Spiritual Reflection

St Anthony of Padua

“The life of the body is the soul, the life of the soul is Christ.”
St Anthony of Padua

Orator. Contemplator. Searcher.

When thinking of St Anthony of Padua, these three words come to mind.

St Anthony travelled tirelessly throughout his life, preaching to many. His sermons often took place in piazzas or large fields due to the size of the crowd he attracted. He physically and metaphorically met people where they were at just as Jesus demonstrated on the Road to Emmaus. St Anthony showed great dedication to his vocation, even in the face of adversity, in which his prayer life enabled him the strength to be faithful to God’s mission. We, too, must persevere in our mission, trusting in the divine and seeking strength through prayer.

In what areas of my life am I being called to more closely imitate Christ?

St Anthony dedicated much of his teaching to the practice of prayer and the importance of prayer as a loving relationship with God. He understood that prayer requires an atmosphere of silence, not just external quiet, but an inner stillness that allows intimate connection with the divine.

How can I cultivate a deeper prayer life, creating space for silence and heartfelt communication with God amidst the busyness of daily life?

St Anthony is thought of by many as being the ‘finder of lost items.’ This relates back to an early time in his life when a novice took his book of Psalms, which was filled with personal notes and commentary for teaching. St Anthony turned to prayer, asking for its safe return. Richard Rohr surmises that when things are lost, we are required to search. Why then do we pray to St Anthony? Is it so that we can enter into a contemplative space — take a breath, be still, and discover what we could not see before?

How can I nurture a deeper sense of ‘seeing the unseen’ in my work, especially when facing challenges or discouragement?

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Image source: St Anthony of Padua Catholic College Austral – History & Charism.