Saint Anthony, pray for us.
As I began our first day of the stay at home order I thought about the holy hermit, Saint Anthony of Egypt. I immediately said, “Saint Anthony, pray for us!” Saint Anthony’s feast day is January 17th and he is the founder of Christian monasticism. He went home to the Lord in the year 356 at the age of 105!
He is not the Saint Anthony we ask for prayers so we can find something misplaced. That is Saint Anthony of Padua, the Franciscan Friar who lived in the 13th Century. The Saint Anthony I am thinking about spent his life in
radical solitude
in the desert in Egypt, devoted to prayer and inspiring many. Once source I read said, “For 20 years, Saint Anthony saw no other humans.” Imagine that! Legend has it during periods of fasting and prayers, animals were his only companion. (Just a side note, his feast day can be marked with a blessing of domestic animals.)
With that, as we stay at home, here is a saint that went through some radical isolation. His example and prayers can help us.
If you are interested in learning more about this amazing saint, click here.
Or if you have a copy of
Butler’s Lives of the Saints
, look him up. Be sure to ask him for prayers because following this stay at home order can be challenging! I encourage you, if you have a pet, to give thanks to God for them and the companionship they provide. Also, give your pet a hug! If it’s a fish, good luck with that... maybe drop an extra flake of fish food in the tank in appreciation.
There are many saints that experienced periods of isolation, but this saint came to mind on our first day of the stay at home order. He is a radical saint and he prays for us. God bless and be safe!
In Christ,
Fr. Steve Breck
Pastor, St. Mary Magdalene
