Download saint lawrence, deacon and martyr

SAINT LAWRENCE, deacon and
martyr
FEAST DAY: August 10th
CANONIZED A SAINT: By Pope
Saint Dionysius, date unknown
PATRONAGE: Patron of Rome and
of Cooks
PRAYER
Father,
you called Saint Lawrence to serve you by love
and crowned his life with glorious martyrdom.
Help us to be like him
in loving you and doing your work.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
SCRIPTURE READING
A reading from the Gospel of John
“I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep
and my sheep know me in the same that the
Father knows me and I now the Father:
For these sheep I will give my life.”
~John 10: 14 – 15
OUTLINE OF TEACHING
Saint Lawrence was a deacon of the Church of Rome. He
became a martyr during the persecution of Valerian three days
after the martyrdom of Pope Sixtus II and his four companions.
Lawrence’s tomb is located near the Via Tiburtina where
Constantine the Great built a basilica, known as the Basilica of
Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls. Devotion to Saint Lawrence
was widespread by the fourth century.
SAINT LAWRENCE, DEACON AND MARTYR
FEAST DAY: AUGUST 10TH
Introduction
Over the main altar of Rome’s fifth patriarchal basilica lie the remains of the
basilica’s namesake, Saint Lawrence, an early deacon and martyr of the church.
Although very little is known of Saint Lawrence’s life, what is known has inspired
Christians from both the Eastern and Western churches since the middle of the
third century. His is a story of faithfulness and courage in the face of danger; a
danger that would ultimately lead to his death.
Roman ingenuity
Within the first two hundred years of Christianity, and beyond, martyrdom was
a very common outcome to the life of a pious and faithful follower of Jesus, with a
few time periods of exception. The Romans, who were polytheistic (belief in many
gods) pagans had devised many ways of persecuting the Christians beyond that of
crucifixion and beheading. It was not uncommon for churches to be ransacked;
ornaments, the Holy Scriptures and other holy writings were burned. Bishops,
priests and deacons along with those who assisted them were singled out for
persecution. Many Christians would have their eyes gouged out, tongues cut out,
their feet and hands sawed off. Other Christians would be put to death through
starvation as well as burning at the stake as well as be the subject of a new form of
torture; being bound to what became known as the “red-hot” chair. The “red-hot”
chair was simply an iron frame in which a person would be placed and tied down to.
A small portion of the chair would be lit with fire and the chair would slowly heat
up until the person’s flesh literally melted into the chair. Yet, as the great apologist,
Tertullian once observed, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians.”
Christianity, by all accounts was growing by leaps and bounds. By the year 300, it
was estimated that the number of Christians in the Roman Empire had swelled to
around five million.
Emperor Valerian
The Emperor Valerian, one in a long line of persecutors of Christians had issued
an edict in the year 257. The edict issued to the Roman Senate stated that bishops,
presbyters (priests) and deacons shall suffer the death penalty without delay.
Senators, distinguished men and members of the equestrian class who were found to
be Christian were to be deprived of their rank and property, and if, after forfeiting
their privileges, they still professed their faith as Christians, then they too were to be
sentenced to death. Women of the upper class also either had to denounce their
faith or be sentenced to death. Valerian also ordered all Roman citizens to
participate in public Roman ceremonies as well as ordered all Christians to stop
meeting in cemeteries, a common gathering place for the celebration of Mass,
especially if churches were not available.
Saint Pope Sixtus II
Pope Sixtus II, a Greek Christian, was elected to the papacy in August of 257,
which was about the time that Valerian issued his edict. Sixtus was a beloved pope
even though he served in that capacity for one year. As bishop of Rome, Sixtus had
seven deacons assist him in the administration of the
Church of Rome, our own Saint Lawrence being one
of them. Through Pope Sixtus, the poor and
crippled of Rome were cared for by the deacons. In
August of 258, while celebrating Mass in the
cemetery of Saint Callistus, Pope Sixtus and four of
the seven deacons were put to death. Saint Cyprian,
another bishop and martyr had this to say on the
news of the death of Pope Sixtus and four of his
deacons: “Every day we are hoping that this letter will
arrive, for we are standing firm in faith and ready to
endure suffering, in expectation of winning the crown
of eternal life through the help and mercy of the Lord.
