Today is the feast of Martin de Porres. St. Martin’s life is a perfect fulfillment of today’s first reading by St. Paul.
Martin de Porres was born in Lima, Peru at 1579. He was an illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman who went to Peru in search of gold and silver. His mother was a young Indian woman born in Panama. His father abandoned them later because he was ashamed of Martin’s dark complex ion. He grew up often referred to as a half-breed and lived in poverty. Mar tin was gifted with a profound humility to see the goodness and the greatness of God in his life. At 10 years old, he already would exercise charity with his meager earnings, and would spend hours of prayer at night. At 15, he was taken as a servant boy by the Dominicans. When the priory was in debt, he offered himself to be sold.
At 24, he was given the habit of Coadjutor Brother and was assigned the infirmary of the convent until his death at 60. Miraculous cures were attributed to him. He is depicted as a young mulatto priest with a broom, because to him all work is sacred no matter how menial. Pope John XXIII canonized Martin de Porres in 1962.
