St Anthony was a brilliant man with an amazing gift for preaching the word. He was a member of the Augustinian order in Portugal. However, at age 26, became a brother and priest in the the newly formed Franciscan order after hearing of five Franciscans who were martyred in Morocco. He was told by St Francis to go to university because of his brilliant mind. This was a huge exception to the rule, since Franciscans, unlike Dominicans, did not pursue higher education at the time. But St Francis saw in Anthony a great mind, and wanted Anthony to learn all he could.So learn he did! He soaked up knowledge about the faith like a sponge, and St Francis taught him how to preach. Anthony took this gift and set the world ablaze with sermons and homilies that were renown throughout Europe and the world. He is also known to have been loved as a teacher and guide by children everywhere he went.
He traveled constantly, preaching and teaching the faith, despite his own sickly nature. He eventually died of dropsy at the age of 36, after converting countless people into the Church, and reigniting a fire in the Church throughout Europe. Some stories say that when he died, crying children filled the streets and the church bells rang of their own accord. Another story claims that when St Anthony's body was exhumed, decades after his burial, Anthony's body had decayed but his tongue glistened and looked as though it was still alive and moist. A testament to his gift of speech.
My personal favorite story is when St Anthony met a merchant who did not believe in Christ. He told the man not to feed his donkey for five days. After those five days, he was to bring the donkey to the square and Anthony would prove the power of God. Well, after five days, the merchant brought his starving donkey to the town square where Anthony had placed a gigantic pile of hay. The donkey, crazy from hunger, broke free and galloped toward the feast. At the last moment, St Anthony stepped out from behind the pile, holding in his hands the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament. At once, the donkey stopped in it's tracks and fell on it's knees. Anthony said to the merchant, "You're donkey believes. Why don't you?"
St Anthony was canonized by Pope Gregory IX in 1232, less than one year after his death. He was declared a Doctor of the Church, one of the highest honors a saint can receive, by Pope Pius XII in 1946. He is often call the Evangelical Doctor or Doctor Evangelicus. He is always depicted holding a book, representing his being a doctor of the church, and holding the Child Jesus, who appeared to St Anthony in a vision.
I hope everyone has a blessed day, and can take to heart one of the many lessons that St Anthony teaches. May we all learn to use our gifts as St Anthony did, and set the world ablaze as we are all called to do.
May the Lord, or God, bless us
St Joseph, model of manliness, pray for us
St Anthony, my patron and friend, pray for us