In these late days of summer, I have been pondering how important to us are the heroes of our “family of faith” — the “saints.” Their lives mirror our own and can witness powerfully to us. People are deprived of important Christian role models if they are not aware of the saints. I am thinking especially of youth and young adults, who struggle with warring values and attractions, sometimes sowing “wild oats,” but who are possessed of great idealism, talent and energy for good.

We are approaching a series of saints’ days that exemplify my point. Aug. 28 is Augustine’s day in the church. Although he became a learned theologian, a great pastor of the church, a celibate and a saint, as a youth, Augustine steeped himself in the secular learning and culture of his day, experimented with diverse religions, and got caught up in the “glitter,” gratification and sexual permissiveness of his times. But all the while he was being drawn toward something (really someone) deeper, nobler and more rewarding. What young people of today could not relate to this scenario? “Late have I loved you, Oh Lord,” was Augustine’s constant regret. But it is never too late for God.

Then there was Augustine’s mother, St. Monica, honored by the church on Aug. 27.

What parent could not draw strength from her example? A mother, heartbroken by a son she never ceased to love and believe in but who, for so long, showed little sign of change. She prayed and waited, prayed and waited. A wife, joined in a “mixed marriage” to a non-Catholic husband and who thus had to shoulder the obligation to raise the children in the Catholic faith. Who took that obligation seriously and tried her best without visible results. Who surely was tortured by the frequent questions: “What have I done wrong? What more should I have done?”

On Aug. 23, we celebrate St. Rose of Lima’s day, after whom Sacramento’s first church was named. An American saint who lived in Lima, Peru (1586-1617), Rose was only 31 when she died. Her family lived comfortably. But from young years she was drawn strongly to God and to a rejection of shallow and transitory values of her time. Material goods and comforts did not attract her. Nor did courtship and marriage. Penance, prayer, and sacrifice became her joy. In spite of efforts by her family to dissuade her, Rose persisted. In due course, she was allowed to enter the third order of St. Dominic — and, eventually, sainthood. Some 35 years ago, I visited and prayed at St. Rose’s home and shrine in Lima. It was a special experience. I am still attracted to this young saint who was vibrant and happy, simple and naive; radically countercultural and single-hearted; challenging, focused, and authentic.

On Aug. 25, we have a very different case in St. Louis of France. His deep faith and piety blossomed in the midst of his political and civic profession. Born into royalty in the 13th century, Louis became king of France at the age of 22. He sorted out well the tensions between faith and public service — and never sold out on either. Without apology, Louis brought Gospel values to bear on civic realities because he knew that public policy and civic life could not but be enriched by moral vision. Energized by prayer and piety, Louis pursued policies of peace among peoples and justice and love for the poor. His concern was for both the temporal and spiritual welfare of his people, not selfish interests. What a role model for public servants of today! And for parents! The father of 11 children, Louis’ family came first. Even affairs of state were not allowed to get in the way of his personally instructing his children in the Christian life. (Dads, take note!)

The feast of St. Bartholomew (Nathaniel), one of the Twelve Apostles, is Aug. 24. In St. John’s Gospel, chapter one, I think you see a shy young man who was a bit introverted and probably had a touch of inferiority complex when he first encountered Jesus. (Nothing new here!) Bartholomew’s lifelong, unforgettable memory was that Jesus “saw him under the fig tree.” What seems to have turned Bartholomew’s life around was that Jesus had noticed him, gratuitously accepted him and affirmed him. In that outreach by Jesus, Bartholomew experienced once and for all God’s love. His initial doubts were quickly swept aside: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” An uncomplicated person, Bartholomew was ready to forsake everything else and definitively give himself to the Lord and to the spread of the Kingdom of God. Jesus comments: “This man is a true Israelite. There is no guile in him.”

In the saints, we have wonderful role models for today. The lives of the young saints particularly reassure us of the spiritual potential of today’s young people. Let us not take our young people for granted. They, like all of us, are called to holiness of life.

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