Today is September 8, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
We read at today’s Mass, “Brothers and sisters: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).
Carlo Acutis was marked by a contagious joy. Even as a teenager, he had a ready smile, a playful spirit and a sense of humor that put others at ease. When illness came, he carried that same joy with him. Faced with leukemia, he did not sink into despair but lifted the spirits of those around him.
Joy is not the same as shallow cheerfulness. Carlo’s joy was rooted in Christ. He knew that Jesus was alive in the Eucharist, that heaven was his destiny and that nothing — not even suffering — could rob him of that truth. For him, sadness was a temptation, not a final state. He liked to say that “sadness is looking at ourselves; happiness is looking toward God.”
Reflecting the love of God
This is a lesson for us, too. It is easy to let discouragement, complaints or negativity shape our outlook. Carlo reminds us that joy is not the denial of suffering but the fruit of faith. When Christ is at the center, we can smile even in trial, because our hope is secure.
“Carlo joked, played, laughed, lived his teenage life,” recalls Anonia, describing how she felt looking at his body, just after his death, “Carlo’s laughter still echoed in my mind together with his ever-joyful voice.”
Holiness, then, is not gloomy or grim. Saints are radiant with joy because they reflect the love of God. Carlo teaches us that a cheerful witness is one of the most powerful ways to draw others to Christ.
Let us pray,
Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin may bring deeper peace to those for whom the birth of her Son was the dawning of salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
*We are experiencing issues with the recorded video files for MDV. Thank you for your patience as we work to resolve them and post the remaining reflections.
