Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial of Saint Martin de Porres, Religious

Brief Background:

St. Martin de Porres was born in Lima, Peru, in 1579, the son of a Spanish nobleman and a freed African woman. Because of his mixed race, he faced discrimination throughout his life. At a young age, Martin entered the Dominican convent of the Rosary in Lima as a lay helper. His humility, deep prayer life, and acts of charity quickly earned him admiration from his fellow friars. He devoted his life to caring for the sick, the poor, and even animals — showing profound compassion for all of God’s creation. He was known for miraculous healings and his ability to bring peace among those in conflict. He was canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1962.

St. Martin de Porres is the patron saint of social justice, racial harmony, racial equality, the poor, sick, barbers, hairdressers and public health workers.

REFLECTION:

Last Thursday, I had the privilege of witnessing the marriage of a young couple who, in many ways, couldn’t be more different — yet are deeply in love with each other. Whenever I prepare to officiate a wedding, I always take time to meet with the couple beforehand to get to know them and hear their story. This couple made me smile because they were complete opposites.

The bride is very systematic and organized — she likes to plan carefully, step by step, making sure every detail is covered before moving forward. The groom, on the other hand, laughed and said, “I just jump right in — we’ll figure it out along the way!”

As I reflected on their words and on the beauty of their union, I realized how much this also speaks to our relationship with God — and it connects beautifully with today’s passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans.

In life, some of us are like that bride — we like things to make sense. We want to see the plan, understand every step, and make sure everything fits together before we take the next move. Others are like the groom — we just go with the flow, trusting that somehow it will all work out. Yet whether we are careful planners or spontaneous doers, the truth is that God’s ways often go beyond both our planning and our guessing.

St. Paul reminds us that “the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.” In other words, God never takes back His promises. Even when things seem confusing, or when we don’t understand how His plan is unfolding, His love and His call remain constant. What He begins in us, He will bring to completion — in His time, not ours.

Paul had been wrestling with the mystery of God’s plan for Israel and the Gentiles — how mercy, faith, and rejection all seemed to weave together in ways that only God could understand. But rather than give up in frustration, Paul ends with a song of praise: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”

When human reasoning reaches its limit, faith takes over. Like that newly married couple, we learn that love — whether human or divine — requires trust. We don’t always see the full picture, but we trust the One who does.

God’s wisdom often unfolds “along the way.” We might not see how every detail fits, but every step, even the uncertain ones, becomes part of His greater design. What may feel like a detour or delay could be His way of leading us toward something far deeper — toward mercy, healing, and grace.

And so Paul ends with the words that could serve as the refrain for every believer’s life: “For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.”

In the end, we are reminded that everything — our plans, our detours, our love stories, and our lives — begin and end in God. Our task is not always to understand, but to trust. To let go of control and simply walk in faith, knowing that the One who called us will never let us go.