The Lost Keys

Prayer to Saint Anthony of Padua

“St. Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may find [name the item] which has been lost. At least restore to me peace and tranquility of mind, the loss of which has afflicted me even more than my material loss. To this favor, I ask another of you: that I may always remain in possession of the true good that is God. Let me rather lose all things than lose God, my supreme good. Let me never suffer the loss of my greatest treasure, eternal life with God. Amen“

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If you ever loose an item, do not hesitate to invoke St. Anthony! Even if you don’t have a prayer at hand and you are in the middle of your house – with your children already in their car seats – unable to find your house and car keys to lock up… Even if you are also dangerously late to drop your child to School… Even if this is you – like I was this morning – pray to him a simple improvised prayer. He will listen to you!

Let me tell you what happened this morning:

I couldn’t find the keys that 5 seconds before I had in my own hands… so, in desperation, I urgently begged St. Anthony to help me… but nothing, there was no reply! Then, I added to my prayer a promise: I promised him I would share his prayer on my account so people would know how good he is.

Not even 15 seconds after this “agreement” something “click” in my brain and I retraced my steps into the Red Bin where I dropped a bag of rubbish just before puting my children in the car… and there they where: my keys. What a relief!

…

This episode reminded me of when my 5 years old daughter lost a very precious – $1- plastic ring and she was crying for not being able to find it, so I told her to pray to St. Anthony and I explained to her who he was and how he is good at finding stuff. So, without further adieu, she proceeded to pray… and she started to look around again.

After a few minutes she stopped and made a face of thinking and positiones her hand on her forehead, and after a few seconds she said to me: “Maybe Jesus can send a message to my brain to find it.”… I was shocked, I smiled and I said to her that I was certain He would do that. 30 seconds after, she found a Christmas Ornament that I lost in January (and we were back in March already). She was shocked because she knew I’ve being looking for it for months! We were both very excited about it!

Oh! And by the way, Jesus did sent a message to her brain and she eventually found the ring. After this, she has had St. Anthony as her best friend and everytime she looses something she immediately stops and prays… and she finds what she was looking for.

I cannot refute this scientific evidence and analysis from a 5 years old because Jesus himself has told us that THEY – children – are the way to heaven.

“Blessed are the pure in heart: they shall see God.” Matthew 5, 8.

“But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children alone, and do not stop them from coming to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of Heaven belongs.'” Matthew 19, 14.

Let us follow His words and listening to our children. The can see God with their pure heart.

God bless you.

Liza, a Maronite Mum, (just like you)