Biographical Information about St. Lawrence[1]
Readings for the Feast of Saint Lawrence[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 2 Cor 9:6-10
We give you, as part of the commentary on this reading, the footnote from the NAB on Paul’s call for action from the community at Corinth;
“The behavior to which he exhorts them is grounded in God's own pattern of behavior. God is capable of overwhelming generosity, as scripture itself attests (2 Cor 9:9), so that they need not fear being short. He will provide in abundance, both supplying their natural needs and increasing their righteousness. Paul challenges them to godlike generosity and reminds them of the fundamental motive for encouragement: God himself cannot be outdone.”
Given on the Feast of St. Lawrence, Deacon, this is a special reminder to the diaconate that they (we) are to pour ourselves out in God’s service and that he will supply the grace to accomplish every good work.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Psalm 112, which rejoices in acts of generosity, points to God’s call to share good fortune with the poor in acts of charity – a principle ministry of the Deacon.
Gospel Jn 12:24-26
St. John’s passage, given here, is foundational to our understanding of the Pascal Mystery. Using the analogy of the grain of wheat, the Lord invites us to his own sacrifice, out of that wheat comes the Eucharistic Sacrifice and into that death, through Baptism, we are invited to share the salvation that comes from following Christ in life and death. St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, clearly did both.
Reflection:
While St. Stephen may have been the first Deacon of the Church (and first martyr), St. Lawrence, whose Feast we celebrate today, epitomizes that role in ministry both ancient and modern. Tradition holds that St. Lawrence was a Deacon at the time when Sixtus II was Pontiff. During the persecution of Emperor Valerian, in a valiant attempt to continue the support of the poor, Pope Sixtus handed over the wealth of the Church of Rome to his Archdeacon, Lawrence, as he was taken to his own martyr’s death.
In the face of this threat, St. Lawrence openly continued his acts of charity in the name of Christ and his Church until his own arrest and ultimate torture and martyrdom. Tradition also holds that, while he was being roasted to death, he said to his torturers, “Turn me over, I’m done on that side.” We must admire his sense of humor and the effect this must have had on those who participated in the act. By his actions, St. Lawrence not only gained for himself a prominent place among the Saints, but he also provides for us the arch-example of following Christ’s instruction and example.
St. Paul instructs the Corinthians in the first reading to be generous with their gifts. These must include the material wealth of the community and the spiritual wealth of the grace they are given. Sharing with those less fortunate is the Pauline response to Christ’s instruction from St. John’s Gospel, to sow the wheat that is both food for the body and though the Gospel and Eucharist, food for the soul. In this complex imagery the sower becomes the wheat that dies and rises.
Today we are challenged once more to share what we have been given, be that material wealth or spiritual abundance. For the Deacons of the Church (myself included) this message needs to be a renewed call to the ministry in which we were called to receive the Gospel of Christ, to teach what we were given, and to practice what we teach.
Pax
[1] The picture today is St. Peter Consecrates St. Lawrence as Deacon, by Fra Angelico, 1447-49
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
Readings for the Feast of Saint Lawrence[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 2 Cor 9:6-10
We give you, as part of the commentary on this reading, the footnote from the NAB on Paul’s call for action from the community at Corinth;
“The behavior to which he exhorts them is grounded in God's own pattern of behavior. God is capable of overwhelming generosity, as scripture itself attests (2 Cor 9:9), so that they need not fear being short. He will provide in abundance, both supplying their natural needs and increasing their righteousness. Paul challenges them to godlike generosity and reminds them of the fundamental motive for encouragement: God himself cannot be outdone.”
Given on the Feast of St. Lawrence, Deacon, this is a special reminder to the diaconate that they (we) are to pour ourselves out in God’s service and that he will supply the grace to accomplish every good work.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Psalm 112, which rejoices in acts of generosity, points to God’s call to share good fortune with the poor in acts of charity – a principle ministry of the Deacon.
Gospel Jn 12:24-26
St. John’s passage, given here, is foundational to our understanding of the Pascal Mystery. Using the analogy of the grain of wheat, the Lord invites us to his own sacrifice, out of that wheat comes the Eucharistic Sacrifice and into that death, through Baptism, we are invited to share the salvation that comes from following Christ in life and death. St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, clearly did both.
Reflection:
While St. Stephen may have been the first Deacon of the Church (and first martyr), St. Lawrence, whose Feast we celebrate today, epitomizes that role in ministry both ancient and modern. Tradition holds that St. Lawrence was a Deacon at the time when Sixtus II was Pontiff. During the persecution of Emperor Valerian, in a valiant attempt to continue the support of the poor, Pope Sixtus handed over the wealth of the Church of Rome to his Archdeacon, Lawrence, as he was taken to his own martyr’s death.
In the face of this threat, St. Lawrence openly continued his acts of charity in the name of Christ and his Church until his own arrest and ultimate torture and martyrdom. Tradition also holds that, while he was being roasted to death, he said to his torturers, “Turn me over, I’m done on that side.” We must admire his sense of humor and the effect this must have had on those who participated in the act. By his actions, St. Lawrence not only gained for himself a prominent place among the Saints, but he also provides for us the arch-example of following Christ’s instruction and example.
St. Paul instructs the Corinthians in the first reading to be generous with their gifts. These must include the material wealth of the community and the spiritual wealth of the grace they are given. Sharing with those less fortunate is the Pauline response to Christ’s instruction from St. John’s Gospel, to sow the wheat that is both food for the body and though the Gospel and Eucharist, food for the soul. In this complex imagery the sower becomes the wheat that dies and rises.
Today we are challenged once more to share what we have been given, be that material wealth or spiritual abundance. For the Deacons of the Church (myself included) this message needs to be a renewed call to the ministry in which we were called to receive the Gospel of Christ, to teach what we were given, and to practice what we teach.
Pax
[1] The picture today is St. Peter Consecrates St. Lawrence as Deacon, by Fra Angelico, 1447-49
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
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