I’m fascinated with history, especially religious history. I’ve heard about Assisi, Italy for decades ever since I heard the story of St. Francis of Assisi. This week I discovered a story about a teenage boy who will be canonized as a saint on April 27 by the Catholic Church. The teenager is named Carlo Acutis. You may be asking why a teenager would be canonized. Let me explain.
Carlo was born on May 3, 1991, to a wealthy Italian family. He took his first communion at the age of seven. Soon thereafter he began attending daily Mass, teaching catechism, and serving the homeless. He also used his computer skills to create an online exhibit of more than one hundred miracles he hoped would encourage faith in Christ.
When he was fifteen, he fell ill, dying ten days later from acute leukemia. Due to his devotion to St. Francis, his remains were transferred to an Assisi cemetery where his body is on view, wearing jeans, a sweatshirt, and sneakers.
In the past year over a million pilgrims have visited his shrine. He is popular by and large because his story is easy to find, but more importantly, his faith, even for someone so young, was so strong.
Throughout Carlo’s young life, he encouraged believers to fulfill God’s unique purpose for their lives; taught to seek holiness in everything; and assured us we can face death in faith because something extraordinary awaits us. Carlo preached the greater the challenges we face, the ore we have need of a Savior.
It’s pretty remarkable to find such profound faith in a young man. The message I received from reading about Carlo is that we can all be modern day saints to someone we know, someone’s life we touch, the spoken and unspoken words of hope we give to those passing in and out of our lives each and every day.
My question to you is aren’t we all saints in the making? To point others to Christ is our call and our mission. This is truly our purpose here on Earth. Have you ever felt that tug on your life for something bigger? Has something someone said led you to search for more? May we all take a moment to reflect on the people who have challenged us by their words and actions to be better versions of ourselves. May we too strive for sainthood by being living examples of Christ’s light in the world. Our church needs us now more than ever.
Perhaps there is someone you know who is in a season of lost hope. Perhaps they are ready to give up. If so, don’t let this day end without reaching out to that person with the message of hope the Lord has given you. It may very well be the best gift you can give. Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Lord, thank you for the gift of forgiveness and hope you give. May I be the messenger of that hope to someone today and in the days to come.
Debby Efurd is co-founder of Cary John Efurd Ministries of Pittsburg, TX. She has been a contributor to Bound for Life and written numerous articles published in LifeNews, Christian Post and the Baptist Standard, and is the author of Go Tell It! Debby can be contacted at caryjohnefurdministries@gmail.com. Visit her at the Second Mile blog at https://debbyefurd.com.
Tagged: Christian martyrs and saints, courage, hope, purpose and calling
