RPG Adults
LAURENCE
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22
John 1:1-14
John 3:27-30
“He must increase,
but I must decrease.”
LAURENCE
Laurence was one of the seven deacons of the Roman church, serving under Bishop Sixtus II. His martyrdom followed just days after Sixtus’ execution during the persecution under Emperor Valerian, who ordered the deaths of bishops, priests and deacons.
Laurence was known for his compassion and generosity, distributing the church’s wealth to the poor and sick before his arrest. When commanded by the emperor to surrender the church’s treasures, Laurence gathered the poor, the widows, the hungry and the orphaned, presenting them to Valerian with the words:
“These are the treasures of the church.”
In that moment, Laurence embodied Christ’s teaching that true riches are found not in gold or silver, but in lives transformed by love. Enraged, the prefect ordered his execution.
Tradition holds that Laurence was roasted alive on a gridiron and, in defiance, he reportedly quipped to his torturers: “I am cooked on that side; turn me over, and eat.” Whether beheaded or burned, his death became a powerful testimony of faith. Many conversions to Christianity were said to follow, including several Roman senators who witnessed his martyrdom.
Though little is known of his life, the greatest fact remains: Laurence died for Christ. His devotion was not about fame or recognition, but about total surrender to the love of Jesus. His story reminds us that the path of discipleship is one of sacrifice, where the believer decreases so that Christ may be exalted.
THOUGHT: Am I seeking to be known by Christ, rather than by the world?
PRAYER: Father, may my life decrease so that Thy name may be exalted. Teach me to treasure what Thou treasures, the souls of men, and to live with a heart wholly devoted to Christ, even unto death.