We honor and celebrate the life of Santa Rosa de Lima, Virgen, on August 23, the day after the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 22).
Santa Rosa de Lima (April 20, 1586 – August 24,
1617) is the first Saint of the New World (Americas). She is known for living a
life of ascetic austerity in striving for purity, like Mary the Blessed Virgin,
the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, while fending off attacks from devil.
It was her way to live a life of intimacy with Christ, whom she had drawn
closer to since around age 11, as to be
his spiritual bride. For this, Santa Rosa lived a secluded life. However, she
was totally committed to caring for the poor in Lima, observing these words of
Christ:
Amen,
I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did
for me (Matthew 25:40).
Paul reminds us in the First Reading of Memoria de
Santa Rosa de Lima (2 Corinthians 10:17b-11:2) it is not wise to boast
ourselves for our own riches and worldly powers but we are to “boast in the Lord”(2 Corinthians 10:17).
What does it mean to “boast in the Lord”?
And what does it have to do with Santa Rosa de Lima?
Santa Rosa de Lima hailed from a noble family in
Lima, Peru, as her father was a high-ranking Spanish military officer. Having
such a father, during the colonial time of Peru, Santa Rosa could enjoy and
boast in her privileged life. However, it was what she left behind for the sake
of Christ the Lord and to “boast in the
Lord”, rather than boasting in her social privilege.
For Santa Rosa de Lima, Christ is her love, and his
Kingdom is her treasure, for which she gave up all in her worldly possessions,
including her family privilege. And this is well reflected in the Gospel
Reading of her Memorial (Matthew 13:44-46) in light of losing worldly
possessions as the gaining of Christ in his Kingdom (i.e. Philippians 3:7-9). She
also considered loss of worldly pleasure by means of secluded life of ascetic
austerity as the gain of her love, Christ, in his Kingdom. Santa Rose must have
known even as young as age 11, that her worldly possessions and carnal desires would
get in the way to seek Christ’s Kingdom (i.e. Matthew 6:33), and she wanted to
live in the Kingdom because she loved Christ above all. For her, living a consecrated life of purity,
remaining virgin, as Christ’s bride, was in her desire. As his bride, living in
the Kingdom with him, she can joyfully boast in him, magnifying him, glorifying
him in her praising him.
Perhaps, for Santa Rosa de Lima, “boasting in the Lord” is like these words of Mary in her Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55):
My
soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For
he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages
call me blessed.
The
Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
His
mercy is from age to age to those who fear him.
He
has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has
thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.
The
hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty.
He
has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise
to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
The life of Santa Rosa de Lima itself was Magnificat, glorifying God with joy, and
it is her way she “boasted in the Lord”,
like Mary. For this, her life was completely in Christ (Philippians 1:21) and
in his Kingdom.
As a matter of fact, we, as the Church, must follow
the path of Santa Rosa, in order to meet Christ the King, for his return, as
his bride, striving for purity (Revelation 19:6-9), “boasting in the Lord”(2 Corinthians 10:17).
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