May the Lord give you peace and blessings in the Holy Spirit. It is 13th June 2025.
Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, Priest, and Doctor of the Church — known as the Hammer of Heretics. He was a fearless defender of truth and a gentle shepherd of souls. St. Anthony of Padua remarks, “The life of the body is the soul; the life of the soul is God.”
What is hiding your light from shining today? Is it fear, sin, comfort, or just the noise of the world?
Once an Augustinian monk, he was deeply moved by the martyrdom of five Franciscan friars in Morocco. Their witness set fire to his heart and led him to join the Franciscan Order, burning with the desire to die for Christ. Though his health did not allow him martyrdom, God gave him another mission: to be a mighty preacher, a humble friar, and a living flame of the Gospel. Anthony was deeply learned in Sacred Scripture, rich in humility, and aflame with love for Jesus.
It was said that the Lord once appeared to him in the form of the Child Jesus — a tender moment of divine intimacy in his room. Gifted with bilocation and soul-piercing sermons, he was called the Ark of the Covenant for his wisdom and purity. Holding Jesus in his arms, radiant like a lily, and burning with love for the Word, St. Anthony became not just a finder of lost things — but a finder of lost souls.
My mother introduced him to me when I was young, and since then, he has remained my most beloved intercessor, my go-to saint, and a quiet companion on the journey of faith.
The readings today (2 Corinthians 4:7–15 and Matthew 5:27–32) shine a light on our inner life:
We may feel weak — like fragile clay jars — but God has trusted us with His radiant treasure.
Jesus isn’t just asking us to avoid sin outwardly; He calls us to a deep inner conversion.
Even our wounds become holy when offered to Him — dying with Christ so we may rise in Him.
He calls us to a love that’s authentic, a faith that’s bold, and a purity that begins in the heart.
Let’s live each day as a quiet yes to grace, so His light can shine through our cracks and heal others.
We are called to smell like Christ, to carry the warmth of God in our aura.
Let us be reflectors of His love, mirrors of His mercy, and messengers of His truth.
Let us stand up for God and for Christ, boldly and tenderly — taking a clear stand against the evil around us and within us. “But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)
Saintly living does not happen by chance — it takes fire, faith, and fierce commitment.
May we be inspired today by the example and intercession of St. Anthony of Padua.
May your day be fragrant with holiness and filled with the quiet power of God’s blessing.