I am writing this perspective on June 13th, the Feast Day of St. Anthony.

The story is told that one night, when Saint Anthony was staying with a friend in the city of Padua, his host saw brilliant rays streaming under the door of the Saint’s room, and on looking through the keyhole he beheld a little Child of marvelous beauty standing upon a book which lay open upon the table, and clinging with both arms round Anthony’s neck. With an ineffable sweetness he watched the tender caresses of the Saint and his wondrous Visitor. At last the Child vanished, and Fra Antonio, opening the door, charged his friend, by the love of Him Whom he had seen, to “tell the vision to no man” as long as he was alive.

Soon afterwards, on June 13, 1231, in his mid-thirties, St. Anthony died. Known as a man who had a great love of the Scriptures, he did in his preaching what the Christ child displayed by standing on the book. St. Anthony showed how all Scripture brings Jesus forth from the Bible.