Greg Friedman, OFM

“During the meal, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it as a sign that his body would be broken, too, through his freely accepted death. The humanity of Christ is like the grape because it was crushed in the winepress of the cross so that his blood flowed forth over all the earth….How great is the charity of the beloved! How great the love of the Bridegroom for his spouse, the Church!”
–Saint Anthony of Padua

Reflection

“When a crystal is touched or struck by the rays of the sun,
it gives forth brilliant sparks of light.
When the man of faith is touched by the light of God’s grace,
he too must shine with his good words and deeds, and so bring
God’s light to others.”
–Saint Anthony of Padua

Reflection

“Today Christ stands at the door and knocks in the person of his poor.
It is to him that we open when we give aid, when we give ourselves to those in need.
For he tells us plainly, ‘Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members
of my family, you did it to me.'”
–Saint Anthony of Padua

Reflection

“Nothing apart from God can satisfy the human heart,
which is truly in search of God.”
–Saint Anthony of Padua

Reflection

Not long ago one of the friars living here at the Monastery observed that, out of this time of pandemic, we all might discover some new things about how we live. Today’s quote from Anthony might easily provide an insight into such a “transformed” lifestyle: “Nothing apart from God can satisfy the human heart, which is truly in search of God.”

“The greedy man is really not rich, but poor.
He does not control his money but is controlled by it.
He does not possess his wealth but is possessed by it.
He may have many things, yet for him he has all too little.”
–Saint Anthony of Padua

Reflection

Today’s quote from Saint Anthony about how money controls a greedy man reminds of what. Francis of Assisi said to his brothers: that having things necessarily meant guarding them, lest they be stolen.

“You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart.
Notice that Christ says: Your whole heart.
He doesn’t say: Leave a corner of your heart for yourself.
He bought the whole of you by giving his whole self for you,
that he alone might possess every part of you.
Do not try to hold back any part of yourself…
If you really wish to have the whole,
then give it all to him, and he will give you all of himself.”
–Saint Anthony of Padua

Reflection