By Fr Trevor D’Souza OFM –John 12:24 unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
The paschal mystery, namely, the suffering, death and rising of Jesus, is at the core of Christian discipleship. Within this are two movements, the dying with Christ and the rising with Christ.
Living these two movements each day is what makes our lives meaningful as disciples. At our baptism, especially the immersion baptism, the person is dipped into the waters, to symbolize the dying with Christ, and brought out of the waters, to symbolizing the rising with Christ. This is again enacted at Easter, when the Paschal candle is dipped into the waters and brought out again, to symbolize the dying and rising with Christ.
On the feast of St Lawrence the Deacon, we recall the words of St Peter and Paul who thanked God for giving them a share in the sufferings of Christ. 1 Peter 4:13 summarizes the Paschal mystery: rejoice, when you partake in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
Every disciple then must pray that God give him/her a share in the sufferings of Christ, so that he/she may also have a share in his glory! In 2 Timothy 2:11 Paul says, If we die with him, we will also rise with him in glory!!!
A brief sketch about his death: