The news of the last few months has been difficult; the loss of innocent lives, the assassination this week of Charlie Kirk leaving his wife and two young children. The flood disasters in Texas young schoolgirls lost their lives. Fires disasters with the loss of life and homes. School violence the death of students in Minneapolis Catholic school with tragic loss of two students.
The new is tragic and painful, but there was a message of hope recently. In Rome Pope Leo canonized a young man Pier Giorgio Frascati and the young boy Carlo Acutis. They are Saints not from yesterday or from ancient times but saints of today. Pier Giorgio Frascati college student was born in Turin Italy. An activist and a member of a catholic social action group. He dedicated his life to helping the poor through charitable organizations like the Society of the Saint Vincent de Paul who aid the poor and less fortunate living in his hometown of Turin. St Pope John Paul II called him the man of the 8 Beatitudes and made him patron of World Youth Days. He contacted Polio and did not realize how serious his illness was. He died at the age 25. His parents were surprised at his funeral when crowds of poor people whom he helped lined up the streets and came to his funeral. Carlo Acutis was born in 1991, he was attracted to the Eucharist at a youthful age and later to computers. He developed a web page on the miracles of the Eucharistic. He was friendly and beloved by his classmates and helpful to those in need. He was diagnosed with rare form of leukemia and died on the 12 October 2006 aged fifteen. He spoke about death to his mother: “Mom, do not be afraid. Since Jesus became a man, death has become the passage towards life, and we don’t need to flee it. Let us prepare ourselves to experience something extraordinary in the eternal life” These two young men left their parents a special gift. The gift of faith in God. Neither of their parents had a belief or trust in God. Pier Giorgio’s parents were impressed by the number of people that knew their son and came to his funeral. Carlo Acutis’ faith and love of the Lord offered his parents courage and hope. Pier Giorgo and Carlo Acutis offer that same hope and love to young people who feel lost or afraid. God’s love is stronger than any fear, pain, or loss. Despite the sadness we sometimes experience, the difficulties you have in life, the dangers you encounter and the cruelty of the world. God offer you not just any hope and love but His hope and His love. Isaiah reminds the people of Israel when they were hungry in the desert that God prepared a great feast to celebrate victory over suffering and loss: their Passover Meal; our Eucharistic feast the Mass. God will wipe away tears with this heavenly banquet to end all suffering and shame. What do we hunger for, what pain and suffering do we want the Lord to heal. That he alone can heal with His presence. The Mass and Eucharist are Christ presence to you and Jesus invites you to take and eat so that you can receive Jesus into your life.
In Matthews gospel we hear that Jesus has hidden the deepest truths from the proud and learned revealing them to those who humbly trust in God. Jesus offers those who struggle under the burdens of life true rest and peace. God give you strength, freedom, and joy to live your life in humble service to God.
Martha and Mary from John Gospel. The scene where Martha goes out to meet Jesus after the death of her brother Lazarus. Martha is angry and upset with Jesus “Lord if you had been here my brother would never have died. Jesus assured her “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day. “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” l She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”
When we are angry or upset with God can we say yes Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of the living God who has come into the world to save us.
Story of a young boy Paul and his dying grandfather Marty.
Fr Karl Rahner SJ at the funeral of his brother, said
The great and sad mistake of many people
……is to imagine that those whom death has taken.
Leave us. They do not leave us. They remain
Where are they? In darkness?
Oh, no! It is we who are in darkness.
We do not see them, but they see us.
Their eyes, radiant with glory.
Are fixed upon our eyes…
Oh, infinite consolation!
Though visible to us.
Our dead are not absent
…..They are living near us
Transfigured
…..into light, into power, into love