St. Anthony the Abbot
Two Greek philosophers ventured out into the Egyptian desert to the mountain where Anthony lived. When they got there, Anthony asked them why they had come to talk to such a foolish man? He had reason to say that -- they saw before them a man who wore a skin, who refused to bathe, who lived on bread and water. They were Greek, the world's most admired civilization, and Anthony was Egyptian, a member of a conquered nation. They were philosophers, educated in languages and rhetoric. Anthony had not even attended school as a boy and he needed an interpreter to speak to them. In their eyes, he would have seemed very foolish.
But the Greek philosophers had heard the stories of Anthony. They had heard how disciples came from all over to learn from him, how his intercession had brought about miraculous healings, how his words comforted the suffering. They assured him that they had come to him because he was a wise man.
Anthony guessed what they wanted. They lived by words and arguments. They wanted to hear his words and his arguments on the truth of Christianity and the value of ascetism. But he refused to play their game. He told them that if they truly thought him wise, "If you think me wise, become what I am, for we ought to imitate the good. Had I gone to you, I should have imitated you, but, since you have come to me, become what I am, for I am a Christian."
Anthony's whole life was not one of observing, but of becoming. When his parents died when he was eighteen or twenty he inherited their three hundred acres of land and the responsibility for a young sister. One day in church, he heard read Matthew 19:21: "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." Not content to sit still and meditate and reflect on Jesus' words he walked out the door of the church right away and gave away all his property except what he and his sister needed to live on. On hearing Matthew 6:34, "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today," he gave away everything else, entrusted his sister to a convent, and went outside the village to live a life of praying, fasting, and manual labor. It wasn't enough to listen to words, he had to become what Jesus said.
Every time he heard of a holy person he would travel to see that person. But he wasn't looking for words of wisdom, he was looking to become. So if he admired a person's constancy in prayer or courtesy or patience, he would imitate it. Then he would return home.
Anthony went on to tell the Greek philosophers that their arguments would never be as strong as faith. He pointed out that all rhetoric, all arguments, no matter how complex, how well-founded, were created by human beings. But faith was created by God. If they wanted to follow the greatest ideal, they should follow their faith.
Anthony knew how difficult this was. Throughout his life he argued and literally wrestled with the devil. His first temptations to leave his ascetic life were arguments we would find hard to resist -- anxiety about his sister, longings for his relatives, thoughts of how he could have used his property for good purposes, desire for power and money. When Anthony was able to resist him, the devil then tried flattery, telling Anthony how powerful Anthony was to beat him. Anthony relied on Jesus' name to rid himself of the devil. It wasn't the last time, though. One time, his bout with the devil left him so beaten, his friends thought he was dead and carried him to church. Anthony had a hard time accepting this. After one particular difficult struggle, he saw a light appearing in the tomb he lived in. Knowing it was God, Anthony called out, "Where were you when I needed you?" God answered, "I was here. I was watching your struggle. Because you didn't give in, I will stay with you and protect you forever."
With that kind of assurance and approval from God, many people would have settled in, content with where they were. But Anthony's reaction was to get up and look for the next challenge -- moving out into the desert.
Anthony always told those who came to visit him that the key to the ascetic life was perseverance, not to think proudly, "We've lived an ascetic life for a long time" but treat each day as if it were the beginning. To many, perseverance is simply not giving up, hanging in there. But to Anthony perseverance meant waking up each day with the same zeal as the first day. It wasn't enough that he had given up all his property one day. What was he going to do the next day?
Once he had survived close to town, he moved into the tombs a little farther away. After that he moved out into the desert. No one had braved the desert before. He lived sealed in a room for twenty years, while his friends provided bread. People came to talk to him, to be healed by him, but he refused to come out. Finally they broke the door down. Anthony emerged, not angry, but calm. Some who spoke to him were healed physically, many were comforted by his words, and others stayed to learn from him. Those who stayed formed what we think of as the first monastic community, though it is not what we would think of religious life today. All the monks lived separately, coming together only for worship and to hear Anthony speak.
But after awhile, too many people were coming to seek Anthony out. He became afraid that he would get too proud or that people would worship him instead of God. So he took off in the middle of the night, thinking to go to a different part of Egypt where he was unknown. Then he heard a voice telling him that the only way to be alone was to go into the desert. He found some Saracens who took him deep into the desert to a mountain oasis. They fed him until his friends found him again.
Anthony died when he was one hundred and five years old. A life of solitude, fasting, and manual labor in the service of God had left him a healthy, vigorous man until very late in life. And he never stopped challenging himself to go one step beyond in his faith.
Saint Athanasius, who knew Anthony and wrote his biography, said, "Anthony was not known for his writings nor for his worldly wisdom, nor for any art, but simply for his reverence toward God." We may wonder nowadays at what we can learn from someone who lived in the desert, wore skins, ate bread, and slept on the ground. We may wonder how we can become him. We can become Anthony by living his life of radical faith and complete commitment to God.
In His Footsteps: Fast for one day, if possible, as Anthony did, eating only bread and only after the sun sets. Pray as you do that God will show you how dependent you are on God for your strength.
Prayer: Saint Anthony, you spoke of the importance of persevering in our faith and our practice. Help us to wake up each day with new zeal for the Christian life and a desire to take the next challenge instead of just sitting still. Amen
Copyright (c) 1996-2000, Terry Matz. All Rights Reserved. Quotations from "Life of St. Anthony" by Saint Athanasius. Translated by Sister Mary Emily Keenan, S.C.N. Copyright 1952 by Fathers of the Early Church, Inc.
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Blessed be to God,for giving us ST Anthony......
Thank you for sharing this wonderful insight into the life of one so holy... St Anthony the abbot. I've got still a long way to go in conquering the demons of pride, impatience and selfishness. Good St Anthony, Please pray that I can overcome... to honour HIM and HIS HOLY MOTHER.
st. anthony, i am so glad i have learned of you today is your day GOD PLEASE HELP ME TO LEARN FROM ST. ANTHONY I AM SO WEAK YET I WANT TO DO GODS WILL HELP ME TO BE STRONG IN FAith and always have my lord in my mind constantly. also will you help my son joshua in prison give him strength of our lord to seek jesus christ thank you god for showing me st, anthony of the desert.
St. Anthony, please pray for me regarding the conduct of my relationship with the outside world, which gives more importance to money than God.
ST ANTHONY HAPPY FEAST DAY
PLEASE PROTECT MY LITLE FAMILY AND OPEN MY HEART MORE AND MORE TO LOVE JESUS AND GOD AND THE HOLLY SPIRIT
PLEASE PUT YOUR HAND IN MY OFFICE AND GIVE US ALL THE GRACES
AND TAKE CARE OF MY MOM AND TELL JESUS SHE IS SO GOD AND SWEET AND SHE LOVES HIM SOOOOOOOOOO . LET JESUS AND HIS MOTHER TAKE CARE OF HER.
P;ease praay for Jacob that he finds the righ path and peace for his mother that the doctors can slow the progression of her disease, nd for all cancer patients that we deal with our disease with grace and dignity. Thank you.
17th jan 2013 thursday:st anthony abbot hermit pray for us!
St.Anthony please please pray for me and my family
God bless us all
Amen
St. Anthony, please prary for my son who is named after you to improve in his school grades which is as at now are very poor. He is very prayfull and he visits the adoration chapel when they are on holiday every sunday. I am very concern about this. Guide him to emulate your example. He has some good traits which I believe has taken after you. Thank you St. Anthony.
St. Antony I know you can intercede to our Lord Jesus, for the healing of my farther from cancer, and also help me pray for all those who are suffering from cancer and those in danger of going to hell because of their sins
Dear St. Anthony, please open the gates of heaven to admit my brother Anthony who passed away today, he was a good man, kind, spiritual, always honoring his commitment to his wonderful family and serving God to the best of his abilities. Please have mercy on us & help us to continue to imitate Jesus in our daily lives, Amen
Dear St. Anthony the Abbot, patron saint of
silence, prayer and meditation
to hear the Lord direction
toward life's work.
Pray for us
Dear St. Antony, You revealed to us what real faith is; more so it is like the river that flows out from the 'Tree of Life'. First it is 'ankle deep'; then 'knee deep' and finally it engulfs the whole person! Please pray for me to be perseverent in faith unlike the weed that flutters according to the wind.
Dear St. Anthony by your great piety and devotion to God you have taught us many spiritual insights especially to give up all the vain riches of this earth and to look for heavenly treasures in God alone can we find it. Dear St. Anthony please pray for us....
St. Anthony the Abbotp pray for us to god to help us in our dark hours AMEN
St. Anthony, just as you were tempted by the devil we too are tempted. Please intercede for me in prayer for my friend, Anthony. He suffers from anxiety, depression, and carnal desires. Please join me in prayer that he will resist the devil and like you rely on Jesus' name to rid himself of strongholds. I pray for his safety and protection. Please pray for me as well that I will never lose my faith and that I will always rely on my Lord's strength.
Saint Anthony, you spoke of the importance of persevering in our faith and our practice. Help us to wake up each day with new zeal for the Christian life and a desire to take the next challenge instead of just sitting still. Amen
I HAVE BEEN READING THE LIFE OF DIFFERENT SAINTS HONORED TO THEM EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR, BUT I AM DEEPLY BLESSED IN KNOWING THE LIFE OF ST. ANTHONY THE ABBOT, I SHALL STRIVE TO PERSERVE IN MY FAITH AND PRAY THAT ST. ANTHONY BLESS AND PRAY FOR ME IN MY PERSEVERANCE. THANK YOU
Dear St. Anthony the Abbot, blessed am I to read about your saintly life of heroic virtue. Pray for all Catholics. Should we suffer boredom, teach us a way to overcome it like you did by weaving palms, for example. As the saying goes "An idle mind is the devil's workshop". God provided for all your needs and saw your battles against the evil one. I believe our loving God is always near to protect us against our enemies, the works and pomp of the devil.
Today on your feast day, stay at my mother's side and give her divine comfort, consolation. Also, grant healing, and a permanent cure to all children born with fragile X. Free them dear Saint of all developmental delays, epileptic seizures, speech delays, learning disorders and poor behaviour. Grant that my grandson be accepted into the Healing programme that he's waiting for.
Help me to be prayerful always, to be focused on our Divine Master. Come to my assistance when I have doubts, obsessions, scrupulosity, fears and suspicions. Dear saint, what a marvelous life of self denial you led. Though you sought obscurity, many came to you for spiritual guidance. As you have helped them, help me now too. Amen
The patron saint of Murugathuran patty is St.Anthony the Great. We thank him for all the blessing and protection .May he continue to intercede, bless and guide for our family Joseph-Theresama, John Peter-Priya, Ahsa geneliya, Michael-Janci Rani, Akash
Prayer: Saint Anthony, you spoke of the importance of persevering in our faith and our practice. Help us to wake up each day with new zeal for the Christian life and a desire to take the next challenge instead of just sitting still. Amen [copied from the text above]