Today we honor and remember St. Lawrence, deacon of the Church of Rome in the early years. He saw the Holy Father martyred, and was told by him that he too shall have great things happen to him. When arrested by Valerian, he was told to bring the riches to him, since this new Church had so much within it. Lawrence went out and got the homeless, the poor, the blind and weak, etc. Lawrence told the ruler that such as these were the riches to God. The ruler was furious at this pompous show. He ordered Lawrence tortured, and when that didn't seem to make him see his errors in not worshiping the gods, ordered him to be grilled alive. Lawrence did NOT cease to praise and thank God for all he had been given. Lawrence even told the torturers to turn him over and eat, since one side was done. We are all called to be courageous in trying times, and, hopefully, we can be as strong as St. Lawrence. Maybe, if we get the chance, we could ask him for his help. I'd like to end with a prayer from the Mozarabic liturgy:
O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst enable the most blessed Lawrence, burning with the fire of Thy Charity, to overcome the heat both of passions and of sufferings: for he trampled alike both on gold and the fire, and was found liberal in giving to the poor and faithful in the burning of his body; grant us, through his intercession, that being kindled by the breath of the Holy Spirit, we may overcome the flames of concupiscence and may be consumed by the fire of all sanctity, so that after our passage through this life, our lot may be found among those saints for whom we now offer Thee our homage.
St. Lawrence, pray for us
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