St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr (feast)
2 Cor. 9: 6b-10 John 12: 24-26
Theme: A generous heart
Today the church celebrates the feast of St. Lawrence, who willingly shed his blood for his conviction and faith in God. He was among the seven Deacons in Rome that was martyred. He was courageous in Martyrdom. He is the Patron saint of Rome and so many other groups. In his life we see generosity in practice. His faith in God guided his actions and his relationship with all those who encountered him at different times in his life. He willingly gave himself to God without holding anything back. His self-emptying is a challenge for you and me as Christians in our own time. Simply put, he generously donated his life to God courageously.
In the 1st reading of today, we are all encouraged to give generously to God with a good heart. It says, ‘God loves a cheerful giver’. Those are very important words, as we generously share the things we have with others. We all want to always reap bountifully from God, so we must also learn to give to him in the same way. According to St. Paul in today’s 1st reading, those who give sparingly will also reap sparingly. One thing we must always remember is the fact that we cannot outdo God in generosity. Just like St. Lawrence whose feast we celebrate today, he willingly gave everything to God without reservation. Dear friends in Christ, today we are all encouraged to do the same, like St. Lawrence.
This is also connected to the gospel reading of today, which reminds us about the fact that those who love their lives will lose it, and those who lose their lives like St. Lawrence will keep it for eternal life. Dearly beloved in Christ, the choice is for you and me to make. As children of God and people who desire to make heaven at the end of our earthly pilgrimage, we must do all within our power to let go and let God take control of the happenings in our life. We pray that through the intercession of St. Lawrence God will grant us the grace to be generous with our life. May almighty God bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.