COLLECT: “O GOD, WHO BROUGHT THE ABBOT SAINT ANTHONY TO SERVE YOU BY A WONDROUS WAY OF LIFE IN THE DESERT, GRANT, THROUGH HIS INTERCESSION, 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, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
1Sam 9:1-4,10:1a; Ps 20:2-7 and Mk 2:13-17.
“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you own, give it to the poor, and come, follow me.” An orphan named Anthony heard these words proclaimed in his Church in Egypt when he was twenty years old. He took these words to heart, went into the desert, and lived a profoundly spiritual, disciplined life of penance, prayer, and good works. His example inspired so many followers that Anthony is often called the Father of Monasticism.
Imagine I am asked about a hardened thief or criminal who wants to go to the seminary to be eventually ordained as a priest, what will I say about him? Will I, despite everything approve of his going to the seminary? What about a “town helper”, that is, a common prostitute in town, if she wants to go to the convent and become a Nun, will I approve of her going to the convent? If a Christian who has flaws regarding the teachings of the Church but he/she is not completely hostile to or against the Church dies, should the Church (the believers) allow him/her to receive some favours from the Church?
St. Paul said in 1Cor 2:26-30 that: “Consider, brothers, how you were called…. God chose those who by human standards are weak to shame the strong, those who by human standards are common and contemptible, indeed those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing all those that do count for something…” This is a kind of personal confession, knowing who Paul was before his conversion. He was Saul, the great persecutor of believers, a great sinner for that matter. He has now become a great apostle to the Gentiles and to the whole world.
Levi or Matthew, whom Jesus called from his tax collection office to follow him, has also explained clearly what Paul said above about the Lord’s choices and calls. Levi, like Paul, was also a hardened sinner, a tax gatherer. The so-called holy ones (the Scribes and Pharisees) could not stomach or accept this. Why should the Son of God, the Messiah associate and even eat with sinners and prostitutes?
No wonder we often use our standards, not God’s standards, to judge people. Sometimes those of us with the ‘holier-than-thou’ attitudes behave as if we know more than God or we know the mind and intentions of God. Sometimes we even behave as if we have to dictate to God how to do things. That is why sometimes we think that we should tell God who should be admitted into heaven and who should not be there. By this very attitude, are we not ourselves, worse sinners?
If we think that someone we consider as a sinner just because he/she has flawed in the Church’s ways and teachings (and not that the person is against the Church or the person has denied Jesus and the Cross) or simply because we see the person as a sinner and for that matter such a person should not receive certain favours from the Church, like Church funeral and burial, etc., will it not be better while the person is still alive we advise him/her to stop going to Church as well as stop contributing to the Church and giving collections?
Very often we do not do anything to help such a person. We only sit somewhere and criticise and backbite. Can this help and save the person? Remember Ezekiel 3:16-21 (Being a brother’s keeper or being a brother’s watchman). We pray the Lord may have mercy upon us according to his merciful and unfailing love, for he is full of compassion and forgiveness.
May we also have mercy, compassion and love for others especially those we tag and classify as condemned sinners. Let us help them to receive forgiveness from God while they are still alive, and not only when they pass on, but also when they are still alive. “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Mk 2:17). May Saint Anthony intercede for us. Stay blessed and happy feast to all who bear the name Anthony.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, SATURDAY, ON THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE ANNUNCIATION, THE VISITATION, THE BIRTH OF JESUS, THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE AND THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE’. (LET US PRAY FOR HUMILITY, LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR, POVERTY IN SPIRIT, OBEDIENCE AND JOY IN FINDING JESUS) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “NOURISHED FOR OUR HEALING BY THESE SACRAMENTS, O LORD, MAY WE ESCAPE EVERY SNARE OF THE ENEMY UNHARMED, JUST AS BY YOUR GRACE SAINT ANTHONY WON GLORIOUS VICTORIES OVER THE POWERS OF DARKNESS. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com
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