Second, Martin is someone who, like so many of us, grew up with conflicted identity, a foot in both the colonial Spanish world and the world of the black servants and slaves. His identity in Christ both enabled him to transcend his beginnings and to extend the deep love of Christ to all – even some animals, like rats which are widely considered vermin.
Martin de Porres is special to me because of this reason. I am not sure what challenges being biracial in Peru at that time posed, but like many saints their experiences are timeless personal accounts for those of us who need a helping hand in different walks of life.