St. Lawrence O’Toole – November 14th
Lawrence was an Irishman and the son of a chief of the Murrays. When he was only ten years old, a neighboring king made a raid on his father’s territory and carried the lad away. The boy had a lot to suffer for two years, until his father forced the king to give him up to the care of a bishop. When he did, the Murray chief hurried to see his son, and great was their happiness at being together again.
The chief wanted one of his sons to enter the service of the Church, and while he was wondering which one it might be, Lawrence told him with a laugh that he need not wonder any more. “It is my desire,” said Lawrence, “to have for my inheritance the service of God in the Church.” So his father took him by the hand and gave him into the care of the bishop.
Lawrence O’Toole became a priest and the Abbot of a great monastery. When food became very scarce in the whole neighborhood of the monastery the good abbot gave great quantities away to keep the people from starving. He had many problems to handle as head of the monastery because there were those who criticized him for being too strict. But he kept right on guiding his monks in the way of mortification and perfection, despite the criticism. Then, there was the problem of the robbers and outlaws who lived in the nearby hills. Yet nothing discouraged the fearless Lawrence O’Toole.
He became so famous that before long he was chosen to be Archbishop of Dublin. In this new position, he lived as holy a life as ever. Every day, he invited many poor people to be his guests at table, and he helped many others besides. Lawrence dearly loved his people and Ireland, his country, and he did all he could to keep it at peace.
Once a madman attacked him as he was going up to the altar to say Mass, and he was knocked unconscious to the floor. Yet he came to his senses right away, had the wound washed at once, and then went right ahead with the High Mass. God had preserved him from harm!
After years of labor for the Church, St. Lawrence O’Toole became very ill. When they asked him if he wanted to make a will, the holy Archbishop smiled and answered, “God knows that I don’t have a penny in the world.” He had long ago given everything he had to others, just as he had given himself completely to God.
We should do our duty to please God alone and to gain Heaven. Criticism should never stop us.
