Eighth video- meditation: “The Meeting with Ezzelino of Romano. Dialogue as an answer to violence and revenge.”

Let us listen

“In those days there was an infamous man named Ezzelino of Romano . He was a cruel tyrant, and he made life difficult for the people of Padua and its neighboring territory . Arriving in his presence, Anthony challenged him with these words: O enemy of God, ruthless tyrant, when are you going to stop spilling the blood of innocent Christians?”

(From the Book on St . Anthony’s Miracles)

 

Let us meditate

Rather than a miracle this is a defeat for Anthony! He faced the tyrant Ezzelino with the hope of bringing peace to his heart and to the life of the city of Padua… but with out success. Yet, beyond the result, Anthony showed us the right path: the path of dialogue and encounter, the only real “strategy” we have to overcome difficult situations, which are a part of life, in the family, in working environments, sometimes even in our Christian communities. 

Only through open and sincere dialogue can the miracle of communion come about in relationship with others.

Let us pray

You cannot carry another’s burdens unless you first get rid of your own! If you are a bird of the sky, a lily of the field, then you will be able to carry the burdens, that is, the tribulations of your neighbor as if they were your own . Thus you will fulfill the law of love, the charity of Christ, “who bore our sins in his body on the wood of the cross .”

Let us reflect

• When I find myself managing conflicts, do I try to make my point of view prevail or listen to the reasons 
  of the other?
• Faced with a wrong I have received, do I feel a grudge and the desire for revenge or do I try to talk with 
  the person who caused my resentment?
• Following the example of Saint Anthony, do I want to be an instrument of peace and forgiveness in a situation that is making my family suffer?

Prayer to St. Anthony