ST LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI - There is a spiritual life that we share with the angels in heaven.

    "Those who are learned will be as radiant as the sky in all its beauty; those who instruct the people in goodness will shine like the stars for all eternity" (Daniel 12:3). It is the case most times, however unfortunate, that intelligence and much acquisition of knowledge leads to unnecessary pride and  a feeling of contempt for others. This wasn't the case with the Holy doctor St. Lawrence of Brindisi, who was exceptionally intelligent, proficient in about seven languages yet so humble and down to earth.

    Born on the 22nd of July, 1559 to Elizabeth Masella and William Russo, he was named Julius Caesar. After his father's death, he was sent to the Conventual friars as an oblate and later, he moved to stay with his uncle at Venice when his mother died. It was at Venice that he encountered the Capuchins, staying on Giudecca Island. He joined them and started his novitiate on February 19th, 1575, aged 16. He took the name Lawrence. The next year he pronounced his vows, after which he was sent to study. He impressed his lecturers with his linguistic fluency. He was ordained as a priest on December 18, 1582, aged only 23. He became known as a persuasive scriptural preacher. His physical appearance was robust and he had a commanding voice that made him persuasive but in all this his sanctity was very obvious. He prepared for his sermons with prolonged meditation and penance. His sermons were full of emotions. Because of his knowledge of different languages and his knowledge of talmudic and rabbinic studies, he, also, preached among the Jewish populace.

 

  He served the Order as a professor, local minister, a preacher, novice director, vicar provincial of the Capuchin Tuscan province and in 1596, he was elected general definitor of the Order. He, also, embarked on missionary apostolates to bring the faith to many places. This met with many hardships but with great success. He, also, evangelized inactive Catholics. He established many friaries during these journeys. In 1602, he was elected general vicar of the Order. Because of his office, he had to visit all the friars. He didn't send delegates but he set out on foot through Italy, France, Switzerland, Netherlands and Spain, visiting 30 Capuchin provinces with about 9000 friars. Despite the long journeys, he never accepted any preferential treatment as the general vicar of the Order but participated in all the fasts and vigils. After his tenure, he was later appointed general definitor of the Order for the third time and was sent to visit the province of Genoa and there the Genoese friars elected him as their provincial minister. His diplomatic skills were so evident and he applied it to making peace in different events especially as ambassador to Spain and Italy to seek financial aid and military support for Catholic league in their campaign against Lutheran and Calvinist forces.

    Lawrence died on the 22nd of July, 1619, on his 60th birthday while on a diplomatic mission. He was beatified by Pius VI on the 23rd of May and canonized by Leo XIII on the 8th of December. He was declared Apostolic Doctor on 19th of March, 1959 by John XXIII.

    He would say "Preaching, therefore, is a duty that is apostolic, angelic, Christian and divine"

    St. Lawrence of Brindisi        pray for us

    Tell us some lessons you learnt from the Life of St Lawrence of Brindisi in the comment section👇