“I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.” (2 Timothy 1:6)
 
This final reflection in our October series brings us to a modern example of holiness. Blessed Chiara “Luce” Badano was born in 1971 in a small town in northern Italy. Her parents, who waited eleven years to have a child, prayed fervently to Our Lady, and God answered with the gift of Chiara. A vibrant and athletic girl, Chiara loved tennis, hiking, and spending time with friends. At age nine, she encountered the Focolare Movement, which shaped her understanding of Christian unity, love, and sacrifice. What began as a childhood devotion blossomed into an extraordinary holiness when, at 17, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone cancer. She died just before her 19th birthday, in 1990. Her beatification in 2010 made her the first member of Generation X to be declared “Blessed.”

Some years ago, I had the privilege of meeting her parents, and I’ve carried a deep devotion to Chiara ever since. She was born just a few years before me, and I still marvel at the thought that while I was navigating high school in Maine, she was quietly living out heroic virtue in Italy. Now, she is a saint in heaven. Her nickname, “Luce,” meaning “light,” was given to her by Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement. It was not merely a symbolic name, it was who she became: a radiant light, even in her suffering.
Chiara stirred into flame the gift of God not through great public acts or dramatic preaching, but through simple, faithful love. She once said, “I don’t need to talk about Jesus. I just have to give Him.” Even as cancer robbed her of movement and caused her excruciating pain, she refused morphine so she could remain fully aware, choosing instead to “offer everything for Jesus.” Her room became a place of joy and evangelization, visited by friends, doctors, and even unbelievers who left changed by her peace. In the face of death, she was radiant with hope, saying, “If I had to choose between walking again or going to heaven, I’d choose heaven.”

This Sunday’s readings emphasize humility and the power of quiet, sincere prayer. The tax collector in Jesus’ parable does not boast, but stands at a distance, beating his breast and pleading, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This is the posture of one who knows he needs God. Chiara lived this humility. She never sought attention or pity. Like the lowly whose cry pierces the clouds, as described in the first reading from Sirach, Chiara’s voice reached heaven not by shouting, but by quietly trusting.

In our world, where influence is often measured by platform or personality, Chiara teaches us that the truest light comes from within, when the gift of God is stirred into flame through humble service, joyful sacrifice, and total surrender to Christ. She didn’t live long, but she lived well. Her discipleship wasn’t flashy. It was luminous.

As we conclude this month’s reflection series, let us take up the challenge to follow her example. Ask yourself: How can I give Jesus through my words, my actions, my relationships? What suffering, inconvenience, or opportunity is God inviting me to offer with love? You don’t need to talk about Jesus, Chiara reminds us. You just have to give Him. Stir into flame the gift of God and let it shine.