Feast of St.Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr
Readings:
2 Corinthians 9:6-10
John 12:24-26
Reflection:
What is truly precious in the eyes of God? Psalm 117:15 poeticises, precious indeed in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones. For God then, death is precious.
Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr. In the 3rd Century, Pope Sixtus II was sent to his death, along with all bishops, priests and deacons. Lawrence was ordered by the Prefect of Rome to hand over the extent of the Church’s riches. He requested three days to gather the riches and immediately began giving it away to the poor. On the third day, when asked to present this wealth to the Prefect, St Lawrence brought with him the impoverished of the city, the lame, starving, homeless and outcast, and declared “Here are the treasures of the church. You see, the church is truly rich, far richer than your emperor!”
When we celebrate Mass, Christ is present in the Word, the Eucharist and the priest, but equally present in the gathered assembly. That is all of us: children, religious, women, deacons, men, priests, bishops, by right of our baptism. Male, female, rich, poor – we are the church. Our bodies, our lives and our deaths are the gift, not the walls of stone, brick and mortar, not the gold or the symbols. Us.
As we honour St Lawrence, let us, too, be Christ to the world.
Angela Marquis works for the Passionists at St Joseph’s in Tasmania, and with WATAC (Women and the Australian Church), and is a founding member of the Australian Women Preach organising team.