10th August
Saint Lawrence, (Lawrence also spelled Laurence) one of the most venerated Roman martyrs, is celebrated for his Christian valour. He is the patron saint of the poor and of cooks.
Lawrence was among the seven deacons of the Roman church serving Pope Sixtus II, whose martyrdom preceded Lawrence’s by a few days: they were executed during the persecution under the Roman emperor Valerian. It is said that Lawrence gave the church’s treasures to the poor and the sick before his arrest. Although Lawrence was probably beheaded, St. Ambrose of Milan and the Latin poet Prudentius, among others, recorded that he was roasted to death on a gridiron, remarking to his torturers at one point, “I am cooked on that side; turn me over, and eat.” Many conversions to Christianity throughout Rome reportedly followed Lawrence’s death, including those of several senators witnessing his execution. The Basilica of San Lorenzo Fuori le Mura (St. Lawrence outside the Walls), Rome, was built over his burial place. He is named in the canon of the Roman mass.
Here are 5 things we can learn from his life and death…
1. Always speak the Truth of Jesus Christ and spread His Gospel message to those we encounter. The Gospel message is to be evangelized to all – from faithful Christians to unbelievers. As the missionaries, we are not to impose the views of the Church, only propose them to the world.
2. We must always strive for holiness. From the moment we are baptized, we are called to live a life of universal holiness. As saints militant here on Earth, we must be joyful Christians. There is no room for grumpy Christians. As St. Teresa of Avila said, “A sad saint is not a saint at all.”
3. Always stand against those who seek to destroy us and persecute us for our beliefs in Jesus Christ and His Church. With great confidence and fortitude, we can overcome the challenges that stand before us. Throughout the world, many of us are being faced with a threat against our religious freedom. We must stand against such tyranny and battle for our freedoms.
4. We are called to be witnesses to the world. The term, martyr, comes from the Greek term meaning witness. Many of us will never endure red martyrdom (death), but we will, and have already begun to endure white martyrdom (social persecution). As we stand against the depravity of this modern culture, many of us will endure social persecution.
5. All suffering leads to Jesus Christ on the cross. Whether our suffering is physical, mental, or spiritual, it can unite us closer to Our Lord who endured great suffering during His Passion. All suffering will eventually lead to glory and resurrection. In his Apostolic Letter, Salvific Doloris, Blessed John Paul II says, “Suffering is also an invitation to manifest the moral greatness of man, his spiritual maturity. Proof of this has been given, down through the generations, by the martyrs and confessors of Christ, faithful to the words: “And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul.”