St. Rose of Lima, an Inspiration to Prayer

If you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have responded with something a little unexpected for a young girl. Since I was homeschooled, I had the opportunity to read a lot of stories of the saints, and the one that impacted me the most was about St. Rose of Lima. As a young girl, I read that the Christ Child visited her and even taught her how to read and write. This fascinated me! And it inspired my young heart: all I longed for was to talk to the Lord.

I didn’t know that talking to the Lord was option for someone like me. I thought He only came to those who I read about in those saint books. But as the years went on, I learned that Christ longs to speak to me.

In fact – He longs to speak to each of us!

Even if He doesn’t appear in person as He did to St. Rose, our Lord comes to us in simple and sometimes grand ways to every single one of us. He reaches out to our hearts, beckoning us deeper into His love through beauty, the wonders of nature, the sweet delights sprinkled throughout the day. When we start to look more closely, we can start to see His touch and hear His voice.

St. Rose, the First Saint of the Americas

The life of St. Rose of Lima has much to teach us. She was born in Peru in 1856, and her beauty was noticeable even as an infant. Her sweetness and beauty is what inspired her to be called after the beautiful flower. In her young years, our Lord visited her often, even teaching her how to read and write.

As she grew in her love for Jesus, St. Rose participated in fasting and mortification. When her parents denied her desire to enter a convent, she sought out other ways to set herself apart from the world. At the age of 20, she joined the Third Order of St. Dominic and lived in a small hermitage in her family’s backyard. Here, she could practice a life of austerity, prayer, and endure other sufferings for love of Christ.

In addition to her spiritual devotions, St. Rose spent her young life caring for the elderly, sick, and hungry children in a make-shift infirmary in her family’s home. When she died at age thirty-one in 1617, nearly the entire city of Lima came to her funeral to honor her life of service and prayer.

St. Rose was canonized in 1671 – the first saint born in the Americas to be canonized! She is the patroness of South America and the Philippines. She is also the patron saint of embroiderers, gardeners, and florists.

St. Rose, Painting the Saint of Love

Whenever I begin a new painting, I pray with the Lord over what to include. In telling the story of our Lord visiting St. Rose, I was inspired to set the scene against a beautiful mountain background. This mountain is symbolic of Mount Zion, and the Heavenly glory to come. Next to St. Rose is an open book, symbolizing how Jesus taught her how to read and write. It also shows how they spend time together in relationship.

If you look closely, you can see blood on St. Rose’s forehead. This gentle detail symbolizes how she willingly subjected herself to many sufferings out of love of Christ. In this detail, we are reminded of the power of sacrifice when done for love. Her left hand reaches up towards the nails of the cross. Notice, Christ’s joyful smile as He looks upon her!

Not everyone is called to the same mortifications and sacrifies that St. Rose endured in her love of the Lord. However, we are all called to unite our sufferings to Christ’s on the cross. St. Rose did not get distracted by the what the world offered. Instead, she kept her gaze on the Lord and the promise of Heaven with Him. Let us be inspired by her radical, pure love!

Let us pray

St. Rose of Lima, remind us to entrust our our hearts to the Lord. Help us protect the innocence of the youth so they can become Saints for the Kingdom. Through your intercession, may we teach them to reject the lies of the world and follow the light of truth. With your same spirit of earnest love and joy, may we cultivate in the youth a spirit of prayer and relationship with the Lord. St. Rose of Lima, pray for us and the youth of today!

St. Rose, Inspiring Young Saints!

We dream for this image to find a home in a church or a beautiful Catholic school! We hope it can inspire future generations who look upon it to be drawn deeper into relationship with the Lord. Reach out today to learn more about purchasing this original oil painting!

Visit visualgrace.org to see available original paintings, including St. Rose of Lima!