I must also inform you that Sixtus was put to death in
a catacomb on the sixth of August, and four deacons
with him. Moreover, the prefects in Rome are pressing
this persecution zealously and without intermission to such a point that anyone
brought before them is punished and his property is claimed by the treasury.”
“Father, where are you going?”
According to Saint Ambrose, Deacon Lawrence wept when Pope Sixtus was
arrested and asked the apprehended pontiff: “Father, where are you going without
your deacon?” Pope Sixtus answered, “I do not leave you my son. You shall follow
me in three days.”
“The wealth of the church”
Initially, Lawrence would have been arrested and executed right along with
Sixtus and the other deacons. Deacon Lawrence was in charge of all the monies for
the Church of Rome, as he was responsible to help provide for the needs of the poor.
Emperor Valerian was well aware of this and demanded that Lawrence hand over
the wealth of the church. Deacon Lawrence asked that he have three days time to
gather the wealth of the church. His request was certainly granted. It was believed
that the Christians had hid considerable amounts of wealth and treasures and the
Emperor certainly knew Lawrence had access to them all. Lawrence immediately
gave away all of the money and anything else that he could sell to provide for the
needs of the poor. By the time the third day had arrived, Deacon Lawrence had
gathered around him many of the poor, the blind and the crippled who had been
supported by the church and were brought together to the Emperor Valerian.
When brought before Valerian, Lawrence, accompanied by the poor of Rome
proclaimed; “These are the treasure of the Church.” The Emperor was furious as
he accused Lawrence of “mocking him.”
“You shall die by inches”
Valerian was not going to allow Lawrence to die quickly by beheading as he did
Pope Sixtus and the deacons. Lawrence was told that he was going to “die by
inches.” The holy deacon was stripped of his clothing and bound to a gridiron bed
over a slow fire. His flesh was roasted
very slowly. Many people, both believers
and non-believers had gathered to witness
this event that was unfolding before them.
For the Christians that were present, they
noticed that Lawrence’s face appeared to
be surrounded by a beautiful, bright light
while his roasted body gave off a sweet
smelling odor. Those non-believers who
were present experienced neither of these
events. Legend has it that at one point, he
ordered his tormentors to “let my body be
turned; one side is broiled enough.” It is said that just before he died, he prayed for
the conversion of the city of Rome, which was on the slow path of self-destruction as
an empire. Prudentius, a Roman poet and witness of the martyrdom of Saint
Lawrence claimed that God must have granted Lawrence his request for the
conversion of Rome, almost immediately, for several Roman Senators who were
present at his death were so moved by his heroism and fortitude that they converted
to Christianity on the spot. These same senators took up the body of the new
martyr and provided an honorable burial on the Via Tiburtina, where the
patriarchal basilica in honor of Saint Lawrence stands today in Rome.
READING
A reading from a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop
The Roman church commends to us today the anniversary of the triumph of
Saint Lawrence. For on this day he trod the furious pagan world underfoot and
flung aside it allurements, and so gained victory over Satan’s attack on his faith.
As you have often heard, Lawrence was a deacon of the Church at Rome. There
he ministered the sacred blood of Christ; there for the sake of Christ’s name he
poured out his own blood. Saint John the apostle was evidently teaching us about
the mystery of the Lord’s Supper when he wrote: “Just as Christ laid down his life
for us, so we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” My brethren, Lawrence
understood this and, understanding, he acted on it. In his life he loved Christ, in his
death he followed his footsteps.
Brethren, we too must imitate Christ if we truly love him. We shall not be able to
render better return on that love than by modeling our lives on his. “Christ
suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in his steps.” The holy
martyrs followed Christ even to shedding their life’s blood, even to reproducing the
very likeness of his passion. They followed him, but not they alone. It is not true
that the bridge was broken after the martyrs crossed; nor is it true that after they
had drunk from it, the fountain of eternal life dried up.
On no account may any class of people despair, thinking that God has not called
them. Christ suffered for all. What the Scriptures say of him is true: “He desires
all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.”
QUESTIONS TO PONDER AND DISCUSS
1.) How would knowing that you could be put to death for being a Christian
affect your faith?
2.) What do you think Saint Lawrence meant when he said that the poor and the
blind and the crippled were the wealth of the Church?
3.) How does the world of today view the poor, the blind and the crippled in
terms of their worth?
4.) Who do you see as the wealth of the Church today?