When we can have hope in the salvation of souls, we can be confident that all our Earthly prayers will be heard – for God’s own purpose for us is salvation itself.
Today, there is another baby for whom we pray. Baby Charbel. Just as my niece once did, baby Charbel makes a blessed sacrifice in purity and holiness, surrounded by all the angels and the saints, in fighting for his life, against all the expectations of all his doctors. His parents have sacrificed him to God, on the altar as Abraham did Isaac, and like Abraham they pray for the intercession of the angel of Mercy to come and spare their son.
Their dignity in accepting God’s will while standing firm on their decision to allow Charbel the right to life, serves as an example to us all. May God reward them for it!
There are such glorious lessons for us all to learn here!
Charbel’s parents grow strong in Grace and Faith. I do not say these words lightly, and I understand that they are suffering – though I have not experienced their pain myself.
This time of sacrifice and suffering is the worst of times. Yet also, strangely – the best…
For there is good in this too!
God asks little of us.
FOLLOW ME. Pick up your CROSS and FOLLOW ME.
If we do this. If we follow him. If we give of ourselves. We will receive…
And what gifts and blessings we will receive – Faith. Hope. Love.
While God grants us these blessings regardless of whether we chose to follow Christ along the way of the Cross, if we follow Him, we are granted the Grace to witness these blessings in our lives and feel peace.
I am convinced that this peace is the peace that baby Charbel’s father spoke of when I heard him speaking on Facebook yesterday. I have prayed that he and Charbel’s mother would have peace. Their Cross is heavy, yet we have witnessed them embrace it.
And in embracing the Cross, we embrace Christ – who hangs upon it.
It is IMPOSSIBLE to embrace Christ without embracing the CROSS upon which He hung.
Blessed Carlo Acutis who loved the Eucharist saw in it, Christ’s own love for the world – through His suffering on the Cross and His triumph over evil!
Our Blessed Mother is our perfect example. The Blessed Virgin, in embracing Christ, embraced the Cross - both His AND hers!
Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta tells us that Mary is co-redemptrix because “she gave Jesus His body, and His body is what saved us.” Giving Jesus HIS body was HER Cross - because it meant that He – God made Man – would suffer and die, and she - His Blessed Mother - would bear witness to that.
For Our Lady too, this sacrifice was the worst of times - but also, strangely – through her love of Him and all of us – the best!
It was Christ’s BODY that hung on the Cross to redeem us – his humanity as much as his divinity.
It was Mary’s YES to follow Christ and carry her Cross, which allowed God to work his purpose and redeem the world.
In the same way, Charbel’s family say YES to God and embrace their Cross and His! Their beautiful child, Charbel is a blessed sacrifice, fearfully made as God’s chosen one to suffer on God’s Holy Altar of Innocence. We ask that God is pleased with the sacrifices of this blessed child.
We join with baby Charbel’s family to ask that Blessed Carlo Acutis hear our prayers and interceded for them with God in Heaven. We ask that God saves their son.
It is interesting, that word, SAVE.
It really refers to salvation.
So, really, in the end, when we ask God to save him, we pray for what matters – SALVATION!
I have such peace and hope for baby Charbel.
Perhaps it is because when we pray, our prayers recognise the sanctity, the saintliness, of the sacrifice of this innocent little baby. Our prayers are really only asking that God allow Charbel more time with his Earthly family before he becomes a new Saint Charbel in Heaven…
Eternal salvation is our ONLY joy, and we pray for God to grant it to us in His infinite goodness and mercy and love.
For Charbel’s family, we pray for peace and Grace, that they may remain a beacon of light in a world of darkness and that their sacrifices may lead others to God, which will be as great a miracle as healing their precious child, Charbel.
Because with children like Charbel everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.