Reading and meditation on the Word of God, Saturday of the 18th week of ordinary time, August 10, 2019; feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr. 2Corinthians 9, 6-10; John 12, 24-26. Voice: deacon Igan sdb (gospel) and Sr Marivic FMA (meditation)
The theme of our meditation today is: To Serve As God Serves. Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Lawrence, a deacon of Rome. He was killed by Emperor Valerian in the 3rd century. Lawrence was temporarily imprisoned and awaiting execution. He was accused of having kept all of the assets of the Church left behind by the Pope Sixtus II who had been killed four days earlier. On the day of execution, Lawrence was ordered to bring all the assets to be handed over. He headed for the place of execution followed by many sick, paralyzed, poor, homeless people whom he cared about every day. They were all the assets he had had for the rest of his life.
Saint Lawrence truly gave all his life to serve the poor and the sick, and this means he fulfilled God’s will and the mission of the Church. He was delighted in carrying out the work that Jesus himself also does. At the moment of execution, he presented his favorite duty in the world that is a life for the small and sick ones. So he was willing and happy to receive the death sentence because after his death, the passion to serve would grow greatly and widely among people who have experienced God’s love.
To serve as God serves always puts its focus on people who need and who receive it. A service should not focus on merely objects and materials that are counted for their amount or prices. If the focus of attention is on people with their circumstances and needs, the material or goods will be certainly included. The focus of service on humans is much broader and deeper because it counts more on the non-material aspects such as advice, closeness, relationship, psychology, culture and so forth. It often happens that when these aspects are properly attended, then the material ones will no longer be needed.
In the services that give priority on the human person, personal or community, their ideal fruits should be a spiritual satisfaction. Those who serve are happy because they offer kindness to others. They are filled with joy and peace. Those who are served are also happy because they are helped to get out from difficulties and problems of life. They are filled with gratitude and wonder. God puts His power and guidance on them so that this mutual sharing in relationship can take place in the style of Jesus Christ. So God pleases and blesses them. God’s highest point of blessing for them is a happy and eternal life in heaven.
Let’s pray. In the name of the Father … Almighty God, Your Son Jesus Christ teaches us to serve one another, may You always strengthen us with Your Spirit to realize this in every moment of our lives. Our Father in heaven … In the name of the Father …