If anyone has said that life is easy, they are lying (and that is a sin so they would need to go to Reconciliation). There are so many rules and temptations that lead us to sin, really what’s the point?!
Don’t lose your chance at eternal salvation just because life is difficult and temptation is too great. This is how Carlo Acutis felt. He was just an average teen in the tech age like all of us were, but what made him different from his peers is that he used technology for good—very good—and showed us all that even in modern times, we too can become saints. Carlo Acutis: A Millennial in Paradise by Fr. Will Conquer outlines what Carlo did to embrace his faith and use his short time on earth to guide others to Jesus. Here are some of the ways Carlo defeated the devil and is now on his way to becoming a saint.
Embrace your call to holiness
Yes, it’s as easy as that . . . well, maybe. Holiness is not perfection, sinless and unattainable, but a lifelong process of loving others like Jesus showed us. We all have fallen, but that doesn’t mean we are not redeemable. It does mean that we have to follow Jesus even when it is difficult and when we fall down it doesn’t mean we lose all hope but go back to Him and ask for forgiveness to start again.
Don’t live for human “likes”
It seems every day there is a new and sinful TicTok challenge, like stealing from school or the latest, slap a teacher. And then there’s Facebook and Instagram posts showing the most scandalous images for more “likes” but this was not for Carlo. Instead, he built a website cataloging all of the reported Eucharistic Miracles around the world (check it out!!). Not everyone knows how to program a website, but showing off online doesn’t have to be sinful, but rather use technology for good, not evil.
Don’t forget Jesus is our friend too
Many times, we separate our social life from our religious life. We go to Mass on Sunday and then leave what we learn at the altar and live like everyone else during the rest of the week. This is not what Carlo did. He treated others how he wanted to be treated. If he saw someone being bullied, he would step in, take their hand and walk away with them. He was a friend to all like Jesus is a friend to all.
Find Jesus in the Eucharist
First Communion was a life changing event for Carlo as it should be for us when we first received. Carlo often said, “The Eucharist is my highway to Heaven.” He would attend daily Mass and believed in the Real Presence of the Eucharist. Go to Eucharistic adoration or during the consecration really look at Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. When receiving, welcome Jesus into your heart. The closer we get to Jesus through the Eucharist, the closer we get to heaven.
Let’s go on a mission
Yes, a mission from God! (For those who don’t know, it’s a Blues Brothers reference). Not everyone has the time or means to go on a mission to a foreign land to bring the message of God’s son, but we are sent into the world after every Mass to share the Word of God with those around us. Carlo used technology by creating a website that can be seen all around the world (just like EpicPew!!). We can do this by being a friend to someone who is having a bad day, or donating to the local food pantry.
We certainly can learn a lot from the saint stories that we all know, St. Therese or St. Augustine, and how they struggled during lifetimes, but sainthood can seem so far away or unattainable for us in the 21st century. Carlo Acutis has shown us that we can be saint-like yet still live and enjoy the generous gifts we have living during this time. Father Will Conquer writes a biography of Carlo in A Millennial in Paradise, and includes questions and tips of how Carlo would act facing today’s issues and how we can overcome temptations that lead to sin. This is for everyone, adults to teens who want to live a holy life.
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