A Ritual for the Missing or Lost
(c) Cheryl Lynne Bradley 2005-6
"When St. Anthony is around,
What was lost, will be found."
"St. Anthony, St. Anthony
Please come down
Something is lost
And can't be found "
"Something's lost and can't be found
Please, St. Anthony, look around."
St. Anthony is the Patron Saint of lost articles and missing persons. This is a ritual designed to restore peace to a family and to find that which is lost, even if that which is lost is a person. To perform this ritual, you will need a white and a brown candle. A picture or drawing of who or what is lost of missing would also be helpful. If you have a deck of Tarot cards, take the Fool, Page of Cups,3 of Swords, 9 of Cups and the World from the deck and use them for focus as well. They represent the sense of lost family or lost friends; gentle kindness; happiness and emotional security; wish fulfillment and a transformed world. I would recommend small pillar candles as you will have to do this consecutively for 9 days.
On the side of the white candle with a burin or a darning needle, carve: "This is for our protection." On the side of the brown candle carve: "News or Information will come to me, in a good way, for the good of all, with harm to none." Take a piece of white paper and write or draw on that what it is you need. Write the name of the missing person, missing object or missing information - be very specific in what you want to know about. Add "in a good way, for the good of all, with harm to none." to the end of your petition. Place the candles side by side on a table in a place where they will not be disturbed by anyone for the next 9 days. Place the petition or request under the brown candle. If you have a picture and/or the Tarot cards, place them in front of both candles at the centre. You can place a small bowl of water on the table as well.
It would be best to start this ritual on a New Moon. Consult a calendar with the moon phases on it for the exact dates. It is also best to do it in the evening hours when there is less traffic on the karmic airwaves. Try and do it at the same time every night. If you are late or need to do it earlier, don't worry. When you feel ready and free from disruption, light the white candle, then the brown one. As you light the white candle say, "This is for our protection." As you light the brown candle say: "News or information about ____ will come to me in a good way, for the good of all, with harm to none." Read Psalm 54 which is a Psalm about being betrayed with a smile; Psalm 71 which is a Psalm of old age and being near death; and say the prayer to St. Anthony and the Prayer to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You can read them over as many times as you would like or just one time through.
When you are done, sit and think clearly. Speak what it is that you want, slowly, clearly and assertively. Be specific. If you need news, contact, information, a location, a witness, a confession, ask for it. Only ask for what you need, not what you want. Do not mistake a necessity with a desire. You can never wish for money if what you need is shoes, you wish for shoes and you will be surprised at what you get. Try and spend 20 minutes to half an hour on your prayer and petition. When you are done, snuff the candles and say "Though extinguished in the physical, you still burn in the astral. Lit, burn there always." Ask for the good angels to be around you and your loved ones. Repeat this for 9 days consecutively. You have to wait three days between ending one 9 day cycle to begin a new one and you may have to repeat this cycle more than one time to get the results you desire. Try to focus and be clear while you are meditating and making your petition. Thank St. Anthony for his assistance in your request and thank God for taking the time to listen. Eat something of the earth to ground you again when you have finished.
Psalm 54
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?
Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah. Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth. I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. (Psalm 54, KJV)
Psalm 71
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me. Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth. By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth. For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him. O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help. Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt. But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee! Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side. I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt. (Psalm 71, KJV)
Prayer to the Father, Son & Holy Spirit
Xex Dodeo Nascimur - From God We Are Born
In Christo Morimur - In Christ We Die
Per Spiritum Sanctum Reviviscimus - Through the Holy Spirit We Come to Life Again
Unfailing Prayer to St. Anthony
O holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints,
your love for God and Charity for his
creature, made you worthy, while on
earth, to possess miraculous powers.
Miracles waited on your word, which
you were ever ready to speak for those
in trouble or anxiety. Encouraged by this
thought, I implore of you to obtain for me
Make your request here.
The answer to my prayer may require a miracle,
even so, you are the Saint of Miracles. O gentle
and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full
of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the
ears of the Sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be
folded in your arms; and the gratitude of my heart
will ever be yours. Amen.
Nor is the earth the lesse or loseth aught
For whatsover from one place doth fall is with the tide unto another brought.
For there is nothing lost that may be found - if sought.
~from The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser