Friday, August 10, 2012

Sermon by Leo the Great, on the Feast of S. Laurence the Martyr1177 S. Laurence was the chief Deacon in the time of Sextus II., and was martyred in the persecution of Valerian, 258, in the way detailed by Leo in this Sermon. His was a very favourite festival in the Middle Ages both in the East and West. (Aug. 10)

St. Lawrence was a deacon whose fearless love of God is legendary. Here we see a tribute to him by St. Leo the Great.

I. The example of the martyrs is most valuable.

While the height of all virtues, dearly-beloved, and the fullness of all righteousness is born of that love, where God and one’s neighbor is loved, surely in none is this love found more conspicuous and brighter than in the blessed martyrs; who are as near to our Lord Jesus, Who died for all men, in the imitation of His love, as in the likeness of their suffering. For, although that Love, where the Lord has redeemed us, cannot be equaled by any man’s kindness, because it is one thing that a man who is doomed to die one day should die for a righteous man, and another that One Who is free from the debt of sin should lay down His life for the wicked1178 Cf. Rom. v. 7, 8.: yet the martyrs also have done great service to all men, in that the Lord Who gave them boldness, has used it to show that the penalty of death and the pain of the cross need not be terrible to any of His followers, but might be imitated by many of them. If therefore no good man is good for himself alone, and no wise man’s wisdom befriends himself only, and the nature of true virtue is such that it leads many away from the dark error on which its light is shed, no model is more useful in teaching God’s people than that of the martyrs. Eloquence may make intercession easy, reasoning may effectually persuade; but yet examples are stronger than words, and there is more teaching in practice than in precept.

II. The Saint’s martyrdom described.

And how gloriously strong in this most excellent manner of doctrine the blessed martyr Laurentius is, by whose sufferings to-day is marked, even his persecutors were able to feel, when they found that his wondrous courage, born principally of love for Christ, not only did not yield itself, but also strengthened others by the example of his endurance. For when the fury of the gentile potentates was raging against Christ’s most chosen members, and attacked those especially who were of priestly rank, the wicked persecutor’s wrath was vented on Laurentius the deacon, who was pre-eminent not only in the performance of the sacred rites, but also in the management of the church’s property1179 It will be remembered that “the serving of tables” was from the first institution of the office one of the principal duties of the deacon (levita), see Acts vi. 1–6. This side of the office has latterly fallen into abeyance and is but slightly recognized in the English Ordinal., promising himself double spoil from one man’s capture: for if he forced him to surrender the sacred treasures, he would also drive him out of the pale of true religion. And so this man, so greedy of money and such a foe to the truth, arms himself with double weapon: with avarice to plunder the gold; with impiety to carry off Christ. He demands of the guileless guardian of the sanctuary that the church wealth on which his greedy mind was set should be brought to him. But the holy deacon showed him where he had them stored, by pointing to the many troops of poor saints, in the feeding and clothing of whom he had a store of riches which he could not lose, and which were the more entirely safe that the money had been spent on so holy a cause.

III. The description of his sufferings continued.

The baffled plunderer, therefore, frets, and blazing out into hatred of a religion, which had put riches to such a use, determines to pillage a still greater treasure by carrying off that sacred deposit1180 Depositum, viz. his faith, the παραθήκη of 1 Tim. vi. 20., wherewith he was enriched, as he could find no solid hoard of money in his possession. He orders Laurentius to renounce Christ, and prepares to ply the deacon’s stout courage with frightful tortures: and, when the first elicit nothing, fiercer follow. His limbs, torn and mangled by many cutting blows, are commanded to be broiled upon the fire in an iron framework1181 Per cratem ferream usually represented in pictures, or statues of the saints as a gridiron., which was of itself already hot enough to burn him, and on which his limbs were turned from time to time, to make the torment fiercer, and the death more lingering.

IV. Laurentius has conquered his persecutor.

You gain nothing, you prevail nothing, O savage cruelty. His mortal frame is released from your devices, and, when Laurentius departs to heaven, you are vanquished. The flame of Christ’s love could not be overcome by your flames, and the fire which burnt outside was less keen than that which blazed within. You did nothing but serve the martyr in your rage, O persecutor: you did nothing but swell the reward in adding to the pain. For what did you cunningly devise, which did not rebound to the conqueror’s glory, when even the instruments of torture were counted as part of the triumph? Let us rejoice, then, dearly-beloved, with spiritual joy, and make our boast over the happy end of this illustrious man in the Lord, Who is “wonderful in His saints1182 Ps. lxviii. 35 (LXX.).,” in whom He has given us a support and an example, and has so spread abroad his glory throughout the world, that, from the rising of the sun to its going down, the brightness of his deacon’s light shines, and Rome is become as famous in Laurentius as Jerusalem was ennobled by Stephen. By his prayer and intercession1183 Cf. Sermon LXXXII. c. 7. we trust at all times to be assisted; that, because all, as the Apostle says, “who wish to live holily in Christ, suffer persecution1184 2 Tim. iii. 12.,” we may be strengthened with the spirit of love, and be fortified to overcome all temptations by the perseverance of steadfast faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf212.ii.v.xliv.html

Prayer to St. Lawrence: O glorious Saint Lawrence, Martyr and Deacon, who, being subjected to the most bitter torments, didst not lose thy faith nor thy constancy in confessing Jesus Christ, obtain in like manner for us such an active and solid faith, that we shall never be ashamed to be true followers of Jesus Christ, and fervent Christians in word and in deed. (http://catholicism.about.com/od/prayers/qt/Prayer_to_Saint_Lawrence.htm

My thoughts: I will not be so presumptuous as to think I could add anything to a sermon by St. Leo the Great! I will retell one story, and add another about St. Lawrence which should impress upon us that a good sense of humor is very necessary in our work as God’s disciples. When Lawrence was told to turn over all the Church’s treasures, he promised that he would do so. The next day, instead of bearing gold and silver, he showed up with all the Catholics in the town, proclaiming that the people of faith are the Church’s greatest treasure. I can just imagine how that went over. Then, when he was being “bar-b-qued” to death, he shouted to his executioners, “Turn me over, please, for I am quite done on this side.” A fearless nature, a good humor, and an unwavering faith in God: St. Lawrence is a saint who can give us all strength in times of persecution. St. Lawrence, pray for us.




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