St. Anthony of Padua - No Problem Too Small

Pixabay (2016), CC0 Public Domain[/caption] "Tony, Tony, come around. Something's lost that must be found." I just learned that rhyme last year, but St. Anthony and I are very old buddies. Usually, because I can't find my shoes. He's helped me countless times. The story goes that St. Anthony had a book of psalms with extensive notes in it. He was using the book to teach the friars that St. Francis of Assisi put under his care. One day, the irreplaceable book went missing; a novice had stolen it since books were rare and very valuable. St. Anthony prayed that the book would be found, and the novice had a change of heart and returned the stolen item (Catholic Online). After his canonization, this story is what inspired devotion to St. Anthony as the patron of lost items. For finding everything from lost souls to lost shoes, St. Anthony is on the case.

Via Mary's Rosaries Public Domain Images, Public Domain.[/caption] Devotion to St. Anthony as the patron of lost items shows us something very specific about God. There is nothing so small that God does not care about it. Nothing so small that God won't use it for His glory and our sanctification. St. Anthony's intercession has helped me find shoes, exam papers, car keys, and wedding rings. There's a meme that floats around about how annoyed he must get with our constant badgering over petty requests, but I don't think so. I was asking a convert one time about her conversion story. She said it all began because her Catholic friend introduced her to St. Anthony's intercession to help her find some lost rings that she loved. On the surface, pretty trivial, but it ended up having eternal consequences. God is infinite. He is our All-Powerful Creator. But he is also intimate. He is our Brother, our Bridegroom, and our Friend. He cares very much about the little everyday frustrations we face because they can be used for good!

We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Today, on St. Anthony of Padua's feast day, remember to thank God for being so intimately interested in our lives. There's no problem too small that St. Anthony won't rush to present to God on our behalf.

Prayer to St. Anthony of Padua

Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, your love for God and Charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request). O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms; and the gratitude of my heart will ever be yours. Amen. (Catholic Online)