Third-century deacon of Rome who called the poor the Church’s treasure and was martyred in 258.
Life
Saint Lawrence was a deacon of the Church of Rome in the third century. As deacon he looked after the Church's goods and cared for the poor. In 258, during the persecution of Emperor Valerian, he was martyred a few days after Pope Sixtus II.
Tradition says that when he was ordered to hand over the Church's treasures, he brought forward the poor and said that they were the treasure of the Church, and that he was put to death by being roasted on a gridiron. These stories come from later tradition, but he became one of the most beloved martyrs of Rome.
The Church remembers him on August 10.
Spirituality
The spirituality of Lawrence is service that sees Christ in the poor. For him the true treasure of the Church was not gold or silver but people. His service as a deacon and his martyrdom flowed from one and the same love.
Reflection
What is the real treasure of our community? Not fine buildings, but neighbors in need. This week, could you think of one person in your parish or neighborhood whom you could care for?