Blessed Chiara Badano was able to mature in the faith at a young age, embracing every trial that came her way, even as a teenager.
At age 17, Badano felt a sharp pain in her shoulder that was eventually diagnosed as an aggressive bone cancer called osteosarcoma. It spread quickly and she was soon paralyzed, with the likely chance that she would die.
Faced with such a trial, many of us would feel paralyzed in our faith as well, unable to cope with the realization that our life on earth would soon end.
But despite her pain and suffering, Badano was able to find joy in the midst of it, accepting it as having come from the hand of God. She said at the time, "I don't have anything anymore, but I do have a heart, and with that I can still love."
Last words
After her beatification in 2010, Pope Benedict XVI summarized her life by quoting her final words:
Fully accepting the will of God, she spoke her last words: "Bye Mum. Be happy because I am."
Pope Benedict XVI then went on to say, "Let us praise God because his love is stronger than evil and death. Let us thank the Virgin Mary, who leads youth, through difficulty and suffering, to love Jesus and to discover the beauty of life."
Badano was truly a "a ray of light [luce] as her nickname suggests 'Chiara Luce.'" She was able to recognize God's will even in the most difficult moment of her earthly life.
She accepted the suffering she experienced and recognized that it would lead her to a closer union with Jesus on the cross. Furthermore, she understood that death would be a pathway to total and complete union with God in Heaven.
When most of her peers would be saddened at having to leave this earth so early, she looked forward with joy to being with God forever.
Blessed Chiara Badano remains a powerful witness not only to young people, but all of us on the journey of life, as we navigate the many storms that come our way, searching for God's will.
