Who is your hero?

On this day of celebrating "All Saints' Day"- who comes to mind? Why?

(Read Matthew 5: 1-12, Matthew 23: 1-12)

Who is your hero?

Who is your saint?

Probably not the same person, is it?

Most of our heroes are big people who do big things in amazing ways and get lots and lots of attention. Most of our saints are the people who were there, did the little things, and often did amazing things with little attention.

We might idolize our heroes, but we need to follow the example of our saints.

Not simply because, "the last shall be first, and the first shall be last;" or, "all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted."

It is because our heroes don't really know, or even care if we exist beyond what we do for them; and they are not concerned with whether or not our lives are materially better because of their efforts. Yet our saints are that way precisely because they DO care if our lives are better. 

Jesus is not my hero. He isn't. He is my "saint." I want to be like him, follow him, and act like him because he did know I existed and he did care (to the point of death) that my life would be better because of what he did. He isn't to be applauded, but emulated.

Think again of those who you remember today, and other times. What did they do that makes you miss them? What did they do to affect your life in meaningful ways?

Now, go and do likewise, in your way, to do the same for others.  As they let their light shine, let your light shine for others in such a way that they are better off because you were there.