Even the fish listened to him

Today we remember St Anthony of Padua. Come rain or sunshine, as we read in today's first reading from 1 Kings 18:41-46 about how the prophet Elijah was able to warn King Ahab of an approaching storm, the Augustinian monk Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) knew that he was called to join the recently founded Franciscan order after news arrived that five of the friars were beheaded in Morocco. They were the first of their order to be killed. So Anthony set out for Morocco. But illness forced him to return home to Portugal. However, Anthony's boat was forced off-course to Sicily. From there he made his way to northern Italy. In the courser of his travels he met up with Francis of Assisi, the founder of this new order of friars. Initially, Francis did not believe in the value of theological studies because he thought that it would distract friars from their commitment to a life of real poverty and service. However, Anthony persuaded Francis that it was possible that a friar could still remain committed to the vows of poverty even as he pursued theological studies. So he entrusted his friars to the care of Anthony of Padua. Anthony was a great preacher. It is said on one occasion that, when the heretics of the town of Rimini treated Anthony with contempt, the preacher went down to the shoreline of the town and began to preach. The people of the town quickly flocked around to see the remarkable sight of the many fish that gathered before him as he preached. Another story tells of how a novice stole a book of notes that Anthony used for teaching. In remorse, this novice eventually returned the book to Anthony. As a consequence, Anthony became the patron saint of the lost and found. If you loose anything, it may help to pray to St Anthony of Padua.