Heroes wanted
Our world loves heroes. Super heroes, reluctant heroes, tragic heroes and the ever-lovable anti-hero. If you look at our movies and television shows, we’re obsessed with them. But in our broken and often confusing world, how do we know which heroes and models to follow? Everyone can be a hero, but how do we recognize the people in our lives worth imitating to live a healthy, holy and fulfilling life?
Our world loves heroes. Super heroes, reluctant heroes, tragic heroes and the ever-lovable anti-hero. If you look at our movies and television shows, we’re obsessed with them. But in our broken and often confusing world, how do we know which heroes and models to follow? Everyone can be a hero, but how do we recognize the people in our lives worth imitating to live a healthy, holy and fulfilling life?
The reflection
“Role models” are everywhere in the world of entertainment, sports and media. Some have amazing qualities, and some have made some very questionable moral choices. So where do we look? The place to begin is to ask this question: Are they reflecting Christ? All of the saints are saints for one reason – they imitated Christ in pursuing holiness. We can ask of our current role models and heroes, Are they pursuing and reflecting Christ with their lives? This involves a real relationship with Christ, and the pursuit of intimacy with the Lord. The more time we spend with someone, and the more we know them personally, the more we become like them. Healthy, holy role models will reveal God’s love, grace and peace to us through their everyday choices.
The turnaround
The second criteria for healthy and holy role models involves looking at their story. We are not surrounded by perfect people, but how do even the very flawed role models in our lives pursue Christ and holiness in the face of their own struggles? Role models don’t have to be perfect, just like many of the saints were formally “expert” sinners. But how do they get back up and continue pursuing Christ with the help of God’s grace? How do the models in your life pursue growth, healing and holiness in the face of whatever life throws at them? Our living role models will make mistakes, but the focus is on how they turn to God’s mercy and how they rely on God’s grace for what God can do, instead of relying on themselves alone.
The fruit
Finally, do the role models and heroes in your life meet you where you are? In other words, do the people you look up to build you up? Do they encourage you, inspire you and support you? Or do they dismiss, invalidate and criticize? Do the role models in your life bring peace, safety, hope and faith, or bring shame, confusion and discouragement? The Gospels tell us that we can know a tree by its fruits, and in the same light we can examine what effect our role models have on us and what truth and goodness they speak into our lives. Healthy and holy role models, whether a close friend, a coach, a teacher, or a parish priest, will meet us where we are, validate our struggles and inspire us with the truth of the Gospel in all aspects of our lives. The good fruit of this type of role model is that we continue to live our lives with faith and hope, as we take steps each day to follow Christ.
It’s pretty clear that our world loves heroes and role models. When we find a good one, their virtue, relationship with the Lord and pursuit of Christ is often contagious. Regardless of where you are in your own journey and pursuit of holiness, having holy role models allows you to better imitate Christ and become his hands and feet for those around you.
Adam Cross is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, and he worked as a youth minister at his local parish for 8 years. Adam loves to integrate the Catholic faith into his therapy practice.
