The Feast of St Lawrence, the Doyen of Deacons.

"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 12: 24).

Monday 10th August 2020, 19th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr. (+258). St Lawrence, Roman and Deacon in the Church of Rome during the pontificate of Pope St Sixtus II. St Lawrence spent his life in the service of the poor of Rome. He perished in a gruesome torture under the persecution of Emperor Valerian. St Lawrence is the Doyen of all the Deacons of the Church.

Jesus is the "grain of wheat" who died, buried and rose from the dead to produce immense fruit of salvation. Without the death of Jesus, the Church would have no martyrs. We will not be celebrating the feast of St Lawrence today. Nor for that matter Saints Peter and Paul, Agatha and Agnes, Thomas More and John Fisher. The saints followed the Lamb of God to the Cross. They thus become the best interpretation of the Gospel.

But the Gospel is a living document not a dead letter. What does it mean for you to be the grain of wheat who falls to the ground and dies in order to produce large amounts of fruits? The answer is in the life of St Lawrence. He answered the call to the clerical state when that calling was a certain death sentence. Jesus empowered Lawrence with His grace and the Holy Spirit enabled Lawrence to produce large harvest.

Here is something else Jesus said about producing large harvest if you are willing:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.  He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit." (John 15: 1 - 2).

When you are not a dead branch, rejoice when the Father prunes you with trials.  "Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as sons. For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline?" (Hebrews 12: 7).

Every Christian who aspires to be a saint may not necessarily be blessed with the crown of martyrdom but Jesus promises that the Christian could achieve heroic sanctity if he follows some simple plan of life:

#1 Embrace God’s gracious and mysterious will every moment.
#2 Enjoy the constant presence of Jesus in the Sacrament of the Present Moment.
#3 Offer everywhere, always and for everything a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.
#4 Make a sweet surrender of all trials to Jesus.

This prayer will help anyone live the above-mentioned principles if repeated frequently and daily:

JESUS-EMMANUEL I TRUST IN YOUR MERCIFUL LOVE AND NOT IN MY FILTHY WORKS. I SURRENDER MYSELF TO YOU COMPLETELY. TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING YOUR WAY. (10 times).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com