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One of my favorite stories of St. Anthony is the one about how, during the final years of his life, the friars built Anthony a treehouse in a large walnut tree not far from the friary. Anthony would climb up into it and stay there for days, weeks, or months.
Why he did so is unknown. Was it to get closer to God above? Was it to get away from the people below? As someone who often preached to enormous crowds, the latter question would be understandable. Anthony cherished time to contemplate and pray. The treehouse provided that.
Through his preaching, St. Anthony affected the faith lives of all the people and communities to whom he preached. He spent a great deal of time spreading the message of the Gospel to all who would listen, often huge crowds. Sometimes, when people wouldn’t listen, he even preached to the fish, as the story goes. That had to be exhausting. So, I can understand why he would feel a need to step away and recharge his own faith life.
My Own Walnut Tree
I guess St. Anthony and his treehouse is a favorite story of mine because I like the idea of climbing up in a tree, away from the hustle and bustle of the world, and just sitting there. In fact, I’ve done it. When my four kids were younger, my husband, Mark, and I built them a treehouse in our backyard. They spent hours in that treehouse.
What they didn’t know, though, was that they weren’t the only ones who used it. Sometimes, when life got overwhelming, I would steal away to the backyard and climb up in the treehouse. I would quietly sit for just a little while to try and achieve a sense of peace before returning to everyday life. And I knew that the treehouse was one of the last places anyone would look for me.
Sometimes I would just sit and listen to the water in the creek behind our house and the birds in the trees. Other times I would pray—for patience or strength. I wonder what St. Anthony prayed for in his treehouse.
Gathering Together
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to stay in that tree for as long as possible. And while the treehouse is no longer there, the idea of retreating to it is especially appealing to me during these days of tension, animosity, and struggle throughout the world.
But, like Anthony, I always knew I eventually needed to climb down. I needed to return to the community of my family. Anthony knew that too. In his final days, he came down from the tree and returned to his community of friars to join them for lunch. While there, he became seriously ill. It is then, surrounded by the community of his brothers, that he drew his last breath. He could have stayed up there in the tree. But he didn’t. He came back to community.
So, while there is certainly a time and a place to step away and recharge our own faith lives, we are always drawn back to community. We affirm that when we gather together to celebrate Mass. It is in that community that we find strength and companionship. St. Anthony knew that.
Questions for Reflection
✦ Think of all the communities you’re a part of—family, friends, parish. In what ways have those communities helped sustain/grow your faith life?
✦ If you were to go off into your own treehouse, what would you pray for while there?
✦ Why do you think community is so important?
