Born in 1586, Isabel Flores de Oliva was the seventh of eleven children of devout Spanish immigrants to Peru. She formed an intense prayer life as a child, and she took the name “Rose” for her Confirmation name. Rose wanted to be a nun but her father disapproved, so she moved into a small hut on the family’s property and sold lace and embroidery to help support her family. Rose emulated her inspiration, St. Catherine of Siena, by becoming a third order Dominican, cutting off her hair to become less attractive, and taking on severe penances and fasts. She went to Mass daily, performed countless charitable works for homeless children, the sick, and the elderly, had mystical visions, and died of natural causes at the age of 31.
CHALLENGE
St. Rose of Lima wore a crown of thorns, but hid it by covering the spikes with flowers. In fact, in her humility, all of her penances she kept private. Often when we take on penances, we take pride in them and tell other people. Or worse, other people suffer because of our penance. Today, pick a penance to perform for the next week, and keep it between you and God.
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