In an age and society where an unborn child is accepted if it is a choice and not a gift, where gender is considered an autonomous decision rather than an accepted fact, and marriage is considered a lifestyle choice no matter who it may be with, the Catholic Church is opposed for loving and teaching according to Jesus and human nature. But today’s saint considered the opposition of others as a badge to be worn proudly, much as his favorite saint, St. Paul, did.
St. Anthony Zaccaria lived in the 16th century, during the Protestant Reformation. He studied medicine and became a doctor, but he wanted to serve the spiritual needs of others and so, became a priest. He started a religious order called the Clerks Regular of St. Paul, also called the Barnabites, a community of priests who took vows and lived by a rule, but lived and served in the world. St. Anthony trained his priests to follow the spirit of St. Paul:
“We should love and feel compassion for those who oppose us, rather than abhor and despise them, since they harm themselves and do us good, and adorn us with crowns of everlasting glory while they incite God’s anger against themselves. And even more than this, we should pray for them and not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by goodness. We should heap good works like hot coals of burning love upon their heads, as our Apostle urges us to do (See Rom. 12:20). So that, when they become aware of our tolerance and gentleness they may undergo a change of heart and be prompted to turn in love to God….
When you are opposed for the truths of the faith, offer it up for the salvation of the other, much as St. Anthony did.
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