On the highway to heaven
“The church needs healing. The world needs Jesus.”
Catholics in the United States have been inflamed with their sincere longing for the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist through the 10th National Eucharistic Congress held from July 17 to 21 in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. It is said that around 60,000 people participated in this event.
For this spiritual gathering, they prepared themselves ahead with the help of the Eucharistic Pilgrimage over 6,500 miles through cities, along highways, and passing rural towns across the U.S. from May 17 to July 16.
With the same intentions of the Eucharistic Revival Movement, Pauline Sisters have also joined in this event through vocation meetings, talks and book signings and book exhibits.
Interestingly, the Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit compiled by Blessed Carlo Acutis (known as a “Saint in sneakers,” “the first Millennial saint” and “a global influencer for God”) was also displayed. As he said, the Eucharist is surely “the highway to heaven.”
As the key point of every Christian life, Jesus' presence in the Eucharist calls us to renew our lives so that we can live the present moment to the fullest with compassion and communion.
One of the contemporary examples of living with enthusiasm and love in the digital age would be Blessed Carlo Acutis who witnessed the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist in his short span of life. He was born to Italian parents in London, England, on May 3, 1991, and passed away from aggressively advancing leukemia at age 15 on Oct. 12, 2006, in Monza, Italy.
After making his first Communion at age 7, he went to Mass every day and practiced the Eucharistic adoration without fail. After Communion, he used to say: “Jesus, make yourself at home. Live within me as if it were your own dwelling!” The Word of God and the Eucharist were the center of his life.
Gifted in computer science, he gave all his energy and talent to the Church by creating websites, cartoons and virtual exhibitions. He also enjoyed mingling with his friends while playing soccer and video games. He was eager to teach himself to play the saxophone.
He is well-known for his devotion to Eucharistic miracles and Marian apparitions, which he uploaded on his website as a web designer.
Above all, he welcomed the poorest and helped the homeless, the needy and immigrants with the money he saved from his weekly allowance. He firmly believed that a successful life depends on the ability to love God above all and to love one’s neighbor as oneself. “Not me, but God” was his motto.
All these inspiring moments of his authentic life will be led to his Canonization to be held in the 2025 Jubilee with the theme of “Pilgrims of Hope.”
More than ever, we need hope.
“We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us, and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision… This will indeed be the case if we are capable of recovering a sense of universal fraternity and refuse to turn a blind eye to the tragedy of rampant poverty…” (Pope Francis)
“Spes Non Confundit (Hope does not disappoint).” (Romans 5:5)
The author is a member of the Daughters of St. Paul (Figlie di San Paolo), living the Good News and proclaiming it with various means of social communication.