Section 93

This was the end of Antony’s life in the body, just as what was related earlier was the beginning of his ascetic discipline.

Even though this account is small in comparison with his virtue, from it you can consider what sort of man Antony, the man of God, was. From his youth until so great an age he preserved the same zeal for ascetic discipline. Old age did not overcome him with a desire for richer food, and physical weakness did not cause him to change the kind of clothing he wore. He did not even wash his feet with water, and yet he remained altogether unharmed.

His eyes were clear and completely sound, and his sight remained sharp. He had not lost a single tooth; they had only been worn down to the gums because of his great age. His hands and feet remained strong.

Although other people used varied foods, baths, and different kinds of clothing, Antony appeared more cheerful and stronger than they were.

The fact that his fame has spread everywhere, that everyone admires him, and that people who never saw him nevertheless long to have seen him is clear evidence of his virtue and of God’s love for his soul.

Antony did not become renowned because of writings, worldly wisdom, or any human skill, but solely because of his reverence toward God. No one can deny that this was God’s gift.

How otherwise could a man who remained hidden on a mountain have become known in Spain and Gaul, in Rome and Africa, unless God himself makes his own servants known everywhere—as he had also promised Antony at the beginning?

Even when such people work in secret and desire to remain hidden, the Lord displays them like lamps giving light to everyone. In this way those who hear about them may know that God’s commandments can indeed be fulfilled, and may themselves become zealous for the path of virtue.