On St. Lawrence the Martyr

Today would be St. Eupolis, the Archdeacon of

Catania in Sicily. I mention that only because

when he was being persecuted and on trial, the

magistrate urged him for the last time to sacrifice,

that is to sacrifice to the emperor or to whatever

god, it's the rest of the story. And he replied,

yes, yes, yes, I will sacrifice. But it is I,

myself, that I will sacrifice, offer in sacrifice

to Christ my God. I have nothing else to sacrifice.

Your efforts are futile in changing my mind.

Because, of course, you know how it says you

can't negotiate with terrorists. You can't also

negotiate with tyrants. They demand that you

accept a lie, something that's not real. And

we... stake our life on what is real, that is

Christ and the resurrection. So they're witnesses.

They bear testimony, the martyrs do, with their

lives to the gospel, the good news. Your efforts

are futile. I am a Christian. If you'll indulge

me, however, today was St. Lawrence Day, and

so... So maybe many of you have heard this story

a number of times. You're free to go if you want.

But I'd like to read just an excerpt from the

Synoxarion on the martyrdom of St. Lawrence.

It occurred in the year 251. He was archdeacon

of Pope Sixtus of Rome. Pope Sixtus had been

arrested and was on his way to martyrdom. And

his archdeacon, Lawrence, that's a very important

position in the Church of Rome, the position

of archdeacon, wanted to follow him. And the

bishop replies, no, my son, I'm not abandoning

you, but greater combat is reserved for you.

You can't come with me. I'm not abandoning you.

We, he says, as old men, are engaged in light

combat. In other words, his execution was going

to be swift. But you, But you, a more glorious

triumph over the tyrant awaits you as a young

man in your full strength. Do not weep. In three

days, the deacon will follow the priest. Then

before giving him the kiss of peace, he confided

the church and its possessions to him to administer

them in his name. Lawrence immediately began

to accomplish his God -given task, distributing

the church's wealth to the clerics and the poor.

He met a widow named Kiriaki, who was hiding

many Christians in her house. Under cover of

night, he brought them money and clothes and

then visited other houses, healing the sick,

washing the feet of the faithful in imitation

of the Lord. Wouldn't we like a person like that

to be here? As the Pope had been condemned to

be beheaded on the Appian Way, St. Lawrence went

there, crossing his path, cried out to him, Father,

do not leave me, for I have already distributed

the treasures you confided to me. Hearing him

speak of treasures, the soldiers immediately

seized him, treasures, and took him before the

tribunal, the tribune Parthenius, who notified

the emperor. Lawrence was thrown into prison,

and the tribune Hippolytus was appointed to guard

him. In the prison, Lawrence healed and converted

a blind man named Lucillus by his prayers, later

baptized him and the 19 members of his household.

The deacon was busy in prison. He wasn't bewailing

his situation. He continued his divine work for

God in every single way. Nothing can separate

us from the love of God, says St. Paul. Here's

proof. When the news of the healing spread, numerous

other blind people massed to the saint and all

were healed. Lawrence was summoned to appear

before Valerian, local governor, who demanded

that he hand over the aforementioned church's

treasures. Lawrence asked for a large number

of carts to be made available in three days'

time. Valerian was just rubbing his hands. in

anticipation of this. Meanwhile, he assembled

the blind, the lame, and all sorts of sick people

in Hippolytus' house. Remember, Hippolytus was

the tribune, he was the guard, and he had become

a Christian. He then placed them on the carts,

the blind, the lame, and all sorts of sick people,

and presented them at the palace, saying, here

are the eternal treasures of the church. which

will never diminish but will always multiply,

treasures present in each and found in all. Overwhelmed

with rage, Valerian screamed, sacrifice to the

gods, forget this magic art in which you trust.

Now that's important. There's so much testimony

in ancient writings that the Romans believed

that Christians, early Christians, were practicing

Jewish magic of some sort. Otherwise, how could

they do these things? St. Lawrence replied that

nothing would induce him to prefer the worship

of demons to the creator of all. He was handed

over to torture, then thrown into prison. After

a second interrogation in Tiberias, his palace

on the Palatine Hill, red -hot sword blades were

applied to his flesh. He was beaten with leaded

whips and chains, studded with iron hooks. Seeing

his heavenly endurance, Romanos, one of the soldiers,

was converted and immediately executed. A third

interrogation took place in the bath situated

near the palace of Sallust. The emperor had the

saint's jaw broken with rocks, then ordered that

he be stripped and placed upon an iron grill

over burning coals. Ordered for the last time

to sacrifice to the gods, Lawrence declared,

I, like Eupolis, the archdeacon, I offer myself

as an acceptable and sweet -smelling sacrifice

to the only true God, for the sacrifice which

pleases God is a broken... As the executioners

were stoking the fire, he said to the tyrant,

Take note, most wretched man, that this fire

brings me relief, but to you eternal torment.

Now I am cooked on one side, turn me therefore

to the other. When they had turned to him, he

offered a last prayer. I give thee thanks, Lord

Jesus Christ, that I have been found worthy to

enter the gates of the kingdom. Then he gave

up his spirit. He was then buried on land belonging

to the widow Kiriaki. They were denounced, and

she and Hippolytus were soon arrested. And the

rest of the story you can read. Many, many churches

were built in honor of this saint to commemorate

this amazing archdeacon. He is called equal to

the apostles in the West. And he is here on our

deacon doors. Through the prayers of the Holy

Martyr, Archdeacon Lawrence of Rome, Lord Jesus

Christ our God, have mercy on us.