In a world of shortcuts, reroutes, map updates,  and mixed signals,  Carlo Acutis knew that  there's one road that  never fails. No tolls,  no traffic jams,  no pointless detours.  The Eucharist is a direct path to Heaven. For Carlo, Mass was the  high point of the day,  a non-negotiable.  The Eucharist was his fuel, compass, and map.  It wasn't an "extra:"  it was the engine that powered everything.

What made it so  essential for him?  Why did he live the Mass  so intensely, not out of  habit or obligation? Because the Eucharist  wasn’t just a ritual, symbol,  or tradition to Carlo.  It was a meeting with a Person, Jesus, who was  real, alive, present,  giving Himself for him.  There's a world of difference between something   to remember and  someone to encounter. Especially when that Someone is the  love of your life.

It was so real for him that he would ask his parents to take him to say hello to Jesus when they passed a church when he was 3. Sometimes he would pick flowers from the park and bring them to Mary, not because anyone told him to, but because he wanted to.

In other words, he didn't settle for the minimum. He went to daily Mass. By the age of 11,  he was a regular in  front of the Tabernacle.  And why? In his words,  "Being a Christian isn't  about following rules.  It's about being in love." When you're in love, you want to be with the person you love. You seek them out. You make them a priority.

At 11, Carlo built a website  to share Eucharistic  miracles from around  the world. He collected testimonies, data, and  photos, and uploaded them himself. The site is  still live today.  It's simple, nothing fancy,  but full of faith.

Carlo once explained it like this: “When you sit  in the sun, you get a tan. When you sit before Jesus  in the Eucharist, you  become a saint.”  That’s how he saw the Mass:  daily exposure to the light that transforms, heals, and gives meaning to our lives. That's why he called the Eucharist a "highway to Heaven." What would happen  if you did the same?

"I don't have time" -> if you have time for an infinite scroll or anything else, you have time for the real infinite "It's boring" ->  you're bored because  you don't know what's in  front of you. If you did,  you'd be moved to tears "The Mass doesn't speak  to me" -> Jesus does speak  to you. The question is:  are you listening?

Excuses for skipping Mass

(& how Carlo would respond)

What are you feeding on every day? Likes? Reels? Pizza? Pressure?  What about your soul...  when did it last have a  real meal? What did you last meet Love face-to-face?

Mass isn’t a break from life  or a spiritual parenthesis in the middle of chaos.  It’s the center. If the Eucharist is the heart of your day, everything feels lighter, clearer, more alive.  Your problems don't disappear, but you learn to carry them with a strength that isn’t just yours. In the Eucharist, you not  only receive Jesus;  you become one with Him. The highs and lows of your life merge with his, and  what felt meaningless  starts to make sense. Everything changes when Jesus walks into the room.

PRACTICAL TIPS make Mass your highway to Heaven

Schedule it like a top priority. Don't wait to "see if it fits."  Put it in your planner.  Set an alarm. Act like  it's something special... because it is.

PRACTICAL TIPS make Mass your highway to Heaven

Arrive a few minutes early  and stay a few minutes after. Don’t rush out.  Take in the view. Listen.  Speak to Him. Jesus isn’t an app you open and close.  He’s real presence.

PRACTICAL TIPS make Mass your highway to Heaven

Offer something specific  at each Mass: an exam,  a broken friendship,  a tough decision.  Bring your real story  to the altar. He knows  what to do with it.

PRACTICAL TIPS make Mass your highway to Heaven

Spend 10 minutes in Adoration. If there’s  exposition of the Blessed Sacrament nearby,  stop by. No words needed. Just be with Him, like two people who  love each other.

PRACTICAL TIPS make Mass your highway to Heaven

If you can’t go to Mass, make space anyway. If you miss Mass, don’t give up.  Make a spiritual communion. Read the Gospel of the day. Pause for a moment to tell Him: “I wish I could receive you today.  Here I am anyway.”