GETTING TO KNOW HIM / HER 1
Many are those who have personal devotions towards a particular Saint; St.Rita, St Anthony, St.John Paul II, St.Dorothy, to mention just a few. This is good and commendable. After all we pray through the intercession of Saints, but we have to try and imitate that particular Saint in our life.
I have a more important message to pass over. It is good to pray to a Saint and perform daily devotions. But, how did this devotion sprout; is it something traditional, which you have inherited from your family; or is it because it was suggested to you by your priest, friend, relative? Whatever the answer, it is right and good.
What I want to suggest sheds more light, on my proposal. For example I always had a great devotion towards Saint Anthony of Padova (Padua). But digging deep and studying his ‘documented’ life has shed a huge beam on his life and the way he dedicated his whole life for God. Knowing the way he lived made me a great devotee of St.Anthony.
It is a great pity that many, right now are thinking: ‘Well, I can’t find my door-key, my wallet, my umbrella, I just pray to St.Anthony, he will surely find it for me.’ Well, nothing is wrong in that, but, and it is a BIG BUT, we are missing much and much.
How many people know that Ferdinand (baptismal name), had an extraordinary memory, today we call it, photographic memory. Actually it is called ‘encyclopaedic memory’. He had knowledge of any subject under the sun. How many know that Ferdinand was an expert interpreter of the Holy Scripture?
These are just two of the charismas, talents which Ferdinand was endowed with. Still he had something more precious than those; he was very humble. As a matter of fact when he became a Franciscan friar and took the name of Anthony, he was unknown to all. After the General Chapter he was the only Friar not chosen by any superior to form part of a Community, because he always kept “the light hidden under the bed”.
He himself asked a superior to be in the community to serve as a kitchen-hand, washing pots and pans. This went on until God, who appreciated Anthony’s humility more than his knowledge and memory permitted that “the light be put on top of a city” to illuminate others.
This came about during the Ordination Ceremony of some Dominicans and Franciscan Priests. The superior asked the Dominicans to deliver the homily for the occasion. Yet no one accepted , saying they were not prepared. The superior turned on his Franciscan brothers, yet without success. There was one option left … the kitchen-hand. At first, through modesty Anthony refused, but the superior told him that he has to do it as obedience to the superior.
Imagine the reaction of those who knew Friar Anthony, who smelled of pots and pans, going up to deliver the talk. BUT, God was with him, “do not bother what to say, the Spirit will put words on your lips.” What an exposition of the Scripture, nobody had ever heard such wisdom coming out of human lips. So much so, the news spread like wild fire.
We shall see next time more examples as to how God helps the humble and uses them as channels of His mercy and power. /2
Many are those who have personal devotions towards a particular Saint; St.Rita, St Anthony, St.John Paul II, St.Dorothy, to mention just a few. This is good and commendable. After all we pray through the intercession of Saints, but we have to try and imitate that particular Saint in our life.
I have a more important message to pass over. It is good to pray to a Saint and perform daily devotions. But, how did this devotion sprout; is it something traditional, which you have inherited from your family; or is it because it was suggested to you by your priest, friend, relative? Whatever the answer, it is right and good.
What I want to suggest sheds more light, on my proposal. For example I always had a great devotion towards Saint Anthony of Padova (Padua). But digging deep and studying his ‘documented’ life has shed a huge beam on his life and the way he dedicated his whole life for God. Knowing the way he lived made me a great devotee of St.Anthony.
It is a great pity that many, right now are thinking: ‘Well, I can’t find my door-key, my wallet, my umbrella, I just pray to St.Anthony, he will surely find it for me.’ Well, nothing is wrong in that, but, and it is a BIG BUT, we are missing much and much.
How many people know that Ferdinand (baptismal name), had an extraordinary memory, today we call it, photographic memory. Actually it is called ‘encyclopaedic memory’. He had knowledge of any subject under the sun. How many know that Ferdinand was an expert interpreter of the Holy Scripture?
These are just two of the charismas, talents which Ferdinand was endowed with. Still he had something more precious than those; he was very humble. As a matter of fact when he became a Franciscan friar and took the name of Anthony, he was unknown to all. After the General Chapter he was the only Friar not chosen by any superior to form part of a Community, because he always kept “the light hidden under the bed”.
He himself asked a superior to be in the community to serve as a kitchen-hand, washing pots and pans. This went on until God, who appreciated Anthony’s humility more than his knowledge and memory permitted that “the light be put on top of a city” to illuminate others.
This came about during the Ordination Ceremony of some Dominicans and Franciscan Priests. The superior asked the Dominicans to deliver the homily for the occasion. Yet no one accepted , saying they were not prepared. The superior turned on his Franciscan brothers, yet without success. There was one option left … the kitchen-hand. At first, through modesty Anthony refused, but the superior told him that he has to do it as obedience to the superior.
Imagine the reaction of those who knew Friar Anthony, who smelled of pots and pans, going up to deliver the talk. BUT, God was with him, “do not bother what to say, the Spirit will put words on your lips.” What an exposition of the Scripture, nobody had ever heard such wisdom coming out of human lips. So much so, the news spread like wild fire.
We shall see next time more examples as to how God helps the humble and uses them as channels of His mercy and power. /2
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