St. Carlo Acutis
St. Carlo Acutis is one who accompanied me in my journey to deepen my love for the Eucharist.
A few months ago, I found myself distracted during Mass, especially during the Eucharistic consecration. I felt frustrated at my lack of attentiveness but by the grace of God, was led to reflect on my relationship with the Blessed Sacrament. I recognised my lack of devotion and desired to fall deeper in love with the holy Eucharist.
At that moment during Mass, I made a simple prayer to the Lord: “Lord help me to fall in love with the Eucharist”. It was after making this prayer of desire to the Lord in mass, that St. Carlo seemed to appear very often in my life. He frequently came up in my thoughts, and I was even given a St. Carlo medal saw his relics in various churches I visited, including a mini statue of him in an overseas chapel. His famous quote seemed to come up in my prayers frequently, “When we face the sun we get a tan, but when we stand before Jesus in the Eucharist we become saints.”
A few months later, when a group of friends asked about how the Lord has been loving me, I shared that a few days prior, I felt an ache in my heart thinking about how I couldn’t go for Eucharistic adoration that day due to my schedule. As I shared with them my deep yearnings to be with the Blessed Sacrament daily, I started to cry. I felt a deep ache in my heart, but I was also filled with so much love and desire for the Lord in that moment. I went home that night and said to the Lord “You answered my prayer about falling in love with the Eucharist even when I forgot about it. I’m truly finding myself desiring so much of you in the Eucharist and it’s so precious”.
Looking back, I realise just how much St. Carlo Acutis’ immense love for the Eucharist has inspired in me a deeper desire for faithfulness and true reverence for the blessed sacrament. On his feast day, I’m reminded that the Eucharist is a “highway to heaven”, a gift that has been freely given to us, so that we may be in communion with the Lord!