St. Anthony, the Contemplative - June 2005 Issue of St. Anthony Messenger Magazine Online: "Another thing that motivated Anthony to keep his contemplative search alive, even in the midst of his busy life, was a letter St. Francis sent to him around 1224. It was a letter granting Anthony permission to teach theology to the friars—but with the caution that Anthony not get so caught up in lofty intellectual pursuits as to neglect humility and the inner life of the spirit.
The very succinct and rare letter reads thus: “Brother Francis sends his wishes of health to Brother Anthony.... It pleases me that you teach sacred theology to the brothers, as long as—in the words of the Rule—you ‘do not extinguish the Spirit of prayer and devotion’ with study of this kind.”
I like to imagine Anthony holding this special letter close to his heart as a spiritual reminder that, like Francis himself, he must never allow his burning need to seek the face of God in prayer to get snuffed out by the distractions of the active life."
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