In the first reading, St Paul encourages us to sow more, so as to reap more; to give cheerfully, to be free in almsgiving, especially to the poor - and by God's grace, receive unlimited blessings from God ensuring that not only will we have all we need, but will be enabled to have ''something to spare for all sorts of good works'' (v 8). The psalmist highlights the one who has pity and lends (v 5), who is ''open-handed'' and ''gives to the poor'' (v 9). In living thus, this person's orientation comes forth as one who reveres God, who takes delight in God's commands, who never wavers, who has no fear of evil news, who firmly trusts in God, and who is just. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches His disciples to be the wheat grain that ''falls to the ground and dies,'' so as to yield ''a rich harvest,'' and to ''lose'' their life so as to ''keep it for eternal life'' (v 24-25).

As a deacon of Rome, St Lawrence was responsible for the Church's goods. He is remembered as one who cared about the poor, the crippled, the blind and the suffering - and offered them to the Roman civil authority as the ''treasures of the Church'' instead of material riches of the Church. May we, like St Lawrence, live up to the words of our readings today!