Feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr

Lectionary: 618

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.

God loves a cheerful giver must have been one of the easiest oracular statements Saint Paul ever made. 

Little is known of today's martyr but some memorable and clever legends survive:

A well-known legend has persisted from earliest times. As deacon in Rome, Lawrence was charged with the responsibility for the material goods of the Church, and the distribution of alms to the poor. When Lawrence knew he would be arrested like the pope, he sought out the poor, widows and orphans of Rome and gave them all the money he had on hand, selling even the sacred vessels to increase the sum. 

When the prefect of Rome heard of this, he imagined that the Christians must have considerable treasure. He sent for Lawrence and said, “You Christians say we are cruel to you, but that is not what I have in mind. I am told that your priests offer in gold, that the sacred blood is received in silver cups, that you have golden candlesticks at your evening services. Now, your doctrine says you must render to Caesar what is his. Bring these treasures—the emperor needs them to maintain his forces. God does not cause money to be counted: He brought none of it into the world with him—only words. Give me the money, therefore, and be rich in words.”Lawrence replied that the Church was indeed rich. “I will show you a valuable part. But give me time to set everything in order and make an inventory.” 

After three days he gathered a great number of blind, lame, maimed, leprous, orphaned and widowed persons and put them in rows. When the prefect arrived, Lawrence simply said, “These are the treasure of the Church.” 

The prefect was so angry he told Lawrence that he would indeed have his wish to die—but it would be by inches. He had a great gridiron prepared, with coals beneath it, and had Lawrence’s body placed on it. After the martyr had suffered the pain for a long time, the legend concludes, he made his famous cheerful remark, “It is well done. Turn me over!”  

                       copied from American Catholic Org. 

This legend of Saint Lawrence stresses an often-overlooked facet of Jesus' story: he eagerly and joyously set out on the road to Jerusalem, knowing full well what would happen to him when he got there. It is good to celebrate the medieval Stations of the Cross with their emphasis on his painful suffering -- I know a fellow who has watched The Passion of the Christ 420 times -- but we should understand that Jesus willingly gave himself for our salvation. He could not and would not die in any other way. 

Our Holy Father Francis carries on Lawrence's joyful tradition as he gathers the treasures of the Church and displays them to an envious world.