To be a hero: From Hercules to John Wayne, can we measure up?

I have always been a huge fan of ancient mythology. From the Greeks and the Romans to the Norse, mythology is fascinating, fun, and sometimes deeply tragic. By its very nature it is filled with heroes, world changing battles and love stories.  I am especially fond of some of the heroes. Mythological heroes represent  the very best of man’s nature, played out on a grand scale and with universe altering consequences.  On a smaller scale it is similar to the heroes of American Mythology, the cowboys.  From Hercules to John Wayne, however, the question that was always on my mind growing up was, “how can I be a hero?”  I don’t think this is an unusual for people to ask of themselves, especially young men. Even more, I think it is an important question. I think it represents that part of each of us deep down that seeks something great. As St. Augustine once said, “my heart is restless oh Lord until it rests in you.”  But what does it mean for our hearts to rest in God and how does that relate to a desire for greatness?  For me St. Augustine’s words are a constant reminder that my heart cannot be truly satisfied with anything that I will encounter in this world. I have to go beyond my humanity and dive into the supernatural realm. This is exactly what Sacraments of the Catholic Church invite us to do in a very real way.  When we receive the Eucharist our very souls are purified of our venial sins and our bodies are nourished by receiving the flesh of God. Mere contact with the supernatural, however, is not what makes one a hero. In fact most super heroes rise up when they are needed to fight a super villain. As Uncle Ben told us in Spider Man, “with great power comes great responsibility” and everyone chooses to accept that responsibility. A hero needs more than super powers, he needs character.  A real hero needs to be someone who is truly good, or at least striving towards that end.  This last week we celebrated the Feast of All Saints, or All Saints Day.  If it were left to me (which it isn’t) I think I would rename it The Feast of Heroes.  A feast dedicated to those who truly lived out a life of heroic virtue and fought titanic supernatural battles within their own souls, and continue to fight them on behalf of us.  The Saints are both our role models and our fellow prayer warriors. As St. Therese of Lisieux (the Little Flower) taught us in her Little Way, all we need to do is little things, but do them with great love.    You don’t have to be famous to be a Saint or a hero. To be a true hero all we have to do is stand in the love of Christ and be who He calls us to be, Holy.  Holiness is not boring, it is heroic.