This blog follows the daily bible readings of the Catholic Church

St. Lawrence Day

Bernini's St. Lawrence-Patron saint of Barbecues

Reading 1, 2 Corinthians 9:6-10

6 But remember: anyone who sows sparsely will reap sparsely as well — and anyone who sows generously will reap generously as well.

7 Each one should give as much as he has decided on his own initiative, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

8 God is perfectly able to enrich you with every grace, so that you always have enough for every conceivable need, and your resources overflow in all kinds of good work.

9 As scripture says: To the needy he gave without stint, his uprightness stands firm for ever.

10 The one who so freely provides seed for the sower and food to eat will provide you with ample store of seed for sowing and make the harvest of your uprightness a bigger one:

Gospel, John 12:24-26

24 In all truth I tell you, unless a wheat grain falls into the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies it yields a rich harvest.

25 Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

26 Whoever serves me, must follow me, and my servant will be with me wherever I am. If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.

« Assum est, versa et manduca. » These are said to be the last words of St. Lawrence whose day this is. They mean, “That’s enough on that side; turn me over and have a bite!” –said as he was being roasted to death on a gridiron under the persecution of the Emperor Valerian in 258 CE. Lawrence was a deacon in Rome who looked after the poor. One can see why he’s the patron saint of butchers, roasters, and (!)comedians. God loves a cheerful giver according to Paul, and there can be no greater test, I imagine, of cheerfulness than what was done to Lawrence. This Sunday’s passage from Hebrews 12 speaks of Jesus who “accepted the cross, despising its shame for the joy that was set before him.” Even the worst evils cannot quench the note of joy in Christian faith-and with joy goes humour.

Dr. Karen Woo, killed bringing medical aid to Nuristan

The humour is profound, not superficial. It’s what enables Dante to entitle his work, “The Divine Comedy”.  Paul speaks of the paradox of giving: the more we give away, the more we have, which means that giving is like sowing. It bears a harvest. Jesus speaks of life itself as a seed, “dying” in the ground, so that it may bear fruit. Evil people may take our life, but in doing so they help create our harvest. Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is seed” (I think that’s the true version), which sounds a bit grim but contains a (grim) humour.

One of the joys for a protestant person in following the Catholic Lectionary is discovering the saints.