Charlie Kirk.A man at the prime of his youth. Fair and smart. Deeply involved in social matters and politics. A person with a clear-cut stand on every issue, be it religion, culture, economics, development, politics, or immigration. He was conservative in views. An orator who influenced American campuses like no one else could in the recent past. Founder of Turning Point America with millions of followers. A happy and blessed family life. People thought he would one day become the president of the U S A.
In spite of all these and many others to his credit, Charlie Kirk is remembered today for something else. On 10 September, a young man under the influence of a range of deranged illusions shot Charlie dead, while he was interacting with the people whom he liked the most- the youth. Today he is remembered for the words that he uttered some two months before his death.
On 16 July, 2025 (Feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel) Charlie made a rather unusual statement as it comes from an Evangelical. He said; ‘Mary is the solution.’ He prescribed this solution for the many wrongs committed in the name of misguided feminism that has been poisoning generations. Charlie was neither a Catholic nor an Orthodox who revered Mary in a special way. Yet he said it. He was neither a preacher nor a pastor. Yet he said these words that would later become closely associated with his blessed memory.
Charlie never hesitated to uphold Christ in his public speeches. For him, proclaiming his faith in public was the best thing he could do. During his countless meetings, interactions, discussions, radio programmes and interviews he maintained that the way for America to go forward as a nation is nothing but the way of Jesus. In a country where the number of people demanding the right to abortion to be established as a fundamental right, he categorically stated that abortion is the most cruel form of evil and a despised sin.
Charlie Kirk influenced many during his lifetime. But his name has become more powerful after death. News coming out of America and elsewhere suggest that the life and death of this young man has influenced millions from across the globe. His testimony has caused a powerful revival of Christian faith in America. Thousands of people who have never seen, heard or known Charlie turn to Christ. Someone who has never read the Bible for several decades starts reading the Bible. A mother who has never prayed for many years says that for the first time, when she heard about the death of Charlie, she started praying for her children. There is an increase in the number of people attending church services.
Sharing an image of the Bible, a young man wrote; ‘For you, Charlie, I started reading the Bible.’ Not one or two, thousands confess their faith in public. They rejoice in their newfound faith and eagerly share the joy of their experience with their friends and dear ones. In zoom meetings, instagram, prayer fellowships started in memory of Charlie, dedicated hashtags, and in all available forums they proclaim their faith. Charlie was a political activist. But they never discuss politics; their subjects are Christ, faith, Bible, Church, and morality.
Miracles continue. One person wrote; ‘I was never a believer. But the death of Charlie hit me. I got up and started reading the Psalms. I couldn’t control my tears.’ Another wrote; ‘I did not agree with everything Charlie said. But this man’s death shook me. It prompted me to think of my death. I took my Bible and started from the beatitudes in Matthew’s gospel.’
A young man’s words; ‘I was fairly convinced that matters like faith are the exclusive domain of old people. But on the night of September 10, I opened a Bible and read the gospel of John.’ A father’s words; ‘When I heard of Charlie’s death, suddenly a thought came into my mind, that I should do something for my kids. I called them, sat with them and read the Bible for them aloud. It was for the first time in my life that I read the Bible aloud.’
Charlie Kirk’s death caused thousands of miracles that saw people returning to faith with a zeal quite uncommon in our times. But his life too was a miracle. In a country where the number of people reading the Bible is abysmally low, in the backdrop of an ever decreasing number of church attendees, at a time when Jesus Christ and everything that reminds of him are subjected to vicious attacks and mockery, Charlie upheld the gospel and his unwavering faith in Christ the Redeemer. It is not surprising that more than anything else he wanted to be remembered for his faith. Yes, he said it with all conviction. He wanted to be remembered as a Chrsitian! Read with it the words of his wife, Erica, who is committed to take forward the spiritual movement that her husband founded and nurtured.
What we see today is a great miracle. A great miracle where the Holy Spirit transforms the death of one person into a powerful weapon for the conversion of thousands! ‘For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died’ (2 Cor 5:14). It was Christ’s love that encouraged Charlie to lay his life down for the Lord who loved him the most. Let us thank the Holy Spirit for making his death an occasion for many from far and near to taste the love of Jesus. May the memory of Charlie Kirk, who wanted to be remembered solely for his Christian faith motivate us to follow the difficult path that Jesus Christ prescribed for his followers.
