Today we read about St Anthony of Padua in the book In Caelo et in Terra. He was devout from a young age, and joined the Franciscans after he venerated the bodies of some recent Franciscan martyrs.
He met St Francis shortly after that, and then went into a long time of obscurity. He went mostly unnoticed for years, until one day he was asked to preach at an ordination. His homily was so powerful and inspiring that he was asked to preach continually from that time forward. You can read more about him here.
Some of us are called to the limelight. There are saints like Mother Teresa, John Paul II, and Francis of Assisi who shine brightly in the darkness and are known for their holiness during their lifetimes. Then there are the rest of us, who are called to work in the background. To love people and be kind and live simply while going largely unnoticed by the world at large. Both callings have pros and cons, of course. Which is God calling you to?
God, thanks for the example of this humble monk. St Anthony of Padua, pray for us.
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