Early awareness of St. Anthony

One story about St. Anthony that is particularly meaningful to me came to me before my calling to religious life and awareness of St. Anthony. It came to me when my mother shared a story with me about a day in her life when she had misplaced her keys. She set out about the house in search of them. She peered into every nook, cranny, and crevice within the house and beyond to the outside grounds around the lawn and in our family car. After a long and empty-handed search, my mother decided to offer up a prayer to St. Anthony, and then started making dinner. When she opened up her cookbook to look up a recipe, her keys were resting in between the pages!

Br. Ed Gura, OFM

In time, my calling came to be a friar minor. I came to know about the patron saint of lost articles. It brought to mind the story my mother once shared with me about a set of keys that once were lost and that had been found in a cookbook. Today the story carries a deeper meaning for me—for I once was lost in the darkness and the Good Shepherd found his lost sheep. The Good Shepherd kept up his search for me with every key needed to open up every door to every nook, cranny, and crevice where I lay hidden.

Our Good Shepherd holds the keys to death and the netherworld. Darkness is not dark for him. The night is as clear as day. In the darkness he brings forth blessing and light. Death has died in him! Hell has been destroyed by him! He has our recipe for salvation!

I wish you continued blessings throughout the Easter Season in the warmth and light of the Risen Son who hung upon a tree and tasted death for the sake of all to make all of us his own!

(Br. Ed Gura, OFM, serves at Church of the Transfiguration in Southfield, Michigan.)

Pray the Novena to St. Anthony of Padua here.

Sign up here to receive this year’s weekly email prayers during the Solemn Novena in Honor of St. Anthony: April 13 through June 8.