Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.” (Jn 12:24-26)
We always dread costs, especially when they are to our very selves.
Today, on the feast of St. Lawrence, we are reminded of a deacon in the early Church who went to his death bravely and, if you can believe, with a sense of humor.
He was not going to let the taunts of his naysayers and executioners get the best of him.
Rather, he allowed himself to be put to death, giving great example to the early faith community.
As he died, he produced much fruit.
The people saw his faith and trust in God and they sought to emulate that, knowing that it might put them in the cross hairs of the executioner as well.
Following the Lord can be rather easy. Following the Lord can also be extremely difficult. However, following the Lord is the only way to go if we hope to attain eternal life.
We are all mortal and are going to die some day. Let us make sure that, when we do, we die with and for the Lord.
FAITH ACTION: No matter the cost, make a conscious choice to follow the Lord this day.