Word to the Wise
Thursday, August 10, 2023 - Aug. 10 - St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr
[2 Cor 9:6-10 and John 12:24-26]Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. [2 Corinthians] "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." [John]
The early Christian writer, Tertullian, wrote: "The blood of martyrs is the seedbed of the church." St. Lawrence has been celebrated for a long time. He was noted for a wry sense of humor. Tradition says that he was roasted on a grill of some kind, which appears in his images in churches, and was quoted as telling his executioners, "Turn me over. I'm done on this side!" As St. Paul wrote, "God loves a cheerful giver!"
Jesus and St. Paul both speak to sowing and seed in the scriptures assigned for this day. And recently, the parable of the seed and the sower were featured in both Sunday and daily scriptures. Those images would have been familiar to their audiences, many of whom would have been tenant or subsistence farmers. The transformation of a small seed into a plant thousands of times larger is an amazing thing. Jesus and St. Paul see this as an act of self-giving. In the case of St. Lawrence, it was a total commitment.
Permanent Deacons around the world celebrate this day as a patronal feast. Their commitment (which usually means the involvement of their spouses as well) is inspiring. I have given many retreats for Permanent Deacons and spouses and can speak to that inspiration. If your parish has a Permanent Deacon(s), it might be a gracious thing to wish them a happy feast day today." AMEN