Hey...Where's My Book?

In 1224, when obedience set him to preach in France, St. Anthony made hundreds of converts and friends. Few people today think of the Saint as a polyglot but he was fluent in several languages. 

A jealous former friar is thought to have stolen St. Anthony’s breviary (pronounced "breev-ree"). The breviary is a prayer book that religious order priests, brothers and sisters pray with several times a day. Today we call the breviary the Liturgy of the Hours. It is mostly made up of the Psalms of the Bible. 

Since St. Anthony had great success as a preacher, this misguided ex-friar thought St. Anthony's success was in some way related to his daily reading from his breviary.  When no one was looking,the  man slipped into the Saint’s cell and stole his well-worn breviary. When  St. Anthony discovered the loss of his treasured book, he stormed heaven for help. The humility of St. Anthony moved him to pray with such intensity. He had written his personal meditations and insights on Scripture in the margins of the book. The Saint did not want the attention drawn to his writings. As the thief was nearing home, a terrible apparition with great growling and snorting seemed to block his way.  The thief promised that he would return the book if his life would be spared. Needless to say, he returned the book to St. Anthony throwing himself at the Saint’s feet. He was immediately forgiven.


We must remember that above everything else St. Anthony was a priest and forgiveness was his job. The fact that the Saint to this day is known for the recovery of lost and stolen articles is a witness to his enduring compassion.


I encourage you to ask St. Anthony for any lost or stolen thing(maybe a "lost" friend or relative or a stolen soul lost to addiction). Pray and ask his prayers that God may bring about the recovery of your lost or stolen anything!


St. Anthony of Padua, pray for us.
Mark