Our Venerable and God-bearing Father Anthony the Great (356)
Polyeleos Feast.
Hebrews 13:17-21; Luke 6: 17-23.
Read Hebrews 13:17-21
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
Today we commemorate and celebrate the life of the Father of monasticism: Our Venerable and God-bearing Father Anthony the Great. He was born in Egypt in the village of Coma, near the desert of the Thebaid, in the year 251. His parents were pious Christians who were well-off. Growing up in a pious family Anthony had a serious disposition toward the faith. He loved to attend church services, and really listened carefully to the Word of God when it was being proclaimed. When he was about twenty his parents died and he was left to care for his sister and the family estate. One day when he was attending a Divine Liturgy he heard the Lord speak to him through the proclamation of the Gospel these words: “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me” (Matthew 19:21). After that powerful moment St. Anthony sold his estate, gave the proceeds to the poor and left his sister in the care of a group of pious virgins, who were living a consecrated life.
From this time forward St. Anthony sought to learn from others about the spiritual life and then set out to live in solitude. He was tempted in every possible way—with doubt, longing for the world, worry about his sister and many carnal thoughts. The evil one tried to scare him with all sorts of monstrous phantoms and attacks. As he started to make some progress the evil one then tried to trip him up with vanity and pride. Nothing could make St. Anthony waver from his focus on Jesus. The saint extinguished all attacks by meditating on Christ and by thinking of eternal punishment, by trusting in the power of the Life Giving Cross, and therefore he was able by Christ’s power to overcome the devil.
If there is anything that we can take from this amazing saint is his resolute and unwavering love and focus on the Lord. No matter the storm of temptation around us, the Lord is our steadfast defence and stability. Too often we forget and lose our focus and for this reason we fall. We must, like St. Anthony, run to the Lord for everything for Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life.” He is our everything.