Tuesday, December 18, 2012

The Power of Saint Anthony


When I came home from my Christmas lunch with Barbara, I sat on my front steps for a while since it was close to 60 degrees. This woman who lives in the next building came up to talk to me. I had met her a number of years ago on a Saturday night in the summer when I was quietly watching TV in my bedroom. I answered my phone and this woman started tearing me a new one, as they say... going on and on about how this was a quiet neighborhood and I don't have a right to make so much noise etc etc etc. Well, there was a party going on outside, but it wasn't in my garden. And I told her so. She was immediately apologetic, strongly so... told me how she was sure it was me, had come to the building and gotten my name, got my number etc.

She is a senior flight attendant (my age) and also an artist. Today she told me she was very depressed because she lost a bag which contained jewelry and also some thumb drives which had her artwork on it. I told her to pray to Saint Anthony, and she told me I am the second person that day to tell her. She said she is an atheist and won't pray. I told her to do it anyway because Saint Anthony is pretty good at finding things.

She then told me how her mother (who is NOT an atheist) prayed to Saint Anthony and how she, the daughter, had worked behind the scenes to find something her mother lost and when it was found, the mother claimed it was Saint Anthony and my friend said, "It wasn't Saint Anthony, it was me" and so I said, "it was Saint Anthony working through you."

She told me she had just come back from Florida and I suggested she really stick her hand down into the zippered pockets of her luggage because things really can hide in there. Something I said rang some bell in her head, and she just turned silent, and I watched her face light up and the wheels spin in her head, and she said, "I have to go" -- took off without saying goodbye, but it was clear she remembered something about this bag... I called out "See, just talking about Saint Anthony works" and she said, "Saint Anthony was working through you as you." I lingered outside for a bit hoping she'd come back and tell me she's found the stuff, but no such luck. I am sure Saint Anthony is working his wonders on her bag.

3 comments:

fran said...

My mom would be so proud of you. St Anthony was one of her favorites - she kept a statue of him on her mantle, along w the holy Family, Mary Magdeline and St Francis.

As a child, I had two medals pinned to my T-shirt at all times: St Anthony and the Blessed Mother. St Francis I wore on a chain. Funny, but I still have those medals. Whenever some important event occurs, I carry them with me. Makes me feel my mother and her heavenly friends are protecting me.

I was born on June 13, St Anthony's feast day, and narrowly missed being named Francesca Giovanna (after my grandmothers, which was customary) Antonina (my saint). He's great for finding lost articles. St Francis is one of my favorites.

For those who don't believe in saints, "they" say consider the saint as a focal point to clear your busy conscious mind while the subconscious figures out where the lost article is. It knows.

Pat said...

When I was looking for a picture of St Anthony, most of them had him holding a baby. Is that baby Jesus or someone else?

Anonymous said...

I don't think so. Joseph was the father of Jesus....S.