(1579-1639) The “Saint of the Broom” was the illegitimate child of a Spanish nobleman and a young freed black slave in Lima, Peru, where he grew up in poverty. Martin apprenticed with a barber-surgeon, where he learned about medicine and caring for the sick. He then became a servant and, soon after, almoner for the Dominican priory of Our Lady of the Rosary, eventually becoming a Dominican lay brother. He was devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and assigned to the infirmary, where Martin became known for miraculous cures.
Pope Saint John XXIII said of Saint Martin in his canonization homily, May 6, 1962, “Saint Martin, always obedient and inspired by his divine teacher, dealt with his brothers with that profound love which comes from pure faith and humility of spirit.” Humility was a hallmark of Martin’s life and is essential in recovery. The chapter on Step 7 in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous notes that “the attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of A.A.’s Twelve Steps.”
“Do not complain, that shows discontent with the will of God in the present moment. That is also proof of impatience” (Saint Martin de Porres).
Reflection by Brad Farmer