdays, iFellowship, and Good Morning Girls.
Fascinating. You can imagine St. Anthony gets invoked around here on a daily basis 😉
This week my husband misplaced his watch and searched everywhere for it. I prayed to St. Anthony to help him find it and afterwards, he discovered it had fallen into the folds of the covering of the chair he usually sits in. He had previously searched there and not found it. Of course, I had to thank St. Anthony right away!
I love his title “Hammer of Heretics”. We need a lot more of that in this day and age.
You know, I should have put him on my list. 🙂 My in-laws have a big devotion to St. Anthony and I always pray to him when I lose stuff (which is more often than I’d like to mention!).
Loved that video, thanks for sharing!
Very interesting
I’ve heard that St Anthony of Padua is also the patron saint of lost causes.
Interesting post. I didn’t know this. Thank you for sharing.
Blessings,
Charlotte
Can’t say we always give to the poor at a certain time, but can say that one of our main focuses in life is delivering lots of different clothes and other items to local or distant organizations or those in need. My husband is a real giver and I’ve been blessed by that. I also am a giver — God used me that way even when I was so poor I didn’t have much of anything. He’d drop clothes or food off at my door, and some of what I needed [or even wanted] was in the bags… and then He’d have me give them to the other poor so they could choose what they needed. For me, it’s a basic part of life… and truly filled with joy.
St. Anthony is the writer of the prayer against storms. So we keep him busy with wandering toddlers and during tornado season, too.
Living in an area that gets whacked with tornadoes frequently, this is something that I need to remember!
Thanks so much for coming by!