Saint of the Day
St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence (d. 258) was a deacon of Rome who distributed the Church's goods to the poor and was martyred under Emperor Valerian. His courage in the face of death became legendary in the early Church.
Scripture Reading
Mark 10:43-44
"But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all."
Reflection
St. Lawrence, martyred for his faith and his radical service to the poor, reportedly joked on the gridiron where he died — an act of courage so extraordinary it was remembered for centuries. His life embodied this teaching of Jesus: that greatness is measured in giving, not getting. Where today can you serve quietly, without expectation of recognition?
Prayer for Today
Oh God, I've seen the beauty
of Your righteousness and Your holiness.
I resolve to seek the truth,
I'm determined to love You.
Verse 1
Please open the eyes of my spirit,
let Your Spirit touch my heart,
so that I throw off all that's negative,
so that nothing and no one can hinder,
so that I lay my heart bare before You,
fully devoted, devoted to You.
However You may test me,
I yield completely, completely to You.
Pre-chorus
I give no thought to my future,
I'm not bound by death.
With a heart that loves You,
I seek the way of life.
Chorus
No matter what, I must love You.
No matter what, I must gain You.
I will not rest until I've gained You,
I am determined to love You.
Verse 2
Oh God, everything's in Your hands.
You control my fate and my life.
Now, I resolve to pursue You,
I'm determined to love You.
And regardless of whether You
allow me to love You or not,
or how Satan interferes,
I'm truly determined to love You.
Pre-chorus
I give no thought to my future,
I'm not bound by death.
With a heart that loves You,
I seek the way of life.
Chorus
No matter what, I must love You.
No matter what, I must gain You.
I will not rest until I've gained You,
I am determined to love You.
Bridge
I am willing to pursue You and to follow You.
Though You may abandon me, I still want to follow.
Whether or not You want me, I'll love You,
and in the end I must gain You.
I offer my heart, and no matter what You do,
I will follow You my entire life.
Chorus
No matter what, I must love You.
No matter what, I must gain You.
I will not rest until I've gained You,
I am determined to love You.
No matter what, I must love You.
No matter what, I must gain You.
I will not rest until I've gained You,
I am determined to love You.
of Your righteousness and Your holiness.
I resolve to seek the truth,
I'm determined to love You.
Verse 1
Please open the eyes of my spirit,
let Your Spirit touch my heart,
so that I throw off all that's negative,
so that nothing and no one can hinder,
so that I lay my heart bare before You,
fully devoted, devoted to You.
However You may test me,
I yield completely, completely to You.
Pre-chorus
I give no thought to my future,
I'm not bound by death.
With a heart that loves You,
I seek the way of life.
Chorus
No matter what, I must love You.
No matter what, I must gain You.
I will not rest until I've gained You,
I am determined to love You.
Verse 2
Oh God, everything's in Your hands.
You control my fate and my life.
Now, I resolve to pursue You,
I'm determined to love You.
And regardless of whether You
allow me to love You or not,
or how Satan interferes,
I'm truly determined to love You.
Pre-chorus
I give no thought to my future,
I'm not bound by death.
With a heart that loves You,
I seek the way of life.
Chorus
No matter what, I must love You.
No matter what, I must gain You.
I will not rest until I've gained You,
I am determined to love You.
Bridge
I am willing to pursue You and to follow You.
Though You may abandon me, I still want to follow.
Whether or not You want me, I'll love You,
and in the end I must gain You.
I offer my heart, and no matter what You do,
I will follow You my entire life.
Chorus
No matter what, I must love You.
No matter what, I must gain You.
I will not rest until I've gained You,
I am determined to love You.
No matter what, I must love You.
No matter what, I must gain You.
I will not rest until I've gained You,
I am determined to love You.
Amen.