We all value people who have strong convictions. Among them, figures like Blessed Francesco Bonifacio, and many others, stand out as individuals who gave their lives for their beliefs. Even outside the religious context, we consider such individuals heroes if they died for something good, for something they believed to be true. However, contrary to common perception, it was not their death that made them saints or heroes; it was their lives. To consciously die for an ideal, one must first live it; otherwise, the death is accidental. We know that Blessed Francesco Bonifacio’s death was not accidental because neither was his life. He acted purposefully in accordance with what he believed to be right, true, and valuable.

The need to hold convictions and to adhere to them is a necessity of the human spirit. Only humans are beings that seek and consciously desire truth and are disappointed when they fail to find it or are dissatisfied with what is offered. Only humans can shape themselves consciously in relation to a truth and direct their lives toward certain values. Only humans evaluate whether their lives are meaningful or not. Only humans argue with one another about what truth is and what the right path might be. The rest of the living world accepts things as they are presented and adapts its behavior to the immediate situation.

In today’s pluralistic world, people often find it hard to agree on what truth is, to the point where one might question whether truth exists at all. One thing, however, is universal: regardless of differences in opinion, we all admire a good person and can recognize them. We can describe a good person and list their qualities. Goodness seems universal, and according to memories and testimonies, Blessed Francesco Bonifacio was described as precisely such a person.

So, what is goodness? It lies in joyfully fulfilling one’s duties, in consistency in the small everyday tasks, in treating others kindly and respectfully, in goodwill, serenity, and calmness. When we encounter people like this, it’s worthwhile to examine their beliefs, to see where they draw their inspiration from, and what the root of their goodness is, as we often have painful experiences of our inability to be as good as we would like to be, despite our efforts. On this journey, every good example and piece of advice is precious.

Looking at Blessed Francesco Bonifacio, he, along with other saints, would say that his inspiration came from God. This answer might seem abstract or superficial to the modern person, who tends to perceive the concept of God as abstract. But for the saints, God was not abstract at all. Saint Francis of Assisi addresses God with praises: “ You are wisdom. You are humility. You are endurance. You are rest. You are peace. You are joy and gladness. You are justice and moderation. You are beauty. You are gentleness. You are our guardian and defender. You are our courage. You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.”

We see that their idea of God is neither empty nor superficial, and that God is the source of all the qualities that make a person good. We can say that for them, truth was in God, and they were firmly convinced that God is the source of truth and goodness. We might approach this with skepticism, as children of our time, but we cannot deny that the convictions, words, and deeds of the saints bore fruit and left a mark. And God Himself invites us to judge by the fruits (cf. Lk 6:43).