The Unfolding Me

When we lose our keys or a precious belonging, many of us instinctively whisper a prayer to St. Anthony of Padua. But beyond helping us find lost items, perhaps St. Anthony is gently guiding us to find what we’ve really misplaced—our gaze on Jesus. Born Fernando in Lisbon in 1195, St. Anthony’s life was not charted by grand ambition but by deep surrender. Much like the prophet Jeremiah, who trembled when called to speak (“Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” – Jer 1:6), Anthony, too, was initially hidden in humility. His first public preaching came unexpectedly in 1222 when no one else volunteered. Out of the blue, the Holy Spirit stirred. And Anthony, like Jeremiah, opened his mouth—and fire came out. That moment defined a man whose heart was already aflame with divine love. His brilliance as a preacher, teacher, and miracle-worker wasn’t rooted in ego but in surrender. Pope Pius XII rightly called him the “Evangelical Doctor,” not beca...