Jun 13 – Memorial for St. Anthony of Padua, priest, religious, doctor
St. Anthony’s (1195-1231) wealthy family wanted him to be a great nobleman, but for the sake of Christ he became a poor Franciscan. When the remains of St. Berard and his companions, the first Franciscan martyrs, were brought to be buried in his church, Anthony was moved to leave his order, enter the Friars Minor, and go to Morocco to evangelize.
Shipwrecked at Sicily, he joined some other brothers who were going to Portiuncula. One day when a scheduled speaker failed to appear, the brothers pressed him into speaking. He impressed them so that he was thereafter constantly travelling, evangelizing, preaching, and teaching theology through Italy and France.
A gifted speaker, he attracted crowds everywhere he went, speaking in multiple tongues. Legend says that even the fish loved to listen. He was a wonder worker. As one of the most beloved saints, his images and statues are found everywhere. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1946.
- Patron Saint Index
2 Cor 1:18-22
Mt 5:13-16
“your light must shine in the sight of men…”
In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses two images to remind us of our mission as Christians in the world. First, He likens us to ‘salt of the earth’. However, we are to be salt that has flavour and hence is good for seasoning food. Second, He says that we are “light of the world”. But this is a light that is not meant to be hidden, but sent out to the world. At first glance, it would appear that the Lord is telling us to go out to the world and evangelize. However, there is more to this than simply going out to spread the Gospel (though that is important as well). Rather, being the ‘salt of the earth’ and ‘light of the world’ requires some sort of service to the world.
This is why Jesus uses the images of salt that is flavoured and light that is not hidden. Yet, this is not always an easy task to carry out, whether spreading the gospel or serving others. In the secular, and often hostile, environments that many of us often find ourselves in, our desire to do the work of God can often be faced with hostility and rejection. How then are we to obey the call of our Lord? Fortunately, there are Saints who can teach us a thing or two.
Given that it is his feastday today, it is fitting that we look to St Anthony of Padua for inspiration. The Franciscan saint is known for both the simplicity and eloquence of his teachings. The story goes that when a group of heretics refused to listen to him, St Anthony went to preach to the fish. When his critics saw the fish gathering, they apparently began to take closer notice of his teachings. The holiness of St Anthony’s preachings is evident in the fact that his tongue is incorrupt and remains housed in the Basilica of St Anthony in Padua.
Like St Therese of Lisieux, St Anthony did not need fancy rhetoric or platitudes to preach the word of God. Rather, it is the simplicity of his teaching (and his life) that attracted people to this humble friar. Indeed, there is an important lesson for us here. In order to best serve God, we must humbly live out our faith and like St Anthony, continue to be faithful even if the world rejects us for who we are. Like preaching to the fish, we must learn that our faith is not contingent on the approval of others. Rather, it is for the love of God, and His delight, that we continue to live, in all our little ways, our lives as His faithful children. So it is not always necessary to win every battle. Sometimes, all we need is to pray for our opponents and detractors, rather than try to overcome them. Sometimes, all we need to do is to lift up our daily chores and work to God, entrusting His providence, rather than try to overcome them by sheer human will. At all times, all we need to do is to love and trust in the Lord. For through Him, all things are possible.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Jacob Woo)
Prayer: Lord, we pray for the simplicity and humility to live our lives as Your faithful children. We ask also for the prayers and intercessions of our Saints: May we seek to emulate your holy examples.
Thanksgiving: We thank the Lord for His Saints, who continue to inspire us and lead us in our daily lives.
OXYGEN 
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