Saint Rose of Lima - Book Report/Review Example

Saint Rose of Lima Saint Rose was born to a Christian family in Lima and from a very young age she displayed signs of piety and strong faith. She was marked out as special by the churchmen who taught her, and she was confirmed by the Archbishop of Lima. Some adults around her such as Doctor John and Dona Maria are both mystified and in awe of her desire to suffer on behalf of others. She was also extremely humble, and this can be seen for example in the way that she hid her great beauty by making her face ugly in a painful way.

It may be that in a deep way she found comfort in sharing some of the afflictions of the poor and needy, and this drew her closer to God. In those days most of the inhabitants of the town spoke the Quechua dialect and followed ancient rites and religions which did not recognize Christianity. These Indians are described as pagans, and they are very clearly not interested in what Rose and her family have to say about God. One reason for this is the history of the region in which the Spaniards brought not only religion but also warfare and conquest: “You Spaniards have stolen our gold and silver.

We have no faith in what you tell us” (p. 22). Despite this, Rose was concerned about them and was always looking for ways to reach them with the Christian message of faith and hope in God. The most striking feature of the life of St Rose of Lima is her steadfast devotion to prayer for sinners. Even when she was very young she realized that prayer is powerful tool and she knew that “No one could pray too much” (p. 31). Her family could not understand this, because they were thinking of her as a normal child, and not as someone who would later become a saint.

The story shows how parents can sometimes misunderstand God’s plan, and even though they love their child, they do not always know what is best for her. God may have a higher purpose, and sometimes the innocence of children is better at understanding this than the worldy wisdom of older people. St Rose could have lived a life of luxury, if she had depended on her great beauty to find a rich husband and settle down to family life. Instead of this St Rose chose a much harder path of seclusion and lonely service.

Her life teaches us that the ways of God are different from the ways of men and women, and that even a weak individual woman can become strong and effective through prayer. St Rose’s contribution to the Church lives on after her death, as many generations of believers draw strength from her example. The story of St Rose of Lima is a source of inspiration. I find her courage and determination very admirable, and often think of her when there is too much temptation to get involved in the luxuries of our world like electronic gadgets and expensive clothes.

St Rose is a reminder that material things are only temporary, but that the eternal work of saving souls is ultimately much more important.ReferenceWindeatt, Mary Fabyan. St. Rose of Lima: The First Canonized Saint of the Americas. Tan Books, 1993.