August 10 – St Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr (Feast)

Antiphons at Lauds - Psalms of Sunday of the 1st week

1. My lips will praise you, Lord, your steadfast love is better than life.

2. Martyrs of the Lord, bless the Lord for ever.

3. The victorious shall stand like a column in my temple, says the Lord.

2 Cor 1, 3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father and the God who gives every possible encouragement. He supports us in every hardship, so that we are able to come to the support of others, in every hardship of theirs because of the encouragement that we ourselves receive from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow into our lives, so too does the encouragement we receive through Christ.

In those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples and said to them, "It is not fit that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look for seven men of honest reputation among you, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this ministration. As for us, we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word."

This saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch, whom they set before the apostles, who, when they had prayed, laid their hands upon them.

At that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them. And the people gave heed with one accord to those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many afflicted with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city.

Lawrence was the first of the seven deacons attached to the service of the Roman Church. His duty was to assist the Roman Pontiff when celebrating the Holy Mysteries, to distribute the Eucharist to the faithful and to administer the revenues of the Church, which he distributed among the poor.

Arrested by the prefect of Rome in 258, and called upon to deliver his riches to him, he showed him a crowd of poor people saying, "These are the real treasures of the Church, by the inestimable gift of their faith, and because they convert our alms into imperishable treasures for us".

He was laid on a gridiron under which were placed half-lighted coals, so as to prolong his tortures and make his death more painful.

"Flames were not able to conquer the charity of Christ, and the fire that burned without was weaker than that which kindled within in the heart of the martyr." Indeed he said to his tormentors, "You must now turn my body over; it is roasted enough on that side," and later on: "My flesh is now roasted, you can eat of it."

The Church recollects that the martyrdom of St Lawrence follows on the lines of the story of the three youths in the fiery furnace (see Canticle in the Lauds of the day) and makes us beseech God to extinguish in us the ardour of our passions, as He granted to St. Lawrence, who was tested by fire and found to triumph over the flames of his cruel martyrdom.

The Church invites us on the feastday of St Lawrence to celebrate the praises of God to whom this saint bore glorious witness by his martyrdom. The remains of the glorious deacon are preserved in the Basilica of St. Lawrence-without-the-Walls.