Published on July 24, 2024, 12:47 am

In the world of breaking real news, the subject of Carlo Acutis’ canonization has stirred up significant controversy. Acutis was a teenager from Italy, born in 1991 and celebrated for his profound dedication to the Roman Catholic faith. His life marked by daily Mass attendance, prayers of the Rosary and a unique devotion to the Eucharist has earned him both praise and criticism. The Vatican prematurely fast-tracked his elevation to sainthood in October 2020 after attributing a medically inexplicable event to his heavenly intercession.

However, critics contest this decision taken by the Roman Catholic Church vehemently, arguing that there is indeed more to this narrative than what meets the eye. Many Christian believers assert that elevating Acutis amounts to idolatry rather than genuine veneration owed only to God Himself.

Unpacking this issue further requires understanding how Acutis, who tragically passed at age 15 from leukemia became known as “God’s influencer”. Debate has arisen concerning human capacity or even eligibility to influence God’s actions or decisions—an idea founded upon an inherently flawed understanding of divine sovereignty according to some Christian observers. Others express concern over branding events surrounding Acutis as “miracles”.

Among those alleged miracles linked with Acutis include his “intervention” in curing a Brazilian child named Matheus Vianna suffering from a rare pancreatic disorder by merely praying and touching his cloth relic—a claim vigorously propagated by the Vatican itself. Additionally, another similar occurrence involving a Costa Rican girl rapidly recovering from her head injury after her mother had prayed at Acutis’ grave in Assisi continues fueling skepticism and cynicism among critics.

Those imbued with Christian Worldview point fingers at what they see as unchecked idolatrous practices proliferating through such actions condoned by religious institutions—the creation of saints serving as intermediaries among them. Scripture is deemed unequivocal on human implications on divine will, and Psalm 115:3 echoing God’s absolute sovereignty supports this argument: “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”

In a world saturated with an overflow of information, the challenge remains sourcing trusted news- more so for issues pertaining to faith. Central to Ephesians 1:11, Romans 11:33-34, and Isaiah 46:10 among other Bible verses lies the resilience of God’s plan even amidst human endeavor or declaration—a message advocating total allegiance to scriptures.

The potent mixture of reverence reserved solely for God lavished upon humans such as Acutis sparks serious concerns. It teeters on violating commandments by engendering idolatry while simultaneously stifling devotion wholly deduced from Catholic doctrines incompatible with those teachings rooted deeply in Christ.

Lastly, it’s crucial recalling a fundamental Christian tenet—salvation necessitates gracious acceptance from God propelled through credible testimonies reflecting repentance. Thus critics pronounce this phenomenon as indicative of religious deviation rather than authentic Christianity—an unfortunate reality falling short of salvation but instead leading to damning consequences. The onus is undoubtedly upon individuals to discriminate between skewed superstition and actual Scriptural teaching when navigating their spiritual journey.