13 Days Novena 2024: Anthony: the Last Steps to Heaven.

For St. Anthony, faith is the first step to reach the Lord. For Him, it represents unconditional trust in God's will; a trust, however, which must always be translated into concrete actions marked by charity and love of neighbor . Let us therefore pray to him to increase our faith:
Dear St. Anthony, guide and guardian of our faith, help us to overcome doubts and uncertainties, and pray for us that we may grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord. Amen.

Dear St. Anthony, through your intercession with the Lord, obtain for us the grace of true humility that will enable us to live in peace and harmony with God and our neighbor.

The Church teaches us that those close to death should be treated with respect and care because they are members of Christ's body and, as such, participate in his suffering and death. We therefore pray that St. Anthony will intercede for them:
Dear St. Anthony, turn your merciful gaze upon those who are near earthly death and, grant that they may face it with serenity knowing that they will soon be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven. Amen

Once again, and on behalf of all of you, fr. Mario prays:

Dear St. Anthony, worker of miracles and protector of the needy, we address this humble prayer to you to implore your intercession that we may obtain help in our afflictions and difficulties. Amen

Nearly 800 years have passed since that extraordinary moment, and the Basilica and St Anthony's Tomb still bear witness to the holiness of a man who knew how to give his life for others, and to the love that millions of devotees all over the world feel not only for the Miracle-worker, but also for the teacher of life and faithful interpreter of the Word of God.
Every year, on the feast of 13th June, thousands and thousands of pilgrims from all over Italy and the world come here to Padua to thank him for his help, for his support in the small or big events of their lives. Because even today, Anthony is alive and continues to walk among us. In the midst of the difficult events of our time, he continues to show us the way of love, service and the giving of oneself. The way to heaven!

For Anthony, Sacred Scripture was the bridge of love that the Father had built for us so that we could easily approach Him. In fact, if we read the Bible carefully, if we let its words enter our hearts, a miracle can really happen: Jesus can come out of those pages and become our teacher and, like the disciples of Emmaus, can help us understand the things of our lives and lead us closer and closer to Him.
And now let us pray together:
Dear St. Anthony, help us to love Holy Scripture; let the Word of the Lord enter the depths of our hearts to put the Lord's teachings into practice in our lives. Amen

The Lord loves us. Each of us is something extremely precious to him, not for nothing did He give his life for us. Let us therefore turn our prayers to St. Anthony so that he may make us feel how much we are loved by God.

"O glorious St. Anthony, friend and confidant of God, you who have always lived with faith and devotion, help us to understand the deep love the Lord has for each of us, and to feel His presence in our daily lives. Amen"

From his tomb, Anthony looks at us with love. He listens to our prayers and assures us that he will present them to God and says, "Listen to the teaching of Jesus, remember that we are all sons and daughters of God, and therefore we are all brothers and sisters of each other. Try then to do good because that is what one should do when one truly loves."
Dear St. Anthony, help me to see the face of Christ in the poor and marginalized, and to respond to their need with sincere and concrete love. Amen

Anthony often reminds us of the importance of conversion of heart in pursuit of a life in conformity with the Lord's will. Let us therefore pray to him to help us realize this in our lives as well.

"Dear St. Anthony, patron of the lost and repentant sinners, obtain for us the grace of true conversion, that we may live according to the will of the Lord. Amen."

For Jesus, loving our neighbor means treating others with kindness, compassion and mercy, seeking to meet their needs and welcoming the other with love, respect and without discrimination. And this applies not only to those who are close to us, but also to those who may be strangers, different from us, and even those who may have harmed us. Let us pray,
"Dear St. Anthony, help us to see the face of Christ in every person we meet and to treat each one with respect, kindness and generosity. Amen."

Jesus always identifies with the sick in society. This is reflected in his teachings about compassion, love of one’s neighbor and the need to care for others. Let us therefore pray to our dear saint:

Dear St. Anthony, look tenderly upon those afflicted with physical, mental or spiritual illness and implore God's mercy that they may find relief from their sufferings and be completely healed. Amen

The Lord desires that we all live as missionaries, that is, that we know how to carry Jesus' message of love, hope and redemption everywhere through our words, but even more so through our actions. Let us therefore pray to St. Anthony to help us do this:

Dear St. Anthony, grant that we may be instruments of God's love in our actions, in the way we relate to others and in the way we respond to life's challenges. Amen

Meditation is not easy. Often after reading a page of the Gospel, our commitments and responsibilities tend to take over. It takes time, determination and patience not to let ourselves be distracted. Therefore we pray:

Dear St. Anthony, teacher of God's Word and prayer, open our hearts and minds that we may understand the message contained in Sacred Scripture and put it into practice in our daily lives. Amen

In this year 13 days Novena from May 31st to June 12th, we will discover St. Anthony’s last steps towards God's infinite love and pray to our dearest Anthony to always be close to us on our life journey.
You are all invited to join us online for the Feast Day that will be broadcast throughout the day.
Peace and all Good!