November 3
Happy Memorial of St. Martin de Porres!
Today we celebrate the memorial of St. Martin de Porres, illegitimate child of an African slave and Spanish knight and Dominican lay-brother. St. Martin was not able to enter a religious order in 17th century Peru as the law was such that those of Indian or African descent were not permitted to do so. However, he was granted to wear the Dominican habit. St. Martin loved Jesus so intensely that he offered to sell himself as a slave when the monastery encountered financial hardship. He is known for the hours he spent in Eucharistic adoration, many healing miracles, and service to the poor, such that many called him Martin de la Caridad, that is Martin of Charity.
But, perhaps what stands out most about St. Martin is his preference of being called Mulato Perro, which means “mixed-raced dog.” While to contemporary ears, this may sound ridiculously self-deprecating, in this St. Martin demonstrates something that all saints have in common, that is, they are living sermons of the Scriptural text, bringing it to life before our eyes. Think here of the Canaanite woman who comes to Jesus, begging him to heal her daughter. Her persistent pleading culminates with her saying, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table” (Mt 15:27; cf. Mk 7:28). While perverse to modern sensibilities, what we see displayed by both is what the Church’s greatest thinkers up and down the centuries have seen as the foundational virtue of the Christian life, associated with the first beatitude, blessed are the poor in spirit, i.e., the virtue of humility.
It was Martin’s humility that attracted many to him for in bringing this virtue to life, others saw the reflection of Christ. This foundational virtue, then, provided the basis upon which St. Martin lived out the two-fold commandment of love of God and neighbor (Mt 12:30-31), placing special emphasis on imitating Christ’s seeking of the lowest place in the midst of serving one’s neighbor (Mt 20:26-28). In reflecting on the “Mulatto Dog,” then, we squarely encounter our own pettiness that seeks the highest place in recognition of our successes, credit for our ideas, and acknowledgement of our impressive titles. We scoff at anything less, for the culture of entitlement tells us we “deserve” more. Yet, what could be more than loving union with our God? At the end of the exchange with the Canaanite woman, Jesus says, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish” (Mt. 15:28). Her desire was satisfied as was Martin’s, for by imitating Christ in descending to the lowest place, they have also imitated his ascension to the highest place, the eternal embrace of the Heavenly Father.
St. Martin de Porres, pray for us that, like you, we may desire to be known as nothing but humble servants to our neighbors, whom God has given to us to love. Intercede for us that we might never shirk this responsibility that the Lord has entrusted us with, so that we might one day join you and our Blessed Mother in glorifying Him forever in Heaven. Amen.
Your servant in Christ,
Tony Crescio is the founder of FRESHImage Ministries. He holds an MTS from the University of Notre Dame and is currently a PhD candidate in Christian Theology at Saint Louis University. His research focuses on the intersection between moral and sacramental theology. His dissertation is entitled, Presencing the Divine: Augustine, the Eucharist and the Ethics of Exemplarity.
Tony’s academic publications can be found here.