One more for St. Laurence
August 10, 2006 - St. Laurence, Deacon and Martyr
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (St. John 12:24-25)
You may have heard the expression: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” The seed, or grain of wheat, before us today, is St. Laurence.
So who was he? Laurence was a deacon to Sixtus II, Bishop of Rome. In A.D. 258, secular authorities commanded that St. Laurence hand over the treasures of the Church. Instead he distributed them to the poor. It is said that he then brought impoverished people before the Prefect and stated, “Here are the treasures of the Church!” He was condemned to be burned alive.
At this point many would join St. Peter in claiming, “I will never fall away…Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And yet, so often we fall into that easy way out, denying rather than dying. It is far easier to back off like a cowering apostle on Holy Thursday, than to be a bold deacon, facing a grim death by being roasted.
Tradition says that Laurence was bound to a grill and placed over a fire. Yet, even in the face of death, he kept his sense of humor. As Satan gleefully lashed out against Christ’s Church, Laurence did not love his life more than His Lord. He “hated” this life, anticipating the joy to come. "Turn me over, I'm done on this side!" he joked. And just before he died he declared, "It's cooked enough now."
Of course, his sense of humor was not the important point of Laurence’s earthly life. He would not lose “this” life due to loving it more than our Savior. Rather, the Holy Spirit focused him so much on the joys of heaven, where he would, with all Christ’s saints, celebrate the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom that has no end.
In Baptism, Christ has given you new life that does not love this life more than Jesus. Our Lord leads you on a pilgrimage where you are nourished by His Gospel and His Holy Supper. The loving Lord of Life, will one day lead you to Himself.