Today would be St. Eupolis, the Archdeacon of
Catania in Sicily. I mention that only because
when he was being persecuted and on trial, the
magistrate urged him for the last time to sacrifice,
that is to sacrifice to the emperor or to whatever
god, it's the rest of the story. And he replied,
yes, yes, yes, I will sacrifice. But it is I,
myself, that I will sacrifice, offer in sacrifice
to Christ my God. I have nothing else to sacrifice.
Your efforts are futile in changing my mind.
Because, of course, you know how it says you
can't negotiate with terrorists. You can't also
negotiate with tyrants. They demand that you
accept a lie, something that's not real. And
we... stake our life on what is real, that is
Christ and the resurrection. So they're witnesses.
They bear testimony, the martyrs do, with their
lives to the gospel, the good news. Your efforts
are futile. I am a Christian. If you'll indulge
me, however, today was St. Lawrence Day, and
so... So maybe many of you have heard this story
a number of times. You're free to go if you want.
But I'd like to read just an excerpt from the
Synoxarion on the martyrdom of St. Lawrence.
It occurred in the year 251. He was archdeacon
of Pope Sixtus of Rome. Pope Sixtus had been
arrested and was on his way to martyrdom. And
his archdeacon, Lawrence, that's a very important
position in the Church of Rome, the position
of archdeacon, wanted to follow him. And the
bishop replies, no, my son, I'm not abandoning
you, but greater combat is reserved for you.
You can't come with me. I'm not abandoning you.
We, he says, as old men, are engaged in light
combat. In other words, his execution was going
to be swift. But you, But you, a more glorious
triumph over the tyrant awaits you as a young
man in your full strength. Do not weep. In three
days, the deacon will follow the priest. Then
before giving him the kiss of peace, he confided
the church and its possessions to him to administer
them in his name. Lawrence immediately began
to accomplish his God -given task, distributing
the church's wealth to the clerics and the poor.
He met a widow named Kiriaki, who was hiding
many Christians in her house. Under cover of
night, he brought them money and clothes and
then visited other houses, healing the sick,
washing the feet of the faithful in imitation
of the Lord. Wouldn't we like a person like that
to be here? As the Pope had been condemned to
be beheaded on the Appian Way, St. Lawrence went
there, crossing his path, cried out to him, Father,
do not leave me, for I have already distributed
the treasures you confided to me. Hearing him
speak of treasures, the soldiers immediately
seized him, treasures, and took him before the
tribunal, the tribune Parthenius, who notified
the emperor. Lawrence was thrown into prison,
and the tribune Hippolytus was appointed to guard
him. In the prison, Lawrence healed and converted
a blind man named Lucillus by his prayers, later
baptized him and the 19 members of his household.
The deacon was busy in prison. He wasn't bewailing
his situation. He continued his divine work for
God in every single way. Nothing can separate
us from the love of God, says St. Paul. Here's
proof. When the news of the healing spread, numerous
other blind people massed to the saint and all
were healed. Lawrence was summoned to appear
before Valerian, local governor, who demanded
that he hand over the aforementioned church's
treasures. Lawrence asked for a large number
of carts to be made available in three days'
time. Valerian was just rubbing his hands. in
anticipation of this. Meanwhile, he assembled
the blind, the lame, and all sorts of sick people
in Hippolytus' house. Remember, Hippolytus was
the tribune, he was the guard, and he had become
a Christian. He then placed them on the carts,
the blind, the lame, and all sorts of sick people,
and presented them at the palace, saying, here
are the eternal treasures of the church. which
will never diminish but will always multiply,
treasures present in each and found in all. Overwhelmed
with rage, Valerian screamed, sacrifice to the
gods, forget this magic art in which you trust.
Now that's important. There's so much testimony
in ancient writings that the Romans believed
that Christians, early Christians, were practicing
Jewish magic of some sort. Otherwise, how could
they do these things? St. Lawrence replied that
nothing would induce him to prefer the worship
of demons to the creator of all. He was handed
over to torture, then thrown into prison. After
a second interrogation in Tiberias, his palace
on the Palatine Hill, red -hot sword blades were
applied to his flesh. He was beaten with leaded
whips and chains, studded with iron hooks. Seeing
his heavenly endurance, Romanos, one of the soldiers,
was converted and immediately executed. A third
interrogation took place in the bath situated
near the palace of Sallust. The emperor had the
saint's jaw broken with rocks, then ordered that
he be stripped and placed upon an iron grill
over burning coals. Ordered for the last time
to sacrifice to the gods, Lawrence declared,
I, like Eupolis, the archdeacon, I offer myself
as an acceptable and sweet -smelling sacrifice
to the only true God, for the sacrifice which
pleases God is a broken... As the executioners
were stoking the fire, he said to the tyrant,
Take note, most wretched man, that this fire
brings me relief, but to you eternal torment.
Now I am cooked on one side, turn me therefore
to the other. When they had turned to him, he
offered a last prayer. I give thee thanks, Lord
Jesus Christ, that I have been found worthy to
enter the gates of the kingdom. Then he gave
up his spirit. He was then buried on land belonging
to the widow Kiriaki. They were denounced, and
she and Hippolytus were soon arrested. And the
rest of the story you can read. Many, many churches
were built in honor of this saint to commemorate
this amazing archdeacon. He is called equal to
the apostles in the West. And he is here on our
deacon doors. Through the prayers of the Holy
Martyr, Archdeacon Lawrence of Rome, Lord Jesus
Christ our God, have mercy on us.