At first glance perhaps the most remarkable quality of Lawrence of
Brindisi is his outstanding gift of languages. In addition to a
thorough knowledge of his native Italian, he had complete reading and
speaking ability in Latin, Hebrew, Greek, German, Bohemian, Spanish and
French.
He was born on July 22, 1559, and died exactly 60 years later on
his birthday in 1619. His parents William and Elizabeth Russo gave him
the name of Julius Caesar, Caesare in Italian. After the early death of
his parents, he was educated by his uncle at the College of St. Mark in
Venice.
When he was just 16 he entered the Capuchin Franciscan Order in
Venice and received the name of Lawrence. He completed his studies of
philosophy and theology at the University of Padua and was ordained a
priest at 23.
With his facility for languages he was able to study the Bible in
its original texts. At the request of Pope Clement VIII, he spent much
time preaching to the Jews in Italy. So excellent was his knowledge of
Hebrew, the rabbis felt sure he was a Jew who had become a Christian.
In 1956 the Capuchins completed a 15-volume edition of his
writings. Eleven of these 15 contain his sermons, each of which relies
chiefly on scriptural quotations to illustrate his teaching.
Lawrence’s sensitivity to the needs of people—a character trait
perhaps unexpected in such a talented scholar—began to surface. He was
elected major superior of the Capuchin Franciscan province of Tuscany at
the age of 31. He had the combination of brilliance, human compassion
and administrative skill needed to carry out his duties. In rapid
succession he was promoted by his fellow Capuchins and was elected
minister general of the Capuchins in 1602. In this position he was
responsible for great growth and geographical expansion of the Order.
Lawrence was appointed papal emissary and peacemaker, a job which
took him to a number of foreign countries. An effort to achieve peace
in his native kingdom of Naples took him on a journey to Lisbon to visit
the king of Spain. Serious illness in Lisbon took his life in 1619.
Comment:
His constant devotion to Scripture, coupled with
great sensitivity to the needs of people, present a lifestyle which
appeals to Christians today. Lawrence had a balance in his life that
blended self-discipline with a keen appreciation for the needs of those
whom he was called to serve.
Quote:
“God is love, and all his operations proceed
from love. Once he wills to manifest that goodness by sharing his love
outside himself, then the Incarnation becomes the supreme manifestation
of his goodness and love and glory. So, Christ was intended before all
other creatures and for his own sake. For him all things were created
and to him all things must be subject, and God loves all creatures in
and because of Christ. Christ is the first-born of every creature, and
the whole of humanity as well as the created world finds its foundation
and meaning in him. Moreover, this would have been the case even if Adam
had not sinned” (St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Doctor of the Universal Church, Capuchin Educational Conference, Washington, D.C.).
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