Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr
Lectionary: 618
Reading 1
2 Corinthians 9:6-10
Brothers and sisters:
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written:
He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.
The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9
R. (5) Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear
till he looks down upon his foes.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Lavishly he gives to the poor,
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Alleluia
John 8:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness
but will have the light of life, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
John 12:24-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
The Loss of All and the Gain of More
Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. John 12:25
This is one of the many powerful and even shocking statements of Jesus. A similar statement by Jesus is found in all four of the Gospels. In this, John’s version, the words “love” and “hate” are used. By loving our lives we lose them, but by hating our lives we preserve them. At first read, one may think that those words “love” and “hate” were accidentally reversed. One might conclude that what Jesus meant to say was, “Whoever hates his life loses it” and “whoever loves his life preserves it.” But that’s not what He said. He did in fact say the opposite.
It must be understood that the words “love” and “hate” here are not used in the way we normally use them. In this passage, Jesus is using the word “love” to refer to selfishness or self-centeredness. And He uses the word “hate” to refer to selflessness or sacrificial self-giving. In other words, whoever is selfish in life will lose everything in the end but the one who is truly selfless and self-giving in life will ultimately gain everything.
This profound teaching of our Lord is difficult to comprehend without the gift of grace. Our human reason alone may struggle with the idea that selfless living is good. It is easy to rationally conclude that it is far better to elevate ourselves before everyone. The rational mind might conclude that happiness and the “good life” is found in obtaining riches, status, power and the respect of all. But this form of selfish self-centered living, though tempting on a purely human level, is actually the path to losing everything that is truly good. On the contrary, it is only when we allow God’s grace to inform our human reason that we will arrive at the conclusion that being selfless rather than selfish is what’s best. To be selfless means our eyes are always turned to the good of the other. It means we do not sit and dwell on ourselves. It means we are fully committed to the service of God and our neighbor no matter the cost to us. We must give everything away in the service and love of God and that is the only way by which God gives back to us more than we could ever hope for.
Saint Lawrence, whom we honor today, was a deacon and martyr in the third century. This great saint literally gave up everything, including his very life, so as to say “Yes” to God. As a deacon in the Cathedral Church in Rome, he was entrusted with the task of distributing alms to the indigent people in need. In August of the year 258, the Emperor issued an edict stating that all clergy were to be put to death. After the pope was killed, they came for Lawrence and, before killing him, asked him to turn over all the riches of the Church. He asked for three days to gather those treasures, and, during those three days, he distributed all he could to the poor. Then, on the third day, he presented himself before the prefect and brought with him not the material wealth of the Church but the true wealth. He brought the poor, crippled, blind and suffering and declared that the Church was truly rich and that the people with him were the Church’s true treasures. The prefect, in anger, sentenced Lawrence to death by fire, to which Lawrence freely submitted.
Reflect, today, upon the high Christian calling you have been given to live a life that is completely selfless and self-giving in every way. If you find that you dwell on yourself most often, then try to change that habit. Turn your eyes to God and the service of others. Try to care more about the needs of those around you than your own concerns. Do so because this is what Jesus calls us to do, and, if He calls us to such a selfless life, then we must know and believe that it is worth it in the end.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
CONSUMER OR CONSUMED?
“The man who loves his life loses it.” —John 12:25
St. Lawrence is the patron of bountiful giving. It is said that he gave the Church’s treasures to the poor. Lawrence sowed bountifully and cheerfully. Now he reaps the bountiful harvest of transformed lives even centuries after his death (see 2 Cor 9:6). Lawrence not only gave possessions to the Lord; he gave his life for Him by cheerfully suffering martyrdom by fire. He was like a grain of wheat which falls to the earth, dies, and produces much fruit (Jn 12:24).
Lawrence’s life and death show that God wants not only all our money and possessions, but also all our time, energy, relationships, work, lives, and deaths. The Lord commands us to love Him with all our hearts in the most radical way (Mt 22:37).
“Our God is a consuming Fire” (Heb 12:29). We are accustomed to being consumers ourselves. However, when we give our lives to the Lord, we are no longer primarily the consumers but the consumed. We feel like resisting this but, whether or not we want it, we will be consumed by something — our handheld electronic device, work, compulsive behavior, TV, sports, food, cigarettes, anger, jealousy, etc. If we let God consume us, then we will not be degraded, but loved. Therefore, give and give in to God’s consuming love.
Prayer: Father, use me and use me up.
Promise: “He will multiply the seed you sow and increase your generous yield.” —2 Cor 9:10
Praise: As he was dying a martyr’s death, St. Lawrence imitated Jesus by praying for the city of Rome, whose government officials ordered his execution (see Lk 23:34).
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
Saint Lawrence saw in the poor people the assets of the Church; his heart was beating for the poor people. Why do people like Lawrence suffer martyrdom? How do they allow themselves to die like a grain of wheat that loses its shape and identity? a) They have faith vision and through that faith vision they are able to see something beyond; b) They never compromise on their values; and c) Their courage surpasses the terrors that they face from outside.
Prayers
My sacrificial Lord, You gave Your precious life away to all out of love. The total self-giving of Your life resulted in the salvation of those who will accept this glorious gift. Help me to not only open myself to this freely given gift of Yours but to also imitate Your selfless life by giving myself in service of You and others. Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, let me be wheat sown in the earth, to be harvested for you. I want to follow wherever you lead me. Give me fresh hope and joy in serving you all the days of my life.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 222: Feeling Overwhelmed
There are days when you most likely feel overwhelmed on account of one thing or another. It may be that you find yourself with much responsibility and are anxious about being able to properly fulfill your duties well. Or you may feel overwhelmed for the opposite reason, finding that life seems to be at a standstill and you are not sure what to do next. In these moments, of feeling overwhelmed, we must make an act of trust in God. The truth is that God could enter any situation in an instant and transform it, enabling us to face what is before us with the ease of a child. But He doesn’t always do that. Sometimes He allows us to wait on Him so that the situation we face will help to purify us and urge us toward greater surrender and love. Know that God loves you and could do anything to immediately lighten your struggle. Knowing that will help you also realize that, at times, He remains at an apparent distance as an act of hidden Mercy. It’s a Mercy because His wisdom is perfect and He will always act in a way that is most fruitful for your soul (See Diary #1153).
Look at your life this day and identify that which has the appearance of being your greatest struggle. How does that make you feel? If you do feel overwhelmed then pause and try to see the wisdom of God. He will never abandon you and may actually be offering you a hidden gift of Mercy through which He is calling you to greater holiness than if He immediately made your burdens light and easy.
Lord, help me to trust in You especially when I feel overwhelmed by the hardships of life. May I never doubt Your perfect love and perfect wisdom in all things. Give me the grace to see beyond that which burdens me so as to discover the hidden Mercy You offer me to purify and strengthen my soul. I thank You for all things, dear Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.
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