MAN PROPOSES AND GOD DISPOSES                2

Ferdinand, the future Saint Anthony was born in a noble and wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal. His father was called Martin and his mother, Maria. According to documented records he had many friends and was very popular.  But when he found himself passing through the stages of puberty, he felt that he had to resist certain urges not to offend God. For this reason he joined the Canons of St.Augustine.

But because of the frequent visits by his friends, whom he felt were wasting his time of meditation and prayers, he asked his superior to send him to a convent far away from where he was. As we can see Ferdinand was genuine and had good intentions.

It happened one day that a Franciscan friar came back from Morocco Mission carrying with him ‘relics’ of the martyred Franciscans. There and then Ferdinand decided that he wanted to become a missionary to work amongst the Saracens and to die a martyr. So he asked permission to leave the Community he was living with to join the Franciscans. Permission was granted, but not so easily, because Ferdinand had already impressed his Augustinian friends with his humility and simple life.

Before leaving, one of the Augustinian Canons told him: “Go Ferdinand, maybe you will become a saint.” This was a prophetic send-off.
Ferdinand joined the Franciscans and took the name of Antonius. It is interesting to note that he wanted to take upon a new name so that he would not be traced by his friends. He wanted to be an ‘unknown person’. Keeping in mind the fact that in Portugal, his birthplace, the name Fernando was a name given to royalties and people of noble descent. This was a sure sign of great humility.

As his Master, ‘Jesus was the Son of the living God’ (Matt.16:13), Fernando wanted to be ‘the son of man’ (Matt.8:20). He wanted to imitate Francis who used to declare that he was the son of Pietro Bernardone. He was loved and admired by all.

He even gave up his right to inheritance from his parents; he wanted to lead a simple life. He boarded the first boat going to Morocco to preach and convert the Saracens. But as it is well said: ‘Man proposes and God disposes’. His stay with the Saracenes was short-lived; he became ill, with high fever and had to go back.

Though physically frail and weak through the many penances and frequent fastings we can say that ‘he was crucified with Christ, lived for Christ and was dead for the world’ (Gal.2: 19, 20). His whole life was a martyrdom, according to his wish.            /3