Wealth Withers
Homily on the 19th Sunday in OT, 10 Aug 2025 (omitted Feast of St Lawrence), FSpIF Chapel Talamban
There is a place in Cebu famous for street food. It is called Larsian. Its specialty is barbecue and pusộ. (For those who do not know what pusộ is, it is steamed rice wrapped inside a diamond-shaped bag made of woven coconut leaves. It is also called hanging rice and may cost from P5 to P10 depending on the size.)
In Larsian, they sell all sorts of barbecue from pork, hotdog, chorizo and isaw to chicken and fish like Anduhaw, Bangus and Marlin – all barbecued. They also sell seaweeds, shells, chicken liver, isaw and isol. The all time favourite in the menu is the pork barbecue which costs only P10 per stick. So with only P20 or P30 you can already buy yourself a relatively satisfying meal.
Today, August 10 is supposed to be the feast of St Lawrence. But since Sunday takes precedence over most of the saints in the Church’s calendar this feast is omitted this year. Nevertheless allow me to share with you a little bit of his shocking life story.
St Laurence was one of the seven deacons actively serving in the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II sometime in the 3rd Century. He was born in the year 225 and was martyred in 258. Usa siya sa batan-on nga mga diakono nga matinud-anong nag-alagad sa Ginoo. Apan, during the intense period of Christian persecution by the Romans gi-ihaw siyang buhi, mura gyud og usa ka lechon o barbekyu sa Larsian. He was grilled alive not because of a crime that he committed but because of his firm faith in Christ and his allegiance to the Church.
You might comment “Grabe naman! Gi-ihaw siya nga buhi? Eeew!” And you might be asking “Why? Why should the good and the faithful die in such a painful manner?”
In the Gospel we have heard today, Jesus is giving us several advices that seem to be too hard to follow; too hard to practice. But the truth is, what Jesus is telling us is really the much surer path to live life to the full.
Honestly speaking, what are we really afraid of? Is it sickness or injury? If that is so, then, that would explain why we strive to keep a healthy diet, exercise regularly, rest sufficiently and stay out of danger. But maybe there is something more serious than that.
Are we really afraid of our future? If so, then, that would probably explain why we strive to save and accumulate unnecessary wealth today. Nahadlok kita nga mawad-an. Takot tayong mawalan. It could be because the feeling of insecurity is so strong, that we tend to put our security in worldly things that we can hold on to.
But what Jesus is teaching us today is very crucial for us Catholics and more so for us priests and religious. He said “Do not be afraid any longer, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” His command to us is “Fear not!” More concretely he is commanding us to empty our pockets and start investing in what is not ephemeral, what is not passing away, what certainly cannot corrode or be stolen away by thieves.
What is of supreme importance is not the accumulation of wealth and the material things of this world but rather our dynamic relationship with that invisible Person we call God who created us, who redeemed us, and who blesses us with the good things we need. From such a dynamic relationship comes spontaneously the daily practice of stewardship, accountability and vigilance. Whichever blessings we have received are not really ours to keep, but these are entrusted to us for our well being precisely so that we can be an instrument of God’s blessings to others especially to the poor and those most in need.
Morover, we believe that at the end of our life the Lord will surely come on a day we do not know and at an hour we do not expect. That is why we need to be always vigilant, for on that day, we shall be held accountable for everything that we have received and everything that we have done with what we have received.
St Lawrence was that humble servant and zealous minister who remained faithful because he was always conscious of all that Jesus has taught regarding wealth. He put his heart not on the wealth but on the eternal God, the inexhaustible source and giver of wealth. He worked dedicated as a close collaborator of the Pope who put him in charge of the Church’s treasury. After the Pope was arrested and put to death by the Roman Emperor, Valerian (A.D. 253-260), he too was arrested and killed.
However, before he was put to death, he was ordered to surrender all the wealth and riches of the Church. Obedient as he was he tried to immediately comply with the order of the Roman authorities. However, instead of handing over all the collected funds and other assets of the Church, he gathered up all the poor people of the city including the lame, the blind, the deaf and the dumb, and he assembled them in the plaza where he presented them to the Emperor, saying to him “Here are all the wealth and riches of the Church.”
What Lawrence did on that day was literally true because, as the Pope’s administrator, he had been tasked to distribute to the poor and needy beggars of Rome whatever sum of money was collected during their Sunday Mass. This, however, enraged the Emperor, who ordered that he be grilled alive. So Lawrence was immediately bound hands and feet, and then he was laid on the grid iron with red hot coals burning underneath it.
Now, here is the most amazing and amusing part of the deacon’s story. While he was being grilled, St. Lawrence stood out not only for his courage, patience and perseverance but also for his strong sense of humour. Even in his dying moments, when he felt that one side of his body was already cooked and well-done, he asked his executioners to turn him over to the other side. Because of this, tradition says that some of those who witnessed the martyr’s unshakable faith and outstanding humour got instantly converted to Christianity and were soon baptized.
We Catholics continue to honor and venerate St Lawrence today even after 700 years, not only because his martyrdom signified the Church’s victory over the bloody persecution against Christians, but also because through him we see an inspiring example of what Jesus had so convincingly taught in the gospel, that wealth withers, but charity conquers, and that the future belongs only to the faithful.
May this Holy Eucharist, through the inspiration and intercession of St Lawrence, empower us to move constantly towards self-emptying through selfless giving, for by giving away what is ephemeral we are sure to gain what is eternal. GiGsss!
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