First Sunday of Advent
The First Sunday of Advent is here! One of the major themes of Advent is being “ready”, and a great example for us of someone who did that with their life is Blessed Carlo Acutis. We mentioned him a bit back on All Saints Day, but now is the perfect time to take deeper look at this new kid on the “Blessed Block”. He’s one of the newest Blesseds in the Church, a young guy who died at the young age of fifteen, who seems to have become incredibly well known as if overnight. There are many remarkable aspects to the life of this holy young man, which is most likely why so many have fallen in love with him shortly after learning about him.
Like any young 21st century boy, he had his friends, he liked to play sports, and he of course, was fond of his video games. Though he had certain things he liked to spend his time on, he never lost sight of what his focus should be; Christ. Since he knew, for example, that his video games could potentially be a big waste of time and a distraction from what was really important, he told himself that he was allowed to play them, but he would only allow himself to dedicate one hour a week to it. Here was a guy that knew what God was asking of him and had the courage to answer His call.
By contrast, one thing he spent a lot of time on was a website cataloguing all the Eucharistic miracles around the world. If you’re not familiar, there have been many instances throughout history of miraculous, visible things happening to consecrated hosts from Mass, where the Body and Blood of Christ would actually take on the appearance of blood or flesh, rather than retain the appearance of bread and wine. Go look some up when you’re done reading this – the Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano is a great one to start with!
What God asked of Blessed Carlo is the same thing that He asks of us now, and it’s the same thing He’s asked all His followers from the beginning, “Be watchful! Be alert…you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming…” God asks us to always have our hearts and souls prepared to meet him because we don’t know the hour that He’ll call us to Him again.
The life of Blessed Carlo is admirable because he lived this way. He made sure that in being responsible with his duties as a son/student/friend, He was also a faithful disciple. When we read this Gospel and hear Jesus asking us to be prepared because we don’t know when the day is that we’re going to meet him at the end of our lives.
In early October 2006, Carlo became ill with the flu- or so he thought. After being admitted to the hospital, it was quickly discovered that he had leukemia and was only given days to live. “I am happy to die,” he said, “because I have lived my life without wasting a minute on those things which do not please God.”
When we’re young we may be tempted with the thought that we should be having fun when we’re young and that we can dedicate our lives to God once we’re older. When we’re older we may be tempted with thoughts that we’re too busy with other things to focus on our relationship with God. St. John Paul II said, “Those who say they don’t have time for prayer, are not lacking time, but love.” In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that there’s no other time to follow Him but now. We’re being called to love Him now. We’re being called to focus on Him now. We’re being called to be ready to meet Him, even as of now.
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