Aug. 10, 2012 Friday: St. Lawrence

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. (Jn. 12:24-26)

The blessed Laurence carried out the office of deacon in the Church of Rome. In that office he administered Christ's sacred blood to the faithful; and for Christ's sake he shed his own blood. The blessed apostle John clearly expounded the mystery of the Lord's Supper when he said: “Just as Christ laid down his life for us, so should we lay down our lives for our
brothers” (1Jn 3,16). Saint Laurence understood this and acted accordingly. His self-sacrifice was similar in kind to that which he received at the altar. He loved Christ in his life and imitated him in death. Brethren, let us imitate Laurence if we truly love Christ. We cannot show a better proof of our love than by imitating him. “Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we might follow his footsteps” (1Pt 2,21)... Indeed the garden
of the Lord contains not only the roses of martyrdom but also the lilies of virginity, the ivy of marriage, and the violets of widowhood. So no one, my dear brethren, need despair of his vocation. Christ suffered for all... Therefore we must try to understand how the Christian ought to imitate
Christ other than by shedding his blood or enduring martyrdom. The apostle Paul says of our Lord Jesus Christ: “His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God.” What majesty was his! Paul adds: “He emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave and became as men are”
(Phil 2,6f.). What humility he showed! Christ humbled himself; the Christian has his example to imitate. “Christ became obedient” (v.8). Why then should a Christian be proud? It was after enduring this humility and defeating death that Christ ascended into heaven; let us follow him.
- St. Augustine
Sermon 304 ; PL 38, 1385 (trans. cf Breviary 10/08)