What's up with the "Rose"?

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As I must start my trek down to Richmond, VA, this morning, I thought I'd run this past post, explaining the "Rose" in my name.

I can still hear the chuckle of my nephew Casey, as a slightly perplexed Monsignor Mosley confirmed me "Rose", at last years Easter Vigil. While some men (especially religious) do take Mary as their Saint, most people are confirmed by the name of a Saint of the same sex (info I learned after the fact). I am still happy in my choice (although I now get mail from Catholic charities address to Rose McCleary), and I am humbled to know that this lovely daughter of God is praying for me even as I write.

But why Rose?

Honestly, I had picked Augustine initially, as his autobiography "Confessions" is one of my most cherished books - and I definitely felt a close bond during my first reading of his early "not-so-Christian" life. His transformation truly rivals that of St.Paul (another possible choice), along with that of his superior intellect and piety - a true Doctor of the Church. In either great humility or greater lack of self esteem, I just couldn't let myself be called after someone of Augustine's stature.

It was in my ever quest for humility that I chose a woman, as I do truly believe that woman are naturally humble in spirit - where men (your alpha-monkster in particular) lean towards natural self exaltation (even in their own humbleness). I do not know if this humble nature is societal, or God given (although, you can guess where I lean on that), only that the most loving and self giving people I have known have been women (Christian, Jewish, and atheist alike).

It was actually one of those wonderful "daughters of (the new) Eve", who first shared Rose with me, after I had been stood up for what was to be my first "date" in over a decade. Knowing well that I would likely be taking it as a rejection of my outer self, she shared the story of a humble beauty who rubbed pepper on her face to escape vanity.

Born Isabel, to Spanish immigrants to Peru, and called Rose because of her beauty (there is also the story of infant Isabel's face being transformed by a mystical rose). As a child she was already known for a great reverence, pronouncing love for all things related to God, and this only increased with her age and (outer) beauty.

This beauty, or how she dealt with it, is probably what she is most known for (although I suggest you read more about this amazing woman of God).
Worrying that her appearance could lead herself or others to sin, she was known for wearing coarse clothing, cutting her hair short, and rubbing pepper into her face so that it would blister.

I still remember when I first read about the pepper, and thinking how extreme that was, and that we wouldn't do anything like that now. Living in DC, I soon started noticing how we all do equally extreme acts (tanning, teeth whitening, excessive exercise, starvation diets, $200 jeans, $1,000 suits, $50,000 cars, etc.), but with the difference being we are trying to please the world, where St. Rose only sought to please and venerate her beloved Lord.

Her example, I would have to say, was key to my cutting off permanently, the long hair I had been sporting for 30 years. I had let the hair become my identity, of who I was, or worse, who I wanted people to assume I was. The new look may have made me more "normal" in appearance, but I was to find people still drawn to me, but now because of the person I was, not the person I looked like. I also realized that this was part of me "decreasing, so that Christ may increase", which is my goal, and I hope Saint Rose's prayer for me.

I did want people to see Jesus when they looked at me, but not because of the long hair (O:

So, every day, I ask Saint Rose to pray for me, that I would learn true humility, true love for my God, and true love for my brothers and sisters.

Saint Rose pray for us!