Or is our world just a basket case?

"Basket case" is how a good friend described her part of the world, to me, last week.  I smiled and thought, "Maybe she's got a point.  After all, I have reflected how deranged our world can be."   

This past Sunday, Pope Leo canonized Blessed Carlo Acutis, who had died at the age of 15, in 2006.  He was an extraordinary lad who lived his short life, devoted to Jesus and the eucharist.  He was kind to all, prayed continually and used his IT skills to promote the eucharist and the church.  His last words to his mother were: 

“Mom, don’t be afraid. Since Jesus became a man, death has become the passage towards life, and we don’t need to flee it. Let us prepare ourselves to experience something extraordinary in the eternal life.” 

On seeing all the wars, destruction and ruthless behaviour around us, our world can be aptly described as a basket case.  There again, is it not too easy to dwell upon the wrongs and evil in our world, and for far too long?  So we readily identify what we see as a basket case.  The challenge is not to be seduced by social media and the news, nor by a sense of social pessimism.  Instead, we are challenged to stand up against the evil that is tearing our world apart and act to right the wrongs being committed for far too often, wrongs that are violating the dignity of persons and creation.   

Then along comes a teenager, named Carlo.  He reminds us that our life and world are ultimately ruled by faith, love and goodness.  In a world driven by immediacy, personal satisfaction and comfort, we can easily forget what life is really about and why our world exists.   We can easily forget God.  In this vein, I was struck by this line:  

"While it can sometimes seem as if saints are a thing of the bygone era, or that they do not have modern interests and talents like ours, St. Carlo Acutis shows us that saints can be “normal” teenagers with extraordinary faith—even in the Internet age!" 

Has it simply become old-fashioned to believe in goodness and the un limited possibilities for love and kindness among humanity.  if so, it is time to pray to St Carlo.  

 St. Carlo Acutis, the Millennial saint—pray for us.  Help us to stop our world becoming a basket case.