by Fr. Robert Abbatiello
May all the blessings of Pentecost and the gifts of the Holy Spirit be with you and your loved ones!
Many of us may “complain” that time flies by too quickly and that we don’t always have enough time to appreciate and reflect on those blessings which God bestows on us. This is certainly true in my life! As we return to Ordinary Time in the Church’s liturgical calendar, I invite you to take a few moments to consider and be grateful for any one of the blessings you received during this year’s Easter/Pentecost season. (Surely, there may have been many blessings, but select one in particular, and thank God in a special way.) Allow me to share one of my recent blessings for which I am grateful.
On Ascension Thursday, I had the opportunity to meet the mother of the young man who is soon to be canonized a saint—Blessed Carlo Acutis. Blessed Carlo died of leukemia at the age of 15. His life was marked with reverent devotion to the Eucharist, striving to live a holy life as a teenager. He inspired countless others, young and old, to appreciate and celebrate the beauty of the Eucharist and our Catholic faith.
I suspect that others, like me, expected Blessed Carlo’s mother, Antonia Salzano, to speak about what it must be like for the mother and the family of a soon-to-be-saint! Rather, in his memory and honor, she spoke of the call to sainthood that each of us has received—a call to be holy. Her comments were marked by humility as she spoke of Blessed Carlo’s great devotion to the Eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation, reminding us that these two gifts from the Lord help us on the journey to sainthood. As I sat in the chapel listening to her presentation, I admit that I felt challenged to consider my own response to the call to sainthood, that is, the call to be holy. I know well the failures, inadequacies, mistakes, and sins in my own life, which make the journey to sainthood difficult and seemingly impossible. At the same time, receiving the gift of God’s mercy—so beautifully shared in the sacrament of reconciliation, together with the gift of Christ’s Body and Blood in the Eucharist—make the universal call to holiness (sainthood) possible for all of us.
In the readings for Mass on Ascension Thursday, we heard these words: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This power aids us in our journey to sainthood. For your reflection: Have you considered your call to holiness lately? Have you sought out the mercy of God through the sacrament of reconciliation? Have you rejoiced in the gift of the Lord’s body and blood, which nourishes, strengthens, and gathers us as brothers and sisters in Christ? May Ordinary Time be anything but ordinary in your faith journey!
God bless you for your kindness to us Capuchins, and as always, please pray for an increase in vocations.