Today we celebrate one of the greatest and most popular Saints in our Church – St. Anthony of Padua.

St. Anthony, among other things, is held up as Saint of those things lost – a saint whose intersession can assist us in recovering lost things like car keys, important mail, and other misplaced items.  To some this might not sound so important nor might this seem to have much to do with spiritual matters.  But when we think that one of those misplaced items –  one of those lost “things” – could be ourselves, St. Anthony’s intercession might take on much deeper meaning.  For just as we might misplace items such as car keys and important documents, sometime we allow ourselves to become “misplaced” or lost.  Sometimes we allow our fear and anxiety, our pride and ambition, our desire for comfort and pleasure, to cloud what is most important – our relationship with God and our call to faithful discipleship.  And our Saints – including St. Anthony – can help us when we ourselves become lost. These great Saints – models of faith, humility, and love – can help us return to our God through their prayer, their intercession, and the example they provide us by their lives of holiness.

Many of us have benefited from St. Anthony’s intercession.  Some have found comfort in his caring and compassion; others have been the recipients of favors from God bordering on the miraculous.  For those of us who are so inclined here is a nice prayer for today:

Most loving protector, St Anthony of Padua,
we come to you full of deepest gratitude and liveliest appreciation.
We thank you for the wonderful favor received from God in response to our prayers.
You proved our refuge and consolations in the afflictions and anguish of life,
and we shall never cease to praise you.
May your merits be ever better known on earth,
your example imitated,
and your present glory a perpetual hymn of adoration
to the most Holy Trinity
and the ever-blessed Virgin Mother of God,
for all ages to come.
Amen.

– Author unknown

For more on St. Anthony of Padua:
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=24