A Renewed Call to Be Saints
The Eucharistic Revival has given members in our parish and our diocese an opportunity to deepen our knowledge and understanding of our Catholic faith. It has been reported that approximately 70% of Catholics do not believe in the true presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist but instead believe it is a symbol of Jesus’ presence. The belief of the true presence in the Eucharist is a fundamental difference between Catholics and other Christian churches. This past weekend, I had the privilege to attend, with 5,000 other Catholics, the Eucharistic Congress held in Mankato. This gathering will likely be considered a historical event for our diocese as it focused attention for many people on the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The speakers, including Bishop Barron, provided words that made my faith even stronger. At one point during the Our Father, I stopped praying to hear and witness thousands of people praying the prayer our Lord taught us all at one time. It brought tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart. But the most powerful moment was receiving the Eucharist with so many others and knowing I was truly receiving Jesus into my body. And that is what the Eucharistic Revival is all about. It’s why it matters if we believe it is truly Jesus we are receiving and not a symbol of Jesus. With Jesus in my body, I am prepared to go out and share the knowledge and love of Jesus with those I meet.
Sharing knowledge and the love of Jesus brings me to a very special 10-year-old girl I met during the Eucharistic Miracles event held in our parish. I witnessed several people who shared various experiences about how the Eucharistic Miracles impacted their belief about the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Little did I know that a 10-year-old girl coming to me and asking if she could touch the statue of Mary was going to have such an impact on me. She said, “All I want to do is hug the statue of Mary.” Her deep love of Mary was evident, and I found out it began when she was in kindergarten. Sister Dale came to her classroom at St. Pius. Sister Dale taught that Mary was someone to pray to through the Rosary and other prayers. She taught that if there was a problem, prayer is where we can find the answer. Mary was viewed with a gentle face and soft clothing. She said Mary should be special to all girls because she is, after all, a girl! She included, along the lines of WWJD, WWMD -- what would Mary do?
Soon, I learned of the girl’s goal to be a saint, but if not a saint, the next best thing would be to be a nun. “God is my path,” she told me. When she received her First Communion, she said she remembered the Eucharistic Miracle of Moncada, a miracle where Baby Jesus appeared in the host. (Look up this miracle, it’s amazing!) She said, “I felt I was a little Mary up at the altar standing by Jesus because technically, I was! I had tears in my eyes because I had to wait so long to receive him in my First Eucharist because of the pandemic.” There is no doubt this young girl already has a strong belief and knowledge that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist.
She continued to share how hearing and reading about Carlo Acutis, who is blessed, inspires her. He used his love of technology to teach about the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Inspired by Carlo, she hopes to use her musical gifts: guitar playing, songwriting and singing to connect Jesus with others. She said that she prays throughout the day and thinks of words to songs she wants to use in praising the Lord. She shared her latest song: “Follow In Footprints” which goes like this: “Lord Jesus Christ, you are there when I am sad, angry or upset. You are there when everything is wrong. We will praise you and love you forever. We will walk on the beach and when we fall, you will carry us.”
May we all carry a song in our hearts to believe in the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and in the possibility of living like a saint!
Bl. Carlo’s “Kit” for Becoming a Saint:
Strive to go to Holy Mass and receive Holy Communion daily
Spend time daily in front of the Blessed Sacrament
Pray a daily Rosary
Read daily Scripture
Go to Confession weekly
Pray for the grace to become a saint
Make sacrifices and self-denials frequently
Ask your Guardian Angel to help you at all times