True Detachment
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Anthony, Abbot. He was born in 251 in a small village in Egypt. When he was twenty years old, his parents died. They left him a large estate and placed him in charge of the care of his younger sister. Anthony felt overwhelmed and turned to God in prayer. Gradually he became more and more aware of the power of God in his life. About six months later, he heard this quotation of Jesus from the Gospel: “Go, sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” (Mark 10:21). He took the words as a personal message in answer to his prayer for guidance. Anthony sold most of his possessions, keeping only enough to support his sister and himself. Then he gave the rest of the money to people who needed it.
Anthony’s sister joined a group of women living a life of prayer and contemplation. Anthony decided to become a hermit. He begged an elderly hermit to teach him about the spiritual life. Anthony also visited other hermits so that he could learn each one’s most outstanding virtue. Then he began his own life of prayer and penance alone with God.
When he was fifty-five, Anthony built a monastery where monks could worship and serve God together. Many people heard of his holiness and came to him for advice. Anthony would tell them how they could become closer to God. Once he said, “The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices and when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when we make the Sign of the Cross.”
St. Anthony visited Paul the hermit (whose feast is celebrated on January 15). He learned a lot from the example of Paul’s holy life. Anthony died after a long, prayerful life. He was 105 years old. St. Athan-asius wrote a well-known biography of St. Anthony of Egypt. (St. Athanasius’s feast day is May 2.)
God was first in St. Anthony’s life. Sometimes we can think we need everything we see advertised on TV to make us happy. But no amount of money or things can make us really happy. Only loving and serving God can.(iMissal, Saint A Day)
❦ What have you been doing to love God and serving others?
O God, who brought the Abbot Saint Anthony to serve you by a wondrous way of life in the desert, grant, through his intercession, that, denying ourselves, we may always love you above all things. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. (Collect Prayer, St. Anthony, Abbot)
Hail Mary full of grace…
Peace in Christ,
Father Vincent-Vuong Nguyen
Sent by Fr. Vincent Nguyen on Friday, January 17, 2020 at 7:41AM