The Memorial of St. Anthony the Abbot Gospel: Mark 2:13-17 St. Anthony, Loving Father of All Monks
Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Anthony the Abbot. St. Anthony, also known as “Anthony the Great,” was an Egyptian hermit who was later venerated as a saint. He was born around January 12, 251 AD, and died on January 17, 356 AD. Known by many other titles (such as “Anthony of Egypt,” “Anthony the Abbot,” and “Anthony of the Desert”), he is also called the “Father of All Monks” for his foundational role in the monastic tradition. His biography was written by Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, and translated into Latin, spreading the concept of Christian monasticism to Western Europe. Although not the first hermit, he was among the earliest, entering the wilderness for asceticism around 270 AD, and making “desert spirituality” renowned. It is said that in the Eastern desert, he resisted supernatural temptations, a theme that became a classic subject in art and literature. He is invoked as a patron against infectious diseases, particularly skin ailments, which were formerly known as “St. Anthony’s Fire.”
The Gospel reading for today’s Mass is taken from the Holy Gospel according to Mark, which tells of Jesus calling Levi (also known as Matthew), whom the Pharisees considered a public sinner, and the subsequent rebuke of Jesus by their scribes.
We often judge people based on the common habits of society, the way they approach various situations, and according to our own personal standards. In our eyes, this seems perfectly reasonable. Those who share our lifestyle and habits are our friends. As for those who do not follow our way of life, we regard them as strange, even unwilling to associate with them.
At times, we also look upon our brothers and sisters who have chosen a life of complete self-giving to God, living a consecrated life, in a similar manner. In our view, because these brothers and sisters who have given themselves entirely to God and live a consecrated life act differently within the Church, and may even seem incompatible with us in some aspects, when we interact with them, we too, like the scribes in today’s Gospel, see them as outsiders, keep our distance, and are unwilling to share communion with them.
Today, let us imitate St. Anthony the Abbot, returning to the desert of our own hearts to seek communion with God. Let us draw strength from prayer, so that our thoughts, words, and actions may increasingly resemble those of Christ, and contribute our part to healing the divisions in the world—reconciliation between people, and between humanity and nature.
St. Anthony the Abbot, Loving Father of all monks, pray for us. Amen.
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