Daily Bible Verse 101: The Feast of St Anthony of Padua, OFM.

Feast of St Anthony of Padua.

You are the Salt and Light of the world.

"Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth.

"But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.

"Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.

"Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5: 13 - 15).

Tuesday 13th June 2023 of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Anthony of Padua. (1195 to 1231)

Priest and Doctor of the Church. St Anthony of Padua was a Franciscan friar who was filled with the Holy Spirit and faith and was never discouraged by setbacks in the ministry the Lord entrusted him. His preaching ministry took him from North Africa to Italy and France. He is known as the Evangelical Doctor because he based all his teaching and preaching on the Gospel.

St Anthony is renowned also as a ready helper in difficult cases. Some years ago, Microsoft seized one of my Internet properties. I did everything to get it back but no success. Then I had the inspiration to pray to St Anthony of Padua and within a few hours got back the asset.

In today's Gospel, Our Lord Jesus Christ calls Us Christians the Light of the world. How did Jesus transmit this light to the world?

Primarily through His teaching. The public ministry of Jesus covers a number of activities, viz: healing people, casting out demons, feeding people, etc. It is through teaching that Jesus is primarily known by all and sundry. The common people, the doctors of the law, the Pharisees all know Jesus as Rabbi, Teacher.

The Mission of Jesus Christ is to bring light to a world covered in darkness. (Isaiah 49: 6).

In our key Scripture for today, Jesus said to His disciples: You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.

The message of Jesus Christ is pure and uncorrupted.

This salt of Christ's teaching is found in Sacred Scripture, in the Creed of the Church which was fleshed out at the Council of Nicaea, and Sacred Tradition and the teaching of Sacred Magisterium.

The Lumen Christi (Light of Christ) is to be mediated to the world through teaching and preaching.

Christians are commissioned by virtue of their Baptism to be the Light of the world.

St John Chrysostom comments thus on being the light of the world:

"You are the light of the world. Once again, “of the world”: not of one nation or twenty cities, but of the whole world. The light he means is an intelligible light, far superior to the rays of the sun we see, just as the salt is a spiritual salt."

How is this done in practice?

Baptism incorporates the Christian fully into the Body of Christ. When the Church gather in worship, it catechizes the Christian through the act of worship, reading and breaking open the word of God, homilies and songs.

At the end of the Service, the Christian is sent forth into his community and the world to go and be the light of the world. He indicates his understanding and acceptance of the commissioning by answering "Thanks be to God."

Christians, God called us to be the

light of the world so that His salvation will reach the ends of the earth. Do not therefore hide your lamp under the bed. Place it on the Internet, emails, text messages, conversations, etc.

The Church honors the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June.

Four of the twelve Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to Christians who honor His Sacred Heart:

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.

2. I will give peace in their families.

3. I will console them in all their troubles.

4. They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of death.