Saintly Role Model

Words of inspiration came to me this morning at daily Mass, as our priest shared information about today's saint, St. Anthony the Abbot, of Egypt. This third century founder of monasticism was noted for his ability to motivate other to "hear the word of God and live it intensely." I found the following quotation in search for additional information on this zealous saint:

Anthony always told those who came to visit him that the key to the ascetic life was perseverance, not to think proudly, "We've lived an ascetic life for a long time" but treat each day as if it were the beginning. To many, perseverance is simply not giving up, hanging in there. But to Anthony perseverance meant waking up each day with the same zeal as the first day. It wasn't enough that he had given up all his property one day. What was he going to do the next day?

As I approach the start of each new day, a precious gift from God, do I wake with zeal for all I will do during the course of my day? This type of perseverance in the faith is what sets us believers apart from others seeking time management and personal excellence. With His mission before us, we seek productivity in our own lives so that we, and those with whom we interact, can possibly move a little closer each day to a true relationship with God.

Today I also posted this to C E On Time - A Guide to Personal Productivity.