Homily: January 17 - St. Anthony of the Desert - "If you wish to be perfect..."

The early Christians saw the desert as the place where we learn to deny ourselves and to love God above all things.  Christ himself went out into the desert to pray and fast.  Today’s Saint is often called St. Anthony of the Desert because as we prayed in our opening prayer, “he served God by a wondrous way of life in the desert.”

He was born of wealthy parents in upper Egypt in the year 251.  After their death he inherited their estate.   Attending Mass one day he heard the words of the Gospel, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor.  You will then have treasure in heaven” Anthony told his disciples in later years, that it was as though Christ had spoken the words directly to him.

Although organized monasticism did not yet exist, it was not unknown for Christians to abstain from marriage, divest themselves of possessions to some extent, and live a life focused on prayer and fasting.

So, Anthony gave away some of the family estate to his neighbors, sold the remaining property, donated the funds to the poor, placed his sister with a group of Christian virgins for her education, and became the disciple of a local hermit in the desert, and devoted himself to God.   This first period in the desert lasted around 13 years.  Even though he sought solitude with God in the desert, a group of hermits grew around him, and he became their spiritual father, or “abbot”, thus beginning monasticism as it is known today.

In the prayer over the Gifts at Mass today, we pray that, “released from earthly attachments, may we have our riches in God alone.”  If you wish to be perfect, go sell what you have and give it to the poor.  Earthly attachments, earthly pleasures, earthly pursuits are so dangerous in the spiritual life.  If we love our wealth, our heart does not belong fully to God as it is meant to.  If our life consists in amassing or holding on to earthly riches, then we are not living in the freedom for which Christ died to give us.

On this feast of St. Anthony, we are reminded of the invitation to embrace the Gospel with total commitment and so be filled with profound joy.  Inspired by grace to follow Christ with a free and pure heart, Anthony gave away all his possessions to the poor, and overcoming the weakness of the flesh by the strength of the spirit, he lived in deep communion with God in the austere solitude of the desert.  St. Anthony of the Desert, pray for us…for the glory of God and salvation of souls.