Word to the Wise
Saturday, November 3, 2012 - Saturday in the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
[Phil 1:18b-26 and Luke 14:1, 7-11]For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. [Luke]
The life of Martin De Porres could be said to have been "exalted" from the start. He was born of "mixed blood," which meant that he would have been considered to be on the very lowest social rung of the ladder. His father, a Spanish soldier, saw to it that Martin had some training as a barber/physician. He was accepted at the lowest possible status at the time in the Dominican friars in Lima, Peru. His ministry was that of a combination porter-janitor and his room in the priory was basically a closet for the brooms. He is often represented in statuary with a broom in his hand. He began a ministry at the front door of the priory that reached out to all classes of society, but particularly to the poor and starving. From the very beginning of his life as a person and as a Dominican, he knew what it meant to be "humbled," poor, and a victim of discrimination. Fifty years ago, in 1962, he was "canonized" by Pope John XXIII. He is the patron saint of the Southern Dominican Province, USA, to which I belong.
Martin is a prophetic figure in his humility. He challenges us on two levels. The first level is that in a "land of plenty" there are still those who do not have adequate food, housing or medical care. The second, and no less important, level is that of ethnic discrimination. Our country fails to admit that this kind of discrimination is deeply rooted and still impacts our society. The state of Alabama is finally voting in this election to remove the language of segregation from its constitution, and this is being contested!!!! To be born "white" in this country is to be "privileged" from the start! Ask anyone who wasn't, and look at the history of our country in regard to Black, Oriental, Hispanic or Native American people. At an earlier time (and even now, occasionally), Jewish, Irish and Italians knew this discrimination as well. We need the prayers of Martin De Porres to help us search our hearts as individuals and as a nation. Jesus' warning about those who exalt themselves is one we should heed both as individuals and as a country. St. Martin De Porres! Pray for us! AMEN