Memorial of Saint
Lawrence, deacon and martyr
(II Corinthians 9:6-10; John12:24-26)
The stories about St. Lawrence are so fascinating that
one may forget about the sacrifice he made.
It is well known how he defied the emperor by presenting the poor of
Rome as the jewels of the Church. Also,
perhaps more famous, is the anecdote of how he ridiculed death itself by
telling his executioner that he was grilled enough on one side and should be
turned over.
No doubt, however, Lawrence felt deeply the imminent loss
of life. He might have left behind a
wife and family with no sure sense of security.
Wouldn’t he also have wondered what if anything lay on the other side of
the abyss? More certainly, Lawrence took
to heart St. Paul’s words calling death “the last enemy.” Perhaps strength of character enabled him to amuse
others in the face of death. But he was
not a lunatic and likely still found the prospect of death wrenching. It is also probable that faith saved him from
the terror of it all.
In the gospel Jesus assures those who like himself are
called to give their lives in testimony of God’s love that they do not die in
vain. When we live and, if necessary,
die in demonstration of God’s supreme blessing in Jesus, then we need not
worry. Indeed, we can face death with a
modicum of peace. The same Jesus will
not only raise us from the dead but will cause our death to bring hope to others
in similarly perilous situations.
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