July 21 2021 - St. Lawrence of Brindisi - Producing fruit a hundredfold

Augusto_Mussini_-_S._Lorenzo_da_Brindisi

St. Lawrence of Brindisi devoted himself to many different forms of service in his 60 years: Franciscan priest, Army chaplain, diplomat & peacemaker, miracle-worker, exorcist, theologian, biblical scholar, linguist, confessor, mystic, and leader of the Counter-Reformation, doctor of the Church.  Certainly a man of many talents. 

A 17th Century  contemporary of his, the Cardinal theologian Cajetan, said that St. Lawrence of Brindisi was “an incarnation of the old apostles, who, speaking to all nations, were understood by all.  He is a living Pentecost.” St. Lawrence was certainly enlivened by the Holy Spirit, he was able to preach effectively in at least 6 languages. 

As vicar general for the Capuchins he combined his brilliance, his great administrative skill, and his great sensitivity and human compassion.  He founded many friaries, in Prague, Vienna, Bohemia, Madrid, and Austria.

What was the source of his greatness, of his devotion, of his fortitude, and immense energy?  No doubt he allowed the seed of the Word of God to be planted deeply in his heart, to borrow the image from the Gospel today. And that seed did not remain dormant and unnourished. Lawrence had a vibrant interior life—particularly a great love for the Mass and a profound devotion to the Blessed Virgin to whom he attributed his vocation. He would sometimes be so caught up in ecstasy during the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice that he would be weeping with love and adoration.

He cleared his soul of the thorns of earthly attachment by a life of poverty and simplicity. He cleared out the rocks in his soul of hard-heartedness, stubbornness, resentment. 

If we wish to become the person God made us to become, we too must nurture the seed of the Word of God and till the soil of our souls. To develop a burning love of Christ, we must seek purification from all of our sins, habituating ourselves in the ways of Christ through a fervent practice of the virtue, enlightenment of mind through meditation of His Holy Word, and seek as our true nourishment prayer and the Sacraments. 

In the words of St. Lawrence: “My dear souls, let us recognize, I pray you, Christ’s infinite charity towards us in the institution of this Sacrament of the Eucharist. In order that our love be a spiritual love, He wills a new heart, a new love, a new spirit for us.”

May we seek that new heart, new love, new spirit, and new energy for the work of the Gospel in the Eucharist we celebrate and receive this day, that our lives may bear fruit a hundredfold, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

That the Holy Spirit may animate the lives of all Christians, deepening in them conviction for the Gospel. 

That our young people on summer vacation may be kept safe from the poisonous errors of our culture, and that their families may be places where the faith is practiced and cherished.

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering. We pray.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.