Help in Finding What is Lost

St. Anthony is known to many as the finder of lost things. I know that I have found items I have lost after I have prayed to St. Anthony. Many times right as my prayer ends, I spot what I am looking for. Other times it may take longer but eventually I do find what I have lost.

My Mother used to tell me a story about a young girl who prayed to St. Anthony because she could not find true love. For months she prayed but it didn't seem to help and one day she became angry and tossed the statue out her second floor bedroom window. The statue went sailing down and hit a man that was walking underneath her balcony. It hit him on the head and knocked him out. The girl's family rushed out and brought the unconscious man inside. The young girl helped in nursing him back to health because she felt guilty for tossing the statue out the window. She would bring him food and they would talk. When he was well enough to leave, he told her he had fallen in love with her. She also had fallen in love and when he asked for her hand in marriage, she accepted. She realized that St. Anthony had literally answered her prayers.

Not too long ago, a group of 40 persons went to Chimayo, New Mexico. One of the persons on the trip found, in one of the shops, a statue of St. Anthony holding baby Jesus. The child Jesus could be removed and she found out the legend said that the Child Jesus would be removed until the item was found. She bought a few statues to give as gifts. When she found out that other persons liked her statue of St. Anthony she ordered some more. Someone said, "Poor St. Anthony, the older we get the more help we need in finding things!"

On Sunday at St. Peter's Catholic Church, I saw a stained glass window of St. Anthony and once again I was reminded how using him to intercede for us is a popular belief in the finding of things.

Blessed be God in his Angels and in His Saints. 

O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints.

Your love for God and charity for his creatures

made you worthy, when on earth, to possess

miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought

I implore you to obtain for me (request).

O gentle, loving St. Anthony whose heart was 

ever full of human sympathy, 

whisper my petition into the ears of 

Sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded

in your arms; and the gratitude of my heart 

will for ever be yours. Amen