A saint for our times

His were sermons which communicated a message of grace and of hope, and which struck a chord with the crowds. More than just for the long series of miracles associated with him, one of the main reasons for such widespread devotion to Saint Anthony is the fact that he always placed himself on the side of the poor, even when he had to oppose the rich and powerful. He had good reason to denounce the bullying tactics of the latter: they caused damage to Christian solidarity, founded on baptism, which says that we are all children of God, without distinction of class, race, or sex. The Saint’s defence of the poor against every type of harassment or act of selfishness, is fundamentally based on the Christian principle of equality. The poor, to whom Saint Anthony turned, can be found in every social class.

The poor are above all those who are unaware of the meaning and the value of life; those who accept only partially, or in a distorted fashion, the Word of God, which should be a beacon for every human heart; those Christians who don’t nourish themselves sufficiently on the Sacred Scriptures; those avid for riches, such as usurers, are especially poor, because they are slaves to money; the poor are those in positions of power who use their status for their own ends, and not for the good of the community.

Anthony lived in a period of great transformation. Europe was passing from the feudal age - founded on the strength of the nobility, a hereditary system and archaic structures - to an age of communities and of increased freedom. The nascent society was based on commerce and on buying power, a new source of oppression of the weak and the low-born. The Saint stood firmly on the side of the needy, and his preaching and writings affirmed that poverty was not only an economic condition, but also a cultural one. Those who were wrapped up in their own selfishness, whose only interests were the safeguarding or gratification of their own personal interests were truly poor, because they lacked the values enshrined in the Gospels.

How would Saint Anthony act today, when confronted with new kinds of injustice, when faced by loan-sharks, exploitation, big landowners, or organised crime? He would no doubt continue to be a witness of charity and truth, a prophet with the courage to condemn evil, while working energetically towards reconciliation. He would continue to serve both Christ and his fellow human-beings. For our Saint, serving people in the name of Christ means, above all, proclaiming the truth without equivocation, fear or favour, even at the risk of drawing on himself the hatred and anger of those who feel exposed by this truth. Those who preach the truth are witnesses of Christ; those who remain silent deny Christ, states Saint Anthony in his Sermones. Love of God without love for one’s neighbour is therefore impossible. This is a message and a testimony which, in the month of his feast day, make Saint Anthony a peerless teacher and a saint for our times.