Optional Memorial of Saint Martin de Porres, religious
(Romans 11:29-36; Luke 14:12-14)
Martin de Porres is renowned for his charities to all God’s
children, human and animal. In a story
given during the process of his canonization, the prior of his priory ordered
that rat poison be placed in the rat-infested building. Martin reluctantly complied with the
order. He also went into the garden and
called the rats together. He worked out
an agreement with the rats: he would feed them every day in the garden if they abandoned
the priory.
The story is indicative of Martin’s evangelical
personality. Today’s gospel shows Jesus
telling a Pharisee to invite the poor and lame to his banquets. It doesn’t say that the Pharisee should
invites rats, but Martin’s initiative certainly is in harmony with Jesus’ instruction.
Is the anecdote about Martin’s making an agreement with a
host of rats true? Probably not. But this doesn’t mean that Martin did not befriend
rats along with more commonly other animals.
His sainthood, however, was more determined by his treatment of all
kinds of human beings. Although we may
be kinder than St. Bernards or craftier than foxes, Martin de Porres would have
cared for us.
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