Let us listen
“One day Tommasino was left alone by his mother carelessly near an open container of water . When she returned home, she saw her son’s head immersed at the bottom of the container while his feet were sticking up in the air . Screaming, she pulled the little one out, but he was already dead and stiff . She, however, sought the intercession of St . Anthony and began to implore him for his help . She promised to give grain to the poor, as much as her child weighted, if St . Anthony were to bring him back to life . Only a short time later the baby revived and was given back alive to his mother .”
(From The Book on St . Anthony’s Miracles)
Let us meditate
In today’s miracle, a mother’s joy for her child returned to life. The joy of motherhood. The joy of Mary and Elizabeth. Here the Magnificat becomes a work of caring for other mothers, other children.
There are always mothers nearby who need to be listened to and encouraged. If we do our part well, that mother, that father, will become capable of generating more goodness: a circularity that the world so much needs.
Let us pray
Holy Mary, help us to bear radiant witness to communion, service, ardent and generous faith,
justice and love of the poor so that the joy of the Gospel may reach to the ends of the earth, illuminating even the fringes of our world .
(Evangelii Gaudium)
Let us reflect
- Do you recognize a past joy that gave you energy to help another person?
- Have you recently listened to the suffering of any parent?
- Are you an attentive mother /father?
Prayer to St. Anthony
Dear Saint Anthony, please give us the joy of recognizing the good received in order to be able to give it back to others, so that joy may multiply in us and in the world and generate communion and fraternity.