We’ve all heard of Bl. Carlo Acutis. But how about Ajna George? She may well be a future saint from India and has already gained quite a following.
Who is she?
Anja was from Kochi in Kerala and was an active member of the church. An assistant professor, excellent student, member, and coordinator of the Jesus Youth Movement, she was well known in faith circles. But what really stood out was her devotion to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and her fortitude in suffering mightily for the love of her Lord and the salvation of souls.
Why is she in the News?
Anja was only 27 when she left this world on January 21st this year, but the way in which she left is what has inspired many and caused people to take notice of her. Having contracted cancer in her mandible bone around four years prior to her demise, her intense love for Jesus made her brave the pain and go so far as to accept it willingly and call the suffering ‘valuable’. When she was offered help by means of a vehicle to go to church to receive Holy Communion, which she never missed even a single day, she vehemently refused, asking instead to be allowed to walk so as to endure the pain for the love of Christ.
Her love for the Eucharist was so great that even during the lockdown and her final days in hospital; she demanded that she be given Holy Communion. Her spiritual director, Fr Jean Kattassery even braved interrogation by the police to visit her house to give her the Sacrament.
During her last days, the cancer spread all over her face resulting in a loss of hearing and vision and even rendered her incapable of consuming the Eucharistic Lord. However, in order to fulfil her ardent desire, the Eucharist was given to her dissolved in water and fed through a tube. When in the hospital, she would only receive Jesus after spending an hour in adoration. Her hospital room had literally become a Chapel!
Her final moments were filled with love. Receiving the Holy Viaticum, she prayed “Jesus, Mary, Joseph” for half an hour and gave up her spirit at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, following in the footsteps of her saviour. Ajna proves to us the power of the Eucharist and the undeniable fact that it is truly Jesus present with us physically. Let us learn to love the Lord the way she did and carry our Cross cheerfully.
We asked some youth what touched them from Ajna’s story?
“I felt a sense of wonder after reading about Ajna. It was a jaw-dropping moment. What will remain with me is how she was so zealous in receiving Christ and how she truly walked hand-in-hand with him. She is more than an inspiration and has inspired me to go beyond the natural with Christ,” said Valenie Lopes from Vasai, Maharashtra.
“Wow! This is very inspiring! Even in her sickness and on her deathbed she yearned for Jesus. Her story motivates me to attend Mass more devoutly and to avoid missing Mass because I overslept or faced some obstacle. She is truly an inspiration,” felt Kavitha Maria from Bengaluru, Karnataka.
“When she became unable to open her mouth to receive the Communion seven months ago, she started to receive the Eucharist dissolved in water through a gastronomy feeding tube. Anja showed us that the greatest Love is to offer our suffering in prayer, joined to the suffering of Jesus for the ones we Love through the Holy Eucharist. The most painful Cancer couldn’t stop her from receiving the Love of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. This really touched me. If the whole world offers their suffering in union with the Holy Eucharist for the conversion of sinners Heaven will be filled with Saints,” Hittary Rebecca from Imphal, Manipal.
This story has been used with permission from CCBI’s March issue of Communio Newsletter.