"She Is For You"

What better way to begin a new project than by looking at some of the new treasures which the Church in these times has the joy of uncovering.  Today we have a new Blessed, a young Italian teenager who died at the age of eighteen who, in the presence of her parents, was raised to the altars yesterday at a ceremony at the Shrine of Divine Love outside Rome.  As many of you will know she is Blessed Chiara Badano, affectionately called Chiara "Luce", the nickname the foundress of Focolare, Chiara Lubich, gave her.  Blessed Chiara was a member of Focolare and is the first member to be beatified.

I was watching EWTN's coverage of the concert in the Paul VI Audience Hall in the Vatican following the beatification.  Her parents were brought onto the podium to share their testimony with the huge crowd which filled the chamber.  I was impressed with their simplicity and generosity.  They were people of beautiful faith who saw God working in their daughter's life and knew that this had to be shared with the world.  Maria Teresa, Blessed Chiara's mother said to the crowds that Chiara offered herself for them: "She is for you" she said.  I was touched by this.  First of all we know that the Saints are raised up for all of us as examples of the Christian life, as encouragement and as intercessors.   But for close relatives of those Saints there is a personal cost: Chiara no longer belongs to her parents and family, she belongs to the whole Church.  Now there are no memories which are private: her whole life is to be an open book for the world to read and find nourishment and hope.  That can be difficult for the Saint's nearest and dearest who may wish to hold on to certain memories.

Blessed Chiara is indeed for all of us, but, as her mother pointed out - she is for the young in particular.  I was talking to a elderly parishoner after Mass this evening and he was worrying about the future of the Church, about the young.  He wondered if the Faith would survive seeing as so many young people seem to have no interest in God or the Church.  As he was speaking I thought of Blessed Chiara - she was the answer to his question, the sign that there is a bright future for the Church; that the young will find their way to God and become the seed of the Church of the future.  

When you think about it she is a sign from God.  Born in 1971 she is contemporary with many of us today - with many of the so-called "Lost Generation", and she has been raised up so quickly.  Blessed Chiara is a prophet for our times and one called to speak and minister to the young.   It is early days yet, but I think we should watch her Cause closely - a second miracle may come quickly and before we know it she will be canonised; that will extend her cult to the whole Church, and no doubt her influence.  We should pray for that day.  In the meantime, I think we should make her better known and make our young people aware of her.