In the dark, dingy halls at the Convent of the Holy Rosary in Lima, Peru, a quiet young Black man is seen passing through locked doors to care for the sick friars of the monastery. They report the man appearing beside them and working miraculous healings. The young and exceptionally holy man was Martin de Porres, and his life consisted of a mixture of suffering and the supernatural. The mystical reality that transcends the universe was made manifest in him while he served as a lay Dominican caring for animals and humans alike. While his life was by no means easy, his steadfast faith and abilities are a powerful demonstration of grace in the Christian life.
Martin grew up in poverty. His father, a Spanish nobleman, abandoned the family after Martin's sister was born. His mother was an enslaved woman of African and Indigenous descent. When his mother could no longer afford to care for the family, she sent Martin away to a boarding school. From there, he eventually found his way to the Convent of the Holy Rosary in Lima.
Though he found refuge in the arms of Christ, life at the monastery did not mean an easier life for de Porres. Under Peruvian law, the enslaved were forbidden from taking religious vows. As such, Martin was often chided and patronized by his superiors and the other Dominican friars for being of slave descent. Even so, he grew in faith and holiness in his relationship to Christ, so much so that by God’s grace he started demonstrating supernatural gifts and phenomena. These included bilocation, levitation, and miraculous healings of those he served both in the monastery and on the streets. Eventually, he was allowed to take vows as a lay Dominican, continuing to serve the sick and tend to the monastery.
St. Martin’s experience is a great example of how Christian evangelization should flourish. First, he shows us the truth that Christianity isn’t a cure all for suffering. His religion was not just a refuge that would make the hard times go away. He suffered a lot during his life of faith, but never turned his back on Christ. He also shows us that God’s grace and power is real. Grace isn’t just an intangible, distant idea, but an active spiritual medicine that God uses to aid, bless, and transform us. De Porres demonstrates that with God’s help, mankind can have gifts that transcend our understanding. His life gives us a peek into the reality that humans are supernatural by nature, and that reality corresponds with such an idea.
This desire to transcend the material world is making a comeback among people of all beliefs. Recent polls have shown a slight decline of atheist, agnostic, or no religious beliefs. In contrast, a growing embrace of the metaphysical demonstrates that humans crave the supernatural and desire to better understand the meaning of spirituality. Martin de Porres shows us that both the natural and the supernatural exist within those who cooperate with the grace of God.
While there is an increase in metaphysical belief, there is certainly a decrease in people aligning with organized religion. This shows that the way Christians evangelize can be improved. While the “New Evangelization” has been fruitful in its efforts of accessibility, especially utilizing the internet to reach Catholics, it leaves something to be desired in the evangelical mission to reach the everyday people who do not identify as Christian. The data suggests that even though people are leaving organized religion, they are still longing for the transcendent. Given this, we must focus on the reality of grace and its transformative nature
Truthfully, Christianity is now generally associated with racism, hellfire, and abuse. However, if you puncture through the surface-level caricatures to uncover authentic Christianity, you will find a faith that is rich with diversity, happiness, hope, human flourishing, and the supernatural. You will find a faith that is altogether consistent with the makeup of reality and the love of God. You will find shining examples of the real power in having a relationship with God. Here we see Christians like Martin De Porres, who loved God so much that he allowed himself to be filled with his grace so that he could transform the world even while he was still in it.
Briana Jansky is a freelance writer, author, blogger, and host of the Geeks For Jesus podcast.
