St. Lawrence Justinian – September 5th
His good mother sometimes thought this Italian boy was aiming too high, but he always told her that his only desire was to become a saint. When he was nineteen, he felt he should serve God in a special way, so he asked the advice of his uncle, a holy priest of the community of St. George. “Do you have the courage to reject the delights of the world and to live a life of penance?” asked his uncle.
Lawrence was quiet a long time. Then he looked up at the crucifix and said, “You, O Lord, are my hope. In this cross there is comfort and strength.” His mother wanted him to marry, but Lawrence joined the community of St. George and humbly went around his city begging. He would even go stand in front of his own home and ask charity, without going in. His mother would try to fill up his sack with food, but he would never take more than two loaves, and off he would go. In this way, he denied himself and grew very dear to God, for Whom he made such hard acts of sacrifice.
When a friend of his came to try to persuade Lawrence to leave the monastery, the Saint spoke so well of how short life is and how wise it is to live for Heaven, that his friend was persuaded to become a religious himself!
Lawrence was made a bishop, even though he tried to be excused from this honor. His people soon learned what a kind and holy man their bishop was, and crowds came to him for help every day. When he was dying, he would not lay on a soft bed. “That shall not be!” he exclaimed humbly. “My Lord was stretched out on a hard and painful tree.”
Let us pray to Our Lord, today, to give holy Priests to His Church.
