Festival of St. Laurence, Deacon and Martyr
Posted on August 10, 2024 by under
Scripture: Acts 4:13-20 (NKJV)
4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
Devotion
St. Laurence was martyred for his faithful service to the Lord’s Church and confession of His truth. Laurence was bold before powerful men of faithless intent. Whether one is called to stand against the wicked chief priests and elders as the Apostles were, or against emperors, or popes, or any other corrupt institution, if faithless men seek to silence and attack the truth, we must teach and confess what God says even more.
Divine love, mercy, and pity compel God’s saints to warn the wicked rather than agree with them. Even as the Lord works good through all things, He does not ignore evil. Neither does He want men to continue in their wickedness and die in condemnation. The work of God that continues through His Church, even to the end of the age, is the call to repent according to His Law, and the promise of forgiveness according to His Gospel of Jesus Christ crucified. All the faithful saints of His Church are called to confess this truth according to our particular vocations. We do not tolerate evil; we repent of it. We do not silence the truth; we live according to it.
Our everlasting life and salvation in Jesus Christ are more important than any riches of this world. His kingdom and true righteousness are more important than any institution or gaining peace with any antagonists, no matter how powerful they may be.
Collect: Quench in us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the flame of vice, even as Thou didst enable blessed Laurence to overcome his fire of sufferings, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
O God, Who declarest Thine Almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of Thy grace, that we, running the way of Thy commandments, may obtain Thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of Thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
