Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Just yesterday, my 6-year-old son, Ben, was looking through our copy of Saints Around the World (a beautifully written and illustrated collection of holy men and women of our church), when he opened up to this picture of Blessed Carlo Acutis. He was pointing to all the things he recognized in the picture – the dog, the cat, the soccer ball and the video games. He looked up and said, “Why is there a poke-ball on here? He’s a saint, why would he have Pokémon on his page?” I couldn’t help but smile at the innocence of this question. I could hear the deeper meaning in his question. It felt to me like he was asking - did this person, who you tell me is a SAINT, actually play Pokémon? I think it surprised Ben so much because he loves Pokémon, but I don’t think he sees himself as much of a saint. Suddenly this person who has lived a holy, saintly life seems very relatable and real.
As I thought about this exchange later in the evening I thought about Ben’s question again. How many times do I see the lives of the saints and think that sainthood feels unattainable, too difficult? The idea of living the life of a saint feels too removed from the world, too impossible. But I think that’s just an excuse. When we truly look at the lives of the saints we see human beings, like you and I, who had families, jobs, responsibilities, relationships. We see people who followed the Lord, but who also made mistakes, doubted, felt joy, sorrow, anger and pain. We see people who look a lot like us. Sometimes it may be hard to think of sainthood among our modern, busy world, but it is attainable for each of us.
Today’s first reading from the book of Sirach gives us a hint about how to achieve Sainthood. Sirach speaks about Wisdom. “Wisdom breathes life into her children and admonishes those who seek her. He who loved her loves life; those who seek her will be embraced by the Lord. He who holds her fast inherits glory; wherever he dwells, the Lord bestows blessings.” When we seek, value and love the Wisdom of the Lord, over our own human wisdom, we hear what can happen. When I read that last line again I hear – wherever - a home (maybe playing Pokémon), a hospital, a school, a homeless shelter, an office building, Ohio, Maryland, Mexico, the United States, Palestine - wherever he who loves the Lord’s wisdom dwells, the Lord bestows blessings. We can all strive for sainthood, no matter where and when we live. Amen.
Blessed Carlo Acutis is scheduled to be canonized April 24–26, 2025.
—AJ Grimm