Anthony’s knowledge of the Scriptures and his ability to apply them to daily life led to an assignment from Saint Francis himself: Anthony should go to Bologna and teach Scripture to the young friars.
Francis cautioned that this study should not extinguish the friars’ spirit of prayer and holy devotion. He need not have worried that Anthony might lead the young friars in that direction. Spreading the Good News required zeal, knowledge, and humility. Anthony had all three and would encourage his students to develop the same virtues, yet according to their individual gifts.
Begun in the 11th century, the university in Bologna is Europe’s oldest. The friars’ theology school there was not formally connected with this university in Anthony’s day, but both the Friars Minor and Friars Preacher developed major study centers there. In the 13th century, studying theology meant primarily studying Scripture. Anthony was well qualified to teach young friars how to break open the word of God for the benefit of God’s people.
Is my spiritual life sufficiently rooted in the Scriptures?
In Anthony’s Own Words
“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’ (Mt 25:40).”
Did You Know?
In canonizing Anthony in 1232, Pope Gregory IX spoke of him as the “Ark of the Testament” and the “Repository of Holy Scripture.” That explains why St. Anthony is frequently pictured with a burning light or a book of the Scriptures in his hands.
In 1946, Pope Pius XII officially declared Anthony a Doctor of the Church. It is in Anthony’s love of the word of God and his prayerful efforts to understand and apply it to the situations of everyday life that the Church especially wants us to imitate St. Anthony. The Church wants us to learn from Anthony the teacher the meaning of true wisdom and what it means to become like Jesus, who humbled and emptied himself for our sakes and went about doing good.
—Jack Wintz, OFM, Saint Anthony of Padua: His Life, Legends, and Devotions
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you were a master teacher
through your words and deeds.
Give us the humility to draw closer to you,
especially through the study of your
self-revelation in the Bible.
Help us quiet our self-assurance long
enough to allow your liberating word
to take deeper root in our hearts.
We ask this also in the name of God the
Father and God the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
18 thoughts on “Saint Anthony Novena Day Five: The Teacher”
Please keep my grandson Andrew in your prayers. He seems to have lost his way.
My grandson’s wedding is tomorrow and his bride-to-be has misplaced her Wedding Ring. Please St. Anthony. Please find this ring for her. I promised to continue with this novena for 9 more days.
Thank YOU, Blessed St. Anthony. Amen
Please keep my grandson KMP in your prayers. He is just 3 and a half and will be having a surgery on Tuesday morning to enable him to finally breathe normally through his nose. Right now he can’t breathe through his nose. We pray for the surgeon to operate successfully so that this little boy can finally sleep quietly and breathe normally so that he can grow up healthy and happy. I hope have he will have an uncomplicated recovery. With very grateful thanks. Grandma DP
St Anthony please pray for my son to find a better job where he can flourish. Thank you
St Anthony please pray for my son♥️🙏
St Anthony please pray for my children, grandchildren and family.
I also ask for healing for Ingrid L.
Amen I echo this for mine
Lord Jesus Christ, all that I have is yours. Take my life, my possessions, my time and all that I have and use them as you desire for your glory. Amen.
St. Anthony please pray for my son to be released from jail when he goes to court on Wednesday and that his Union Rep is able to help him to keep his job and get him into a treatment program. He’s an alcoholic, he is not a criminal. He needs rehabilitation not incarceration. He’s nieve and inexperienced and has made some foolish mistakes. But he is not a bad person. My son was arrested for a DUI and charged with a felony for evading a police officer. His vehicle was impounded for 30 days. He has to report to work within a certain time frame or else he will lose his job and all of his benefits. He can’t get to work if he is in jail and he can’t afford to get his vehicle out of impound if he can’t go work. It’s a Catch-22! I pray that his public defender can get the felony removed from his record and can get the charge dropped to a misdemeanor. My son obviously needs to take responsibility for his actions and is suffering the consequences of making poor choices. I sincerely pray that the Lord will help him to get his life back on track so that he never has to experience anything like this again.🙏🏽
Alycia, I feel for you. I am a mother too and no matter how old they are I still worry and pray for each one of them everyday.
I will keep your son in my prayers too.
St. Anthony has always been my parents favourite, now that they are deceased he has become mine and he has never failed me in
all my requests.
Like you I pray through St. Anthony”s intercession to Our Blessed Lord that your son and mine will be helped in getting
a job. My son lost his through downsizing during Covid and is still seeking a job.
God Bless you, Alycia. Keep the faith.
Shirley.
Pray for my family. Pray for their health and that they never stray from their Catholic faith. Pray they make good friends and lead each other to Heaven. To live in truth and not get lost along the way
St.Anthony, please pray for a healthy pregnancy, a healthy delivery and a healthy baby for my daughter; and also for a marriage based on forgiveness and love.
Please help find my son a job he will take and a wife.
Please pray for my health concern. Praise be to God!
Dear St. Anthony,
Please intercede for these intentions:
That my children and grandchildren come back to the Sacraments and the Church; for healing of my sick loved ones and friends and myself. Thank you.🙏🙏🙏
St Anthony, please pray for healing of myself.
St. Anthony,
Please intercede to Jesus for me and my family to help us draw closer to God and to change our minds, hearts and ways. I all so pray for forgiveness, love, peace and joy in our families.
Thank you for being a wonderful friend and intercessior
Dear stop Anthony
Please pray for jack who is in the hospital for a head injury we need your help. I also need your help with my future marriage business lost items health and business. Please pray for us. We believe and trust you. God bless u