Thought for the week - 27 September 2026

On 7th September 2025, Pope Leo XIV canonised two very young saints; Pier Giogio Frassati and Carlo Acutis. St. Pier Giorgio died 4th July 1925 and St. Carlo died 12th October 2006. Both were devout lifelong Catholics. St. Pier Giorgio was known as the Man of the Beatitudes and St. Carlo as the Millennial Saint – God’s Influencer. The latter, interestingly, was born in London and raised in Milan. He used social media to spread the word of worldwide Eucharistic miracles. He contracted leukaemia and was just 15 years old when he died. Such an influential young life tragically cut short. St. Pier Giorgio was a wealthy social activist who championed the poor and sick. He was a strong young man, an athlete and keen mountaineer but he contracted polio while serving the sick and died at just age 24. Both young men had such impact through their very short lives. I do wonder, had they lived, how they would have continued their ministry; maybe as theologians, priests, monks, who knows – maybe even Pope!

But not all saints have such lifelong devotion to the gospel. One such saint, and what a giant of a saint – St. Augustine of Hippo. He wrote a book, called Confessions, in which he detailed his story of conversion as well as his chequered life leading up to this conversion. He was born to a pagan father and a very devout Catholic mother (St. Monica). I have heard him referred to as a ‘punk teenager’, frequently getting into trouble, chasing girls, loving the high life. He even got himself into an illicit long-term relationship and, aged just 19, fathered a son out of wedlock. He was a keen rhetorician and had a brilliant mind. He seemed to be having a great life, but something was missing. This yearning for something more led him to the Manichean cult which believed that human souls are particles of light trapped inside evil, physical bodies. He clearly had a very restless heart but was looking for truth and love in all the wrong places. Monica, his mum, prayed continuously for her son’s conversion to Christianity. After many years and many wayward steps, Augustine was finally baptised. His conversion had come about as a result of hearing the preaching of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (later St Ambrose) and also by happening upon Romans 13:13-14 which seemed to speak directly to his lifestyle at the time. ‘Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarrelling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.’

Clarity came to Augustine at last.

So why am I talking about saints, and St. Augustine in particular? I am sure many of you are familiar with the parable of the prodigal son. One of two sons asks for his inheritance from his father, takes it and squanders it, sees the light and comes home with his tail between his legs only to be warmly welcomed and embraced by his father (much to the chagrin of his older brother). Today’s gospel may be named ‘the parable of the other two sons’. Two sons, each asked by their father to do exactly the same thing. One rudely says ‘no’ but then does go and do his father’s bidding. The other son, outwardly compliant, fails to do what he said he would do. Looking at this at alongside the reading from Ezekiel, we can align the second son with the outwardly righteous person who does injustice. The first son would then be aligned with the wicked person turning away from his wickedness and doing what is right. He saw the error of his ways and did the right thing. Maybe he was a roguish, Augustine type son who liked the high life but saw how his life would be so much richer if he sought a life of righteousness instead.

They say a leopard can’t change its spots. A person’s basic character, personality, will never change no matter how hard they pretend otherwise. This is actually from scripture – Jeremiah 13:23. When a person is so accustomed to doing evil, he or she cannot change and do good. But can a wicked person change for the better? Great sinners can become great saints. Look at St Paul. Was there ever a greater turnaround than his? Look at St Augustine: ‘love the sinner, hate the sin’ The transformative and merciful power of divine grace – if that grace is accepted by even the greatest of sinners, salvation will be theirs. Charles Spurgeon once described major transgressors as ’glorious raw material for grace to work upon.’ Maybe that metaphorical leopard can change its spots.

When Jesus says, in the gospel, that tax collector and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God ahead of the Pharisees – can you imagine!! He is likening the first son in the parable to the tax collectors and the prostitutes: outward appearances suggest a ‘no’ to God but in their hearts? Well, God does not look at external appearances but at the heart. And you can hide nothing from God, nothing at all. The second son – well Jesus is veiledly referring to the temple hierarchy; Pharisees and other leaders. Outwardly holy, reverent, keeping up the appearance of devotion but in their hearts – well they did not hold with John the Baptist’s message of repentance. And you can hide nothing from God. You, me, we can’t pretend to do His will when our hearts are far from Him. He knows our true intentions. Our actions must therefore match our words.

But we are human and as such, flawed. We are sinners. And like the first son, when we sin, we must repent: turning away from sin, sinful living and sinful mindset. It is more than just ‘sorry’; the best apology is changed behaviour. Repentance requires a shift in inner self and a deliberate decision to turn our lives around. For the better. This is central to receiving forgiveness and salvation. If we truly repent from our hearts, God will forgive. But then its up to us to maintain that changed lifestyle, to continue on that straight path. ‘If you are a thief, steal no more’ (St Clement of Alexandria). St. Augustine wrestled with giving up his lifestyle at the time of his conversion, famously saying ‘Lord grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.’ He wanted God but didn’t want to give up the high life – yet. This captures the very human struggle of knowing what is right but still being attached to bad habits.

It’s not too late. It’s never too late. We are all called to be saints. Maybe not canonised saints but purified by God in a radical way. We are sinners – we all have our struggles. But sainthood is for everyone, not just those who have lived devoted lives. It’s one thing to have a bad day; it’s another thing to let that mood become one’s identity. Repeated sins become habits and as time progresses, they become harder, and harder to break. A previously stormy life need not define us. Indeed, past storms can very easily work towards our good, especially if they encourage reform and change in our lives. Previous storms may become jewels if given to God in humility so that He may have the consolation of forgiving them (Albino Luciani, Cardinal Patriarch of Venice*, 1976). Eucharistic Prayer IV includes the beautiful words ‘And when through disobedience he (mankind) had lost Your friendship, You did not abandon him to the domain of death.’ It’s not too late; it’s never too late. The first son in our gospel changed his attitude, changed his mind and worked in his father’s vineyard. We too must not despair over past misdemeanours but know that our faithful and loving God can and will forgive, if we truly repent and turn away from sin, sinful living and sinful mindset.

*Cardinal Albino Luciani was to become Pope John Paul I whose papacy lasted a mere 33 days due to his untimely death in 1978.