HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF SAINT LAWRENCE, Deacon and Martyr (2)

HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF SAINT LAWRENCE, Deacon and Martyr

THEME: Learn, unhappy man, how great is the power of my God; for your burning coals give me refreshment but they will be your eternal punishment (st Lawrence).

BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA

HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY AUGUST 10 2022

*READINGS OF THE DAY*
2 Corinthians 9:6-10
Psalm 111:1-2,5-9
John 12:24-26

*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
RED

*INTRODUCTION*
Dear Friends in Christ, today we celebrate together the glorious Feast of Lawrence, also known as St. Lawrence of Rome, one of the great saints of the Church. He was one of the seven deacons appointed for the Diocese of Rome in assisting the Pope in the governance and management of the Church.

*WHO WAS ST LAURENCE?*
St. Lawrence was born in Valencia, the province of Hispania in the Roman Empire, in what is the present day Spain. He encountered another saint of the Church, Pope St. Sixtus II, who happened to be in Hispania, and developed a good relationship that eventually went on to Rome, where Pope St. Sixtus II was eventually elected as Pope and successor of St. Peter, while the trusted St. Lawrence was appointed by the new Pope as the first of the seven deacons of the Diocese of Rome, that made him well known as the Archdeacon of Rome as one of his titles. He was entrusted with the treasuries of the Church and the care of the poor and the needy in Rome.
Lawrence, a deacon of the church in Rome, was martyred for his faith in Christ in the year 258 during the persecutions under the Emperor Valerian.

*ABOUT THE GOSPEL READING OF THE DAY*
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus presents to us an analogy of living and dying. In dying to oneself especially of our being conceited, self-centered and individualistic, a new life develops. Every human person is like a grain of wheat that falls to the earth and dies. It is in dying that life produces much fruit. Take the example of Jesus. He was crucified on the cross and died and his death produced much fruit like: salvation or eternal life for all, the Sacraments, the Church.

*WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THE SAINT OF TODAY?*
St. Lawrence is teaching us that as Christians, each and every one of us have the calling and the mission to reach out to our brethren and to the world, to stand up for our faith and to be courageous in living our faith through our lives. Unless we do so, we cannot be truly considered as Christians.

*CONCLUSION*
May the Lord be with us all, and may He continue to guide us on our journey of life. May God bless our every good works and endeavours so that we may always glorify Him by our every actions and that we may be inspiration for one another just as the saints like St. Lawrence had done for us. St. Lawrence, holy servant of God and courageous martyr of the Faith, pray for us all! Amen.

Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA