I remember being so excited to look up my birthday saint when I was in junior high. I learned about feast days and heard others talk about their special saint days. That made me want a “really cool” or “big-time” saint. It is embarrassing to admit, but I was a little disappointed when I read the story of my birthday saint whom we honor today, St. Rose of Lima.
Honestly, her story angered and repulsed me. I judged her wrongly as so many others in her life did. I was mad at her for disfiguring her beautiful face and jealous of her beauty which attracted several suitors. My first thought was, “It’s easy for the pretty girls to deny their beauty. They don’t know the suffering that comes from being ugly.” How harsh.
It came from deeply rooted wounds that she forced me to acknowledge. One day during study hall a kid blurted out, “Your forehead is disgusting.” I had terrible acne and still bear the scars. Throughout my childhood I felt like the ugly one in the family based on what family members and others would say. That comment only reinforced what I already felt.
With that backstory, I couldn’t understand why a young woman would willingly destroy her beauty. Not until I understood what it meant to be beautiful for God alone did I understand St. Rose of Lima. She is the hero of the day, giving witness to today’s Gospel, the one who chose to be humble before men so as to be exalted by God.
I’m not suggesting we all run out and cut off our hair and rub pepper on our faces as she did, but what would it mean for us to take Jesus at his word? In today’s culture, a prevalent spiritual ailment is the need to do because we can’t be and we can’t be because we are unknowingly trying to prove our worth to God.
St. Rose was confident as God’s beloved, which is why she had the desire to love Him more than herself or others’ opinions. Maybe, just maybe, God is calling you to humble yourself interiorly, to accept your place in His Kingdom, and let that be enough. There’s no need to prove anything. St. Rose of Lima is a pretty cool saint after all.
Recuerdo la emoción que sentía al buscar el santo que celebramos en mi fecha de nacimiento cuando estaba en la secundaria. Aprendí sobre las memorias de los santos y escuché a otros hablar de sus santos especiales. Eso me hizo querer un santo “super genial” o bien conocido. Me da vergüenza admitirlo, pero me decepcioné un poco al leer la historia de mi santa, a quien honramos hoy, Santa Rosa de Lima.
La verdad es que su historia me enfureció y me repugnaba. La juzgué mal, como tantos otros en su vida. Estaba furiosa con ella por desfigurar su hermoso rostro y celosa de su belleza, que atrajo a varios pretendientes. Mi primer pensamiento fue: “Es fácil para las chicas guapas negar su belleza. No saben el sufrimiento que conlleva ser fea”. ¡Qué cruel fui!
Provenía de heridas profundas que ella me obligó a reconocer. Un día, durante la clase, un chico me dijo en voz alta: “Tienes la frente asquerosa”. Tenía un acné terrible y hasta el día de hoy sigo con las cicatrices. Durante mi infancia, me sentí como la fea de la familia, según lo que decían mis familiares y otras personas. Ese comentario solo reforzó lo que ya sentía.
Con esa historia, no podía entender por qué una joven destruiría voluntariamente su belleza. No fue hasta que comprendí lo que significaba ser bella solo para Dios que comprendí a Santa Rosa de Lima. Ella es la heroína del día, dando testimonio al Evangelio de hoy, la que eligió ser humilde ante los hombres para ser exaltada por Dios.
No sugiero que todos salgamos corriendo a cortarnos el pelo y a frotar la cara con pimienta como hizo ella, pero ¿qué significaría para nosotros creerle a Jesús al pie de la letra? En la cultura actual, una enfermedad espiritual prevalente es la necesidad de hacer porque no podemos ser, y no podemos ser porque, sin darnos cuenta, estamos intentando demostrarle nuestro valor a Dios.
Santa Rosa tenía confianza en ser amada de Dios, por eso anhelaba amarlo más que a sí misma o a las opiniones de los demás. Quizás, solo quizás, Dios te esté llamando a humillarte interiormente, a aceptar tu lugar en su Reino, y que eso te baste. No hay necesidad de demostrarle nada. Después de todo, Santa Rosa de Lima es una santa genial.
Former NPS Park Ranger, Catholic educator, and Youth Minister, Melissa Lucca now spends her days evangelizing family and neighbors as a stay-at-home mom. She holds an MA in Theology from the Augustine Institute and pursues personal study in her spare time. Melissa loves Ignatian Spirituality, Mother Mary, and rock climbing. If you don’t hear her and her kiddo laughing at home, then they are probably out on an adventure!
Feature Image Credit: Public Domain, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_of_Lima
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and eleven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is 
Merridith Frediani loves words and is delighted by good sentences. She also loves Lake Michigan, dahlias, the first sip of hot coffee in the morning, millennials, and playing Sheepshead with her husband and three kids. She writes for Catholic Mom, Diocesan.com, and her local Catholic Herald. Her first book Draw Close to Jesus: A Woman’s Guide to Adoration is available at Our Sunday Visitor and Amazon. You can learn more at 
Mike Karpus is a regular guy. He grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, graduated from Michigan State University and works as an editor. He is married to a Catholic school principal, raised two daughters who became Catholic school teachers at points in their careers, and now relishes his two grandchildren, including the older one who is fascinated with learning about his faith. He also has served on a Catholic school board, a pastoral council and a parish stewardship committee. He currently is a lector at Mass, a Knight of Columbus, Adult Faith Formation Committee member and a board member of the local Habitat for Humanity organization. But mostly he’s a regular guy.
Christine Arata is a San Francisco, California native. She lives a few blocks away from the ocean and a park. She finds nature inspiring. Her cat brings her comfort. She loves being creative not only with her writing but with almost everything, including her home cooking. Her studies in the Catholic faith are ongoing. In 2019, when she discovered St. Hildegard of Bingen was underrepresented by Catholics, she found a purpose. Her latest website, St. Hildegard’s Wisdom features blog posts about all of that: 
Kate Taliaferro is an Air Force wife and mother. She is blessed to be able to homeschool, bake bread and fold endless piles of laundry. When not planning a school day, writing a blog post or cooking pasta, Kate can be found curled up with a book or working with some kind of fiber craft. Kate blogs at 
Colleen Orchanian is a podcaster, blogger, and spiritual director who desires to help others have a more profound encounter with God. She is the author of three books: Nearer My God to Thee, Times of Grace, and Lingering with God. Her podcast is Food for Thought (Spiritually Speaking). You can learn more at 
Ben Hooper is originally from Maryland, having been adopted from Korea and growing up in the Catholic faith. He went to Franciscan University to dive deeper into his faith and eventually graduated with a degree in Business Management. He loves musical theater, sports, spending time with his wife Lily and their dog Kolbe.
Deanna G. Bartalini, M.Ed.; M.P.A., is a certified spiritual director, writer, speaker and content creator. The 
1-800-994-9817