St. Justin, Martyr

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 Greek parents who were heathens, 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.. "But," continued this venerable personage, "above all things, pray to the Lord to illuminate thy mind; because these things are not to be understood except by those unto whom God hath given the knowledge of them." Having pronounced these words, he disappeared. 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 and am so fully assured of it, that I entertain no doubt whatever."

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 this 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, and tried to pass it on to us. 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.

Quotes:

 

"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)


"No one can be reproved or condemned for obeying the precepts of our Saviour, Jesus Christ." St. Justin Martyr


"When we fight against Satan in the name of Jesus", says the martyr, "Jesus fights for us, in us, and with us, and the enemies must fly as soon as they hear the name of Jesus". 

Following is that First Apology (The important topics, or at least parts the whole, because this goes from Chapter I to Chapter LXV, or 1 to 65). You can Google his name and get a number of sites):

Saint Justin, Martyr (100-165):
First Apology

    The "Apology" of Saint Justin is not a liturgical text, but does contain the earliest known description of the Mass, presented to the Roman Emperor along with a much larger description of the practices of early Catholics, with the hope of explaining that the Faith of the Church constituted no threat to the Empire.  Justin wrote at a time when the Mass was closed to all but baptized Catholics--following this disciplina arcana, Justin's descriptions are purposefully vague.

JUSTIN MARTYR -- THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN  Chapter I.-Address. To the Emperor Titus Ælius Adrianus Antoninus Pius Augustus Cæsar, and to his son Verissimus the Philosopher, and to Lucius the Philosopher, the natural son of Cæsar, and the adopted son of Pius, a lover of learning, and to the sacred Senate, with the whole People of the Romans, I, Justin, the son of Priscus and grandson of Bacchius, natives of Flavia Neapolis in Palestine, present this address and petition in behalf of those of all nations who are unjustly hated and wantonly abused, myself being one of them.

Chapter LXV.-Administration of the Sacraments. (Notice we have skipped from No. 1 to 65)

But we, after we have thus washed him who has been convinced and has assented to our teaching, bring him to the place where those who are called brethren are assembled, in order that we may offer hearty prayers in common for ourselves and for the baptized [illuminated] person, and for all others in every place, that we may be counted worthy, now that we have learned the truth, by our works also to be found good citizens and keepers of the commandments, so that we may be saved with an everlasting salvation. Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss. There is then brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. This word Amen answers in the Hebrew language to ge/noito [so be it]. And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion.

Chapter LXVI.-Of the Eucharist.

And this food is called among us Eu0xaristi/a [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, "This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My Body; "and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, "This is My Blood; "and gave it to them alone. Which the wicked devils have imitated in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding the same thing to be done. For, that bread and a cup of water are placed with certain incantations in the mystic rites of one who is being initiated, you either know or can learn.

Chapter LXVII.-Weekly Worship of the Christians.

And we afterwards continually remind each other of these things. And the wealthy among us help the needy; and we always keep together; and for all things wherewith we are supplied, we bless the Maker of all through His Son Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Ghost. And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