resting on your laurels

Today in the church we celebrate the feast of St. Lawrence, the martyr and deacon of the early church. He is famous for having been "grilled" alive for his refusal to surrender his faith in Christ and his service to the church and the people of God.

The name Lawrence is a derivative from laurel, as in laurel tree. The laurel is an aromatic evergreen that is associated with the mediteranean sea.

It was the laurel leaves and branches that was woven as a crown and given as prizes in the Roman festivals in honor of Apollo. This is where the term "resting on one's laurels" originates, as the crown rested on one's head and thus the particpant or athlete was satisifed with his achievments. (today it denotes laziness to some degree)

In the Bible the laurel is an emblem of prosperity and fame.

In christianity it is a symbol of the resurretcion of Christ and the triumph of humanity.

Not to mention the laurel is the origin of the "bay leaves" used in cooking.

Nonetheless, having mentioned all this, it seems that St. Lawrence certain honored his name sake in the life he lived.

As a devout Christian his willingness to die for his faith certainly has merited him the crown of martyrdom, and thus he "rest on his laurels" in heaven. Not only this but his martyrdom continues to give off the aromatic flavor of divine love that through the ages shows forth true prosperity and fame and continues to echo forth the triumph of humanity that is the triumph of grace in the human soul borne witness if the life of every saint, especially, Saint Lawrence.


A few words from St. Augustin as he reflects on the life of St. Lawrence
"I tell you again, my brethren, that in the Lord's garden are to be found not only the roses of his martyrs. In there are also the lilies of the virgins, the ivy of the wedded couples, and the violets of widows. On no account may any class of people despair thinking that God has not called them. Christ suffered for all. What the scriptures says of him is true: He desires all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth."

So don't just sit there on your laurels, run the race of faith, get out there today and bring the light of faith to the world, wielding only the grace of Christ, only then shall you finally rest on your laurels, thus receiving the crown that awaits us all who are perfected in the life of faith.

And remember the words of St. Paul, "God loves a cheerful giver." So live yor faith with a smile and think that perhaps St. Lawrence who gave his life did so with a smile as told his persecuters to turn him over he was done on that side.