Today commemorates Lawrence, a Deacon and Martyr. It’s believed that Lawrence was born to Christian parents on December 31, 225 probably in Valencia, Spain. He once traveled to Rome with a teacher who would become Pope Sixtus II. Sixtus was so impressed with Lawrence that when he became pope, he ordained him a deacon and later appointed him Archdeacon of Rome. It was an important position placing him in charge of the church’s property and the care of the poor.

This wasn’t a safe time to be a Christian in Rome. In August 258, Emperor Valerian ordered all bishops, priests and deacons to be put to death. Pope Sixtus was beheaded on August 6, and the Prefect of Roman demanded that Lawrence hand over all the treasures of the church. According to tradition, Lawrence asked for three days to gather all church’s goods.

He did what he could to distribute things to the poor before appearing again before the prefect with a group of poor people. It is said that he told the prefect: “Behold in these poor persons the treasures which I promised to show you; to which I will add pearls and precious stones, those widows and consecrated virgins, which are the Church’s crown.” The prefect was so enraged that he ordered a large gridiron prepared with hot coals beneath it and had Lawrence bound to it. Lawrence suffered a slow, painful death.

These martyrdom stories always give me the willies. I always wonder if I could hold fast to my faith in the face of persecution.

Read Luke 21:10-19 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne