Image via Maxim Elramsisy / Shutterstock.

On The Patrick Madrid Show, Patrick opens up about the heartbreaking assassination of Charlie Kirk and the deep sense of loss felt by his family, friends, and so many Americans who admired his courage. He shares his own meditation – borrowing the style of a reflection once written by an Italian actor about his own unborn son – laying out what he “would have liked” Charlie to experience if his life hadn’t been cut short.

I Would Have Liked Charlie to Have Those Years


by Patrick Madrid


Charlie Kirk should have had decades still ahead of him. He should have been 
given the time to keep sharpening his voice, to build up the next generation with 
truth, and to keep defending the values he believed in. Instead, his life was cut 
short by an assassin’s bullet.


And so, I find myself saying and praying what I would have liked.
I would have liked to hear Charlie grow even stronger in convincing people of the 
truth.


I would have liked his powerful intellectual and rhetorical gifts to have matured 
into something even stronger than what we had already seen. He was only 
beginning to reach his stride as a commentator and cultural leader, and I would 
have liked to see how far he could have gone in the service of the truth.
I would have liked him to be steady at his wife and family’s side through every 
storm. He was a young man, with small children at home and so much more to 
live for. 


I would have liked him to live to see those children grow tall, to walk with them 
into adulthood, and to bless them on their wedding days.
I would have liked him and his wife Erika to grow old together, to enjoy the 
sweetness of a long and happy marriage. 


I would have liked him to live long enough to hold more children in his arms, if 
God had granted them, and then to see grandchildren playing at his feet. The 
beauty of a life fully lived, one that was stolen from him, and from them. And 
from us.


I would have liked Charlie Kirk to keep writing, keep speaking, keep encouraging 
and building the courage of the young men and women and so many others who 
listened to him and looked up to him. 


I would have liked him to grow old with a seasoned strength, gray in his hair, and 
the wisdom that comes from long experience. A blessing from God.


I would have liked him to keep walking beside this hurting, polarized, uncertain 
and faltering country, reminding us that conviction matters more than applause
and that the truth is always more powerful than lies. 


I would have liked to watch him carry that conviction across the decades, 
becoming not only a voice of youthful fire but of seasoned wisdom for the ages.
And above all, I would have liked Charlie to have lived long enough to see his 
family grow in peace – to grow old with the woman he loved, to rejoice in his 
children’s lives, and to one day welcome his grandchildren. That is what he was 
robbed of. That is what his wife and children were robbed of. And that is what all 
of us, who valued his presence in the public square, were robbed of yesterday.


Charlie Kirk had so much more to give. Only God knows how much more. 
He should have been allowed to see those years through. Instead, his voice was 
silenced suddenly, and we are left with the ache of what might have been and the 
memory of who he was and why he did what he did to help others.
I would have liked him to live out the story God had written for him. 
I would have liked us all to have been given those years with him among us, years 
that were stolen, when Charlie still had so much left to give

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via Maxim Elramsisy / Shutterstock.
<hr>
On The Patrick Madrid Show, Patrick opens up about the heartbreaking assassination of Charlie Kirk and the deep sense of loss felt by his family, friends, and so many Americans who admired his courage. He shares his own meditation &ndash; borrowing the style of a reflection once written by an Italian actor about his own unborn son &ndash; laying out what he &ldquo;would have liked&rdquo; Charlie to experience if his life hadn&rsquo;t been cut short.
<hr>
I Would Have Liked Charlie to Have Those Years
 by Patrick Madrid
 Charlie Kirk should have had decades still ahead of him. He should have been&nbsp; given the time to keep sharpening his voice, to build up the next generation with&nbsp; truth, and to keep defending the values he believed in. Instead, his life was cut&nbsp; short by an assassin&rsquo;s bullet.
 And so, I find myself saying and praying what I would have liked. I would have liked to hear Charlie grow even stronger in convincing people of the&nbsp; truth.
 I would have liked his powerful intellectual and rhetorical gifts to have matured&nbsp; into something even stronger than what we had already seen. He was only&nbsp; beginning to reach his stride as a commentator and cultural leader, and I would&nbsp; have liked to see how far he could have gone in the service of the truth. I would have liked him to be steady at his wife and family&rsquo;s side through every&nbsp; storm. He was a young man, with small children at home and so much more to&nbsp; live for.&nbsp;
 I would have liked him to live to see those children grow tall, to walk with them&nbsp; into adulthood, and to bless them on their wedding days. I would have liked him and his wife Erika to grow old together, to enjoy the&nbsp; sweetness of a long and happy marriage.&nbsp;
 I would have liked him to live long enough to hold more children in his arms, if&nbsp; God had granted them, and then to see grandchildren playing at his feet. The&nbsp; beauty of a life fully lived, one that was stolen from him, and from them. And&nbsp; from us.
 I would have liked Charlie Kirk to keep writing, keep speaking, keep encouraging&nbsp; and building the courage of the young men and women and so many others who&nbsp; listened to him and looked up to him.&nbsp;
 I would have liked him to grow old with a seasoned strength, gray in his hair, and&nbsp; the wisdom that comes from long experience. A blessing from God.
 I would have liked him to keep walking beside this hurting, polarized, uncertain&nbsp; and faltering country, reminding us that conviction matters more than applause and that the truth is always more powerful than lies.&nbsp;
 I would have liked to watch him carry that conviction across the decades,&nbsp; becoming not only a voice of youthful fire but of seasoned wisdom for the ages. And above all, I would have liked Charlie to have lived long enough to see his&nbsp; family grow in peace &ndash; to grow old with the woman he loved, to rejoice in his&nbsp; children&rsquo;s lives, and to one day welcome his grandchildren. That is what he was&nbsp; robbed of. That is what his wife and children were robbed of. And that is what all&nbsp; of us, who valued his presence in the public square, were robbed of yesterday.
 Charlie Kirk had so much more to give. Only God knows how much more.&nbsp; He should have been allowed to see those years through. Instead, his voice was&nbsp; silenced suddenly, and we are left with the ache of what might have been and the&nbsp; memory of who he was and why he did what he did to help others. I would have liked him to live out the story God had written for him.&nbsp; I would have liked us all to have been given those years with him among us, years&nbsp; that were stolen, when Charlie still had so much left to give
<hr>
The&nbsp;best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out <a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

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