saint of the week

Saint of the Week                     June 13, 2007

 

Many people think that I am absent minded.  Maybe I am. Maybe I am just sporadically overwhelmed like most working mothers, you be the judge.

 

Long ago I abandoned the idea of carrying a purse.  I had misplaced, ok lost, many purses so I decided to be more Franciscan, and travel lightly.  Now I carry a small wallet with only the essentials (rarely if ever does that include money).   Although I can tell you where every toy, book and sock of my children's is located, I regularly lose my own things.  It seems as though I pray the St. Anthony Prayer on a daily basis.  You know the one, "St. Anthony, St. Anthony please look around, so that what is lost can be found."  < /SPAN>Sometimes I skip all that and just say, "St. Anthony, It's me again.  I am sorry to bother you again, but. . ."

 

Once when I was hiking with my dogs on a new trail, I became hopelessly lost.  I thought to myself as I trudged along soaked with sweat and caked with dirt, what a metaphor this is.  Maybe God is telling me that I am lost in the world and not seeing the forest for the trees.  Maybe the Almighty is telling me that I need to get back on track.  Or maybe I'm just dehydrated. In any case, I needed to get home because it was almost time for my kids to get home from school. Again I prayed for the return of the lost, not only to St. Anthony, but also to his boss.

In a few moments I saw this small deer trail.  I followed it because my little dehydrated voice said to, and it led me and my canine companions (who were no help in this escapade what so ever) right back to my van.

                                          

St. Anthony lived in the early 13^th century.  His story is familiar.  He was born of a wealthy family.  He had dreams of nobility.  He met some traveling Franciscan Friars on their way to evangelize in Morocco.  He was so impressed that he had a conversion experience and began to study the teachings of St. Francis.  He too became a Friar.

For a long time he kept a low profile, but then he was asked to fill in for a missing preacher on Sunday.  He obliged and stunned everyone.  His reputation spread quickly.

The church would be so packed that there was actually a line.

Once while he was in prayer, the Infant Jesus appeared to him and told him how much he was loved.  That is why St. Anthony is often depicted holding the baby Jesus. He is the patron of lost things because legend has it that once some young man stole his prayer book.  St. Anthony prayed that the book would be returned, and it promptly was.

 

I hope St. Anthony understands me better than most people do.  More importantly, I hope that he has a sense of humor and a compass.