Saint Lawrence was a deacon in the early Church in Rome. He was martyred for the faith four days after Pope Sixtus and six other deacons under the persecution of Emperor Valerian. St. Lawrence, when asked to turn over the Church’s money and valuables to the Emperor, gathered the poor and proclaimed that they were the Church’s real treasure.
Angered by this refusal to give into the Emperor’s demand, St. Lawrence was put to death. Because of his brave witness to the faith, he became one of the most venerated Roman martyrs of the 3rd century, is a patron of Rome, and is further honored by his name being included in Eucharistic Prayer I.
Provide for Those in Need
Now, that’s the shortened version of his story. A little more is that one of St. Lawrence’s primary assignments was to distribute the Church’s resources to provide for the needy. Today’s Psalm response which is repeated five times: “Blessed is the man who is gracious and lends to those in need,” must have resonated deeply with St. Lawrence. (Can you imagine him getting to know the plight of those in need on a daily basis while honoring the Word of God and lending to those in need?)
What about us? How do we look at lending or giving to those in need? Keep in mind; there is giving in materials like food, money or clothing, friendship and support, and also giving spiritually through teaching and praying. As I reflected on this question, I was drawn to the word “gracious” in that psalm response. As in, “Am I a gracious giver of my time, talent, and treasure…or do I at times give but grudgingly, perhaps known only to God and ourselves.”
The other phrase that might have caught your attention and mine was from the first reading, where St. Paul declares that “God loves a cheerful giver.” To me, it is so uplifting to see or be a joyful giver. People who have this disposition and generosity radiate goodness and hope.
Capacity to Give Cheerfully
Some people are blessed with a greater capacity to be cheerful givers but with God’s grace, we are all capable to one degree or another. In this letter from St. Paul to the Corinthians, he makes it clear that what we put into our lives affects what we get out of them. As he says, “If we sow sparingly, we will also reap sparingly,” but if we “sow bountifully, we will reap bountifully.”
I think the challenge for many is to overcome our fears of going without or of being taken advantage of by others, or even of missing out by not indulging ourselves in the latest or most popular car, clothing, etc. St. Lawrence understood the value of money and other resources and so was a good steward of the Church’s resources for the poor. Likewise, we need to be good stewards and provide for our family’s needs. At the same time, we need to know what many discover through tragically losing their homes in fires or natural disasters, and that what matters the most is the gift of life and our loved ones…our relationships, not our possessions, especially our relationship with God.
St. Lawrence firmly believed along with the truth that each of us needs to give to those less fortunate in God’s Name. He is our role model for also believing that God would reward his courage and gracious lending to the poor with eternal life. He was willing to lose his earthly life to gain the reward of eternal life. In the end, that’s what matters the most, that we live a life with care for those in need, a life rooted in our faith in God and desire to love our families and all in need as God loves each of us. That’s how we become “cheerful givers” this day and every day.
- To view Rosary prayer and Mass streaming live, please visit our Facebook page at 11:30 am Eastern, Monday – Friday. Please invite your loved ones to join us too! (You don't need a Facebook account to view.)
