St. Lawrence and the Treasures - Rice Bowl

In Columbia magazine (Aug. 2010) there is a short article about St. Lawrence. I like the story.

Here's my summary: 
Back in 258 our man St. Lawrence was one of seven deacons in Rome. He was in charge of the material things of the Church and giving alms to the poor. Emperor Valerian ordered the Pope's execution because these were dark anti-church times (like in Egypt now). One of the emperor's sidekicks told St. Lawrence to hand over the Church's goods, the stuff, the bling, the treasures. St. Lawrence asked for three days to get it all together.

Three days later, our man St. Larry took the flunky to the room where all the treasures were stored. Isn't that nice of St. L to conveniently place all the treasures in one place? Into the storeroom the flunky and the saint went. What did they see? The poor, the handicapped, the sick people were in the room. St. Lawrence said those people are the church's greatest treasures.

Flunky dude was very UNhappy. He was mad, and sentenced our man Lawrence to death. St. Lawrence was grilled to death on a gridiron. According to tradition, he told his killers, "This side's done. Turn me over and had a bite."

According to the article, St. Lawrence is the patron saint of the poor, comedians, chefs and of Rome.

There are treasures among us. One way we can treasure our treasures is participating in operation rice bowl. I know my parish will be passing out rice bowls, which are really cardboard boxes.