Prayer

Be mindful, O Lord, of Your Infinite Mercy
and through the intercession of St. Anthony
our Protector, deign to help and console us.

Bless our families and our work; come to the
aid of our infirmity by keeping distant the
illnesses and dangers of soul and body; in the
hour of pain and trial help us to remain strong
in faith and in Your love.

Answer, O lord, this prayer; we offer it to You
with confidence because it is strengthened by
the prayers and merits of our dear Saint. Amen.

In popular belief St. Anthony is associated with finding lost articles and as a Wonder Worker. Christians as well as Non Christians flock in their thousands to his shrine to ask favours, and St. Anthony is always generous with his intercession and help.

But when one studies the life of the Franciscan Monk of the 12th Century, one finds that his greatest impact was as a fiery preacher of the Word of God and as a great benefactor of the poor. His profound knowledge of the Scriptures and theology made his sermons so inspiring that when he preached, the churches overflowed and he had to move over to the hillsides to address his audiences. It was through the power of his preaching that he performed miracles such as converting heretics, reconciling enemies, reviving the lukewarm and healing the broken hearted.

Today when there is renewed interest in the word of God, St. Anthony urges us to have faith in the power of God's word, which according to St. Paul is sharper than a double-edged sword! For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4,12).

His love for the poor attracted the sick, the hungry and the afflicted whom he comforted and healed. The tradition of giving St. Anthony's bread on Tuesdays can be traced to his generosity and concern for the hungry for whom he would sacrifice his own meal. He well realized that actions speak much louder than words. In today's consumer society where people are more concerned about satisfying their own selfish desires than helping the poor, St. Anthony invites us to share our bread with the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the sick and build up a civilization of love.

The life of this most lovable of saints challenges us to rise above mediocrity and be fully committed to the commandment to love God and neighbour. St. Anthony shows us that the ideal of holiness set by the Divine Master “Be ye perfect as Your heavenly Father is perfect” – is worth striving for.

May this short biography of St. Anthony so well written by Mrs Manel Abhayaratne, draw more people to this Wonder Worker and through him to Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.