St. Justin Martyr

I know that this Saint's day was yesterday, but I was distracted; thinking about mowing grass, as well as going to a bowling banquet, where my team was the Champion of the league. However, better late than never, I offer this little writing concerning Saint Justin Martyr. This is what can happen when we are really trying to learn the Truth of God. He is always willing to impart His infinite Wisdom to those who are sincere in their endeavors. Once Justin has learned the Truth, he feels the need to impart this Wisdom to everyone, even to the leaders of the world. This is called an Apology; to learn the Truth and pass it on. (Note: an 'apology does NOT mean we are apologizing for anything, but rather explaining) This thought process, in turn, cost Justin his head. But, by doing this, he gained his eternal reward. God rewards the willing ones.


One thing he said upon being arrested and questioned about his beliefs, said: "The right doctrine which we Christian men do keep with godliness is this: that we believe that there is one God, the Maker and Creator of all things, both those which are seen and those which bodily eyes do not see; and that we confess the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who was of old foretold by the Prophets, and Who is to come to judge all mankind."

St. Justin was born of heathen parents at Neapolis in Samaria, about the year 103. He was well educated, and gave himself to the study of philosophy, but always with one object, that he might learn the knowledge of God. He sought this knowledge among the contending schools of philosophy, but always in vain, till at last God himself appeased the thirst which He had created. One day, while Justin was walking by the seashore, meditating on the thought of God, an old man met him and questioned him on the subject of his doubts; and when he had made Justin confess that the philosophers taught nothing certain about God, he told him of the writings of the inspired prophets and of Jesus Christ Whom they announced, and bade him seek light and understanding through prayer. The Scriptures and the constancy of the Christian martyrs led Justin from the darkness of human reason to the light of Faith. In his zeal for the Faith he travelled to Greece, Egypt, and Italy, gaining many to Christ. At Rome he sealed his testimony with his blood, surrounded by his disciples. "Do you think," the prefect said to Justin, "that by dying you will enter heaven, and be rewarded by God?" "I do not think," was the Saint's answer; "I know." Then, as now, there were many religious opinions, but only one thing certain: the certainty of the Catholic faith. This certainty should be the measure of our confidence and our zeal.

We have received the gift of Faith with little labor of our own. Let us learn how to value it from those who reached it after long search, and lived in the misery of a world which did not know God. Let us fear, as St. Justin did, the account we shall have to render for the gift of God.


Our beloved Abbot Gueranger has a prayer to this Saint in today's writing, and I'm going to put pieces of it here:

'Thou wast born in the kingdom of darkness, but thou didst early seek to break the chains of falsehood which bound thee like so many others. Thou didst love Wisdom even before thou didst know her, and she too had chosen thee. (Ecclus. iv, 18) But, she will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins. (Wis. i,4) Many men seek to hide their self-love under the beautiful name of Philosophy, and to find in her an excuse for all their vices; but thou didst seek for knowledge out of a desire to know and love the Truth and her laws. This purity of heart and mind brought thee near to God and made thee worthy to meet in the ways of life the living Wisdom whom thou art now enjoying in the full light of eternity...'

Apparently, after the Vatican Council I, the same problems with vain people emerged; those who thought they knew what was best for themselves. Our Abbot continues: 'It is hardly becoming for such men to reproach the Church with despising reason. On the contrary, the Church has but lately, in the Council, emphasized and exalted the mutual help rendered by Faith and reason in leading men to God, and she casts out of her fold those who deny to human reason the power to affirm with certainty the existence of God our Lord and Creator. When seeking to define in these days the respective value of Faith and reason, without either separating or confusing them, the Church had but to listen to the testimony of Christian philosophers in all centuries, beginning with thee (Justin), for their works, which complete one another, are full of this doctrine...Christian champions may not rest satisfied with a toleration extended equally to Christ and satan. They must cry with thee, even when fresh violence is threatened: "Our cause is just, for we, and we alone, speak the Truth."'


St. Justin is considered the most important of the second century apologists, and is an outstanding model for lay apostles of today. His life was devoted to the task of harmonizing the wisdom of the world with those greater riches revealed in the true Faith.

He is the Patron Saint of: apologists, lecturers, orators, philosophers, and speakers.

Quote:

"We call this food Eucharist, and no one else is permitted to partake of it, except one who believes our teaching to be true and who has been washed in the washing which is for the remission of sins and for regeneration [has received baptism] and is thereby living as Christ enjoined. For not as common bread nor common drink do we receive these; but since Jesus Christ our Savior was made incarnate by the word of God and had both Flesh and Blood for our salvation, so too, as we have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by Him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh is nurtured, is both the Flesh and the Blood of that incarnated Jesus.”

~ St. Justin Martyr, First Apologia (# 66)

St. Justin Martyr, please pray for us in our endeavors to propose the eternal Truth to those who seemingly are not listening.