Grilling. The thought comes to mind when thinking of St. Lawrence of Rome. As I get to know this patron saint of comedians, butchers and roasters, in a way, i have found at that this saint's love for God is overflowing with passion that even when he was grilled to his death, he could even utter a joke.
St. Lawrence was one of the seven deacons of Pope St. Sixtus who were in charge to administer the poor and the needy. When the persecution of the Valerian broke out, Pope St. Sixtus was led to his execution. This poor lawrence met the Pope on his way to execution asking him "Where are you going father, without your son? The pope then said "I am not leaving you my son, in three days you will follow me." That prophecy made St. lawrence very happy that he gave all his belongings to the poor. The way St. lawrence believed in the prophecy of the Pope made me in awe of his faith.
After the execution, the greedy prefect of Rome demanded that Lawrence should turn over the treasures of the Church. What St. Lawrence did was went out, assembled all the poor and the needy, brought them to the prefect and he said 'These are the treasures of the Church!" In anger, St. Lawrence was ordered to have a slow and cruel death.
By tradition, Lawrence was sentenced at San Lorenzo in Miranda, martyred at San Lorenzo in Panisperna, and buried in the Via Tiburtina in the Catacomb of Cyriaca by Hippolytus and Justinus, a presbyter. Tradition holds that Lawrence was burned or "grilled" to death, hence his association with the gridiron. Tradition also holds that Lawrence joked about their cooking him enough to eat while he was burning on the gridiron, hence his patronage of cooks and chefs, stating something along the lines of, "turn me over...I'm done on this side". (wiki.com)
Making a joke out of his grilling made me realize his fire and passion for the love of God. Even his excitement in joining the heavenly Father. This made me think that he even enjoyed his own grilling/martyrdom when He said before he died, "It is cooked now." This saint love serving God and he even love to die for the Lord.
Wonderful isn't he?
St. Lawrence, pray for us.
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