We are told in the First Book of Kings that: “Israel went out to war against the Philistines, and camped by the Stone of Help” (1 Samuel 4:1) … The ‘Stone of Help’ is Christ, who is referred to in this Sunday’s Office reading: “Jacob took a stone, and putting it under his head, slept” (Genesis 28:11). In this way, the preacher should rest his head upon Jesus Christ, the Stone of Help; so that he may rest upon him, and in and through him overcome the demons. This is the meaning of the words, ‘encamped by the Stone of Help’, because he sets the camp of his conversation, and pitches the tents of his preaching, beside Jesus Christ who is his help in time of trouble, and he trusts in Him, and attributes everything to Him. — From a Sermon of St. Anthony of Padua for the Second Sunday of Lent as found in The Sermons of St Anthony of Padua translated by Paul Spilsbury, 1979
See how the Lord’s promise was fulfilled: “I will not leave you orphans; but I will send the Spirit, the Paraclete” (John 14:18,26) who speaks for everyone as their Advocate. Coming on behalf of the Word, he came with tongues. The tongue represents knowledge expressed in words, and the two elements cannot be separated. So the Word of the Father (that is, the Son) and the Holy Spirit are inseparable, being indeed of one Nature. “Come, spirit, from the four winds and blow upon these slain and let them live again” (Ezekiel 37:9).
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Spirit gave them to speak (Acts 2:3-4). Behold the sign of fullness. The full vessel overflows, and fire cannot be hidden. They spoke with every tongue; or else, though they spoke with their own (Hebrew) tongue, they were understood by all as if they spoke the proper tongue of each. The Holy Spirit, sharing with each as he will (1 Corinthians 12:11), breathes his grace where, how, how much, when and on whom he will. May he deign to breathe it on us, he who this day breathed his grace on the Apostles in tongues of fire. To him be always praise and glory, through everlasting ages. Amen. — From a Sermon of St. Anthony of Padua for Pentecost as found in The Sermons of St Anthony of Padua translated by Paul Spilsbury, 1979
