Feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr

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.

Jesus’ crucifixion and the martyrdom of thousands of his witnesses stand forever to challenge the limits of our generosity. When we think about giving we ordinarily think about giving money or food or time. We think about certain commodities which we may have in abundance while others suffer a short supply. But we don’t so often think about giving our very lives to some one else. That’s somewhat “over the top” and, fortunately, not usually necessary.

And yet that “supreme sacrifice” is not so terribly unusual:

v     Cities expect their police to act courageously as they control and contain crime. Many officers die in the line of duty.

v     Only a fool or a fire fighter would rush into a burning building, and yet the latter do it all the time.

v     Medical people work in close quarters with fatal germs and viruses and often get stuck with needles.

v     And, most obviously, the state asks military people to risk their lives in defense of the country.

Though we value individual human life, we know it is not an absolute value; sometimes some people must make the supreme sacrifice for the greater good.

Recalling both sacred and secular models of that supreme sacrifice, I can reassess my own willingness to sacrifice for others. How willing am I to miss a meal or a night’s sleep for a loved one? How willing am I to change my schedule or alter my route to accommodate someone else? Am I prepared to walk the extra mile or give till it hurts? These little things make a difference!

At one time the Church’s recognition of saints went no further than the martyrs. That’s why Saint Francis of Assisi was so eager to sail to Egypt and march into the enemy camp. He wanted to be a saint and there was no other way to do it. But the Lord used him to show the Church a saint can die in his own bed if he is willing to live for others. Rather than the sudden, impetuous dash for the finish line, saints more often attend the ordinary opportunities of each day, the same ones that fall to you and me. Their witness might not be spectacular but in God’s kingdom and in God’s time, they make all the difference.