Celebrities Impress—Saints Inspire
Christopher Lasch suggested that there is a profound difference between celebrities and saints. In a narcissistic, self-pleasing culture, we welcome celebrities because we lack imagination and courage. Traditional heroes make demands on us, but celebrities make no moral claim on us.
Glittering stars in our culture merely feed our narcissism, our love of self, our addiction to everything society finds pleasurable. No one ever asks how our constant exposure to the rich and famous is supposed to make us good or wise or faithful.
Even if we are trying to live faithful lives, our minds are always being reshaped, just a little, all the time, into the image of what surrounds us. But heroes—saints—stretch our imaginations and stand as imperatives, calling, wooing us into a higher, holier life.
—James C. Howell, Servants, Misfits & Martyrs
In a world obsessed with fame and image, James C. Howell reminds us there’s a vital difference between celebrities and saints. Celebrities ask nothing of us—they entertain, distract, and allow us to remain as we are. But saints? Saints challenge us. They stretch our imaginations. They invite us into a life that’s deeper, more faithful, and more honest than the shallow promises of our culture.
In recovery, it’s easy to get caught up in comparisons or idealized versions of success—what looks impressive on the outside. But healing doesn’t come from image—it comes from transformation. Saints, the quiet and faithful ones who walk through pain with hope and humility, remind us what really matters. They call us upward—not to be perfect, but to be real. To be holy. To be whole. Let their lives shape yours more than the spotlight ever could. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics