There is something of infinite value hidden inside you. Do you know that? Do you believe that? And if you did really believe that something of infinite value was hidden inside you, how would you live your life differently?

There are talents hidden inside you. Do you have the courage to explore them? There is love and goodness hidden inside you. Your capacity to love is astounding. Your capacity for goodness is extraordinary. 

Why do these things remain hidden? Because there is so much noise and extra “stuff” in modern life covering up the amazing treasures inside each of us. To discover these treasures, there are times in life when it’s helpful to strip ourselves bare of everything external and reconnect with God and our truest self.

That is exactly what Saint Antony the Abbot did. Literally. After his parents died when he was about 20, Antony sold all his family’s possessions, donated the proceeds to the poor, and moved to the desert.

After years of struggling with demons and uncovering layers of his false self, his true self emerged with all its hidden treasures. He became a spiritual healer, and people started coming to him in the desert for miracles, guidance, and to follow his way of life. Many now know him as Saint Antony of the Desert.

You, too, have spiritual treasures inside of you. If you spend periods of time away from the noise and clutter of everyday life, God will begin to draw them out of you. And what you see will strike you and others as nothing less than miraculous.

Take some time in solitude, in your own “desert,” even if it’s only for a few minutes a day. What you will discover will be well worth the time.

Patron Saint of: Farmers, Skin Diseases, and Animals

Symbols: Bell, Pigs, Books

Feast Day: January 17