Like many teenagers, I imitated various idols of my time, mostly rock stars, collecting their photos, memorizing their quotes, and trying to emulate their behavior. It's natural for people to imitate some prominent personality, whether they want to or not, especially in youth. The question is not whether to imitate but whom to imitate.

In the Middle Ages, ideal figures for imitation were saints. They were the heroes of that era, the beloved figures of the people. Although people lived differently then, the question of ideals was correctly addressed, with the Church actively participating.

One of the problems in our modern life is the absence of clear ideals, especially in secular society. One positive aspect of the last decades of Soviet times was the presence of bright and wonderful ideals. A loyal friend, an honest worker, a courageous defender of the homeland, a thoughtful scientist, a skilled musician, a fearless pilot—these were good examples of human qualities that we still somehow exist on the remnants of.

Now, whom does a young person want to resemble today? It's unclear. Maybe a blogger? Most likely, no one at all.

Thankfully, the Church always provides examples to imitate. "Imitate Christ and His followers," says the Church. Saints possess all positive qualities—intelligence, loyalty, courage, selflessness, and sacrifice—that one would want to adopt. There's no mistake in imitating any of the righteous.

How wonderful it is that the Church preserves the image of the ideal person. Without preserving this image, we could forget the criteria of humanity and the purpose to which a person is called. False ideals have been suggested to us many times, but the Church declares: the ideal person is Christ, and the saints represent the highest measure of human development in the image of the God-man. This is what you should become, a human being, this is what you are called to!

That's why the lives of the ascetics are so important. They are textbooks for imitating holiness! The literary works contain thousands of the most challenging paths to Christ, and among them, we can find ourselves, find what will help us.

It's challenging to immediately resemble Christ, and even the saints, to be honest. Perhaps, for a start, I should adopt the good qualities that ordinary people around me have and that I lack?

Maybe, initially, try to imitate a colleague at work who always arrives at the office before me and never comes late. Or an acquaintance, a mother of many children, who dedicates herself entirely to serving her children. Or a neighbor-grandfather, who never despairs, is always cheerful and lively, and greets everyone first.

And maybe, then, it will be easier to imitate the ascetics of piety and even the Lord Himself. To act according to the advice of the apostle Paul: "Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ."

Original article: https://radiovera.ru/komu-budem-podrazhat.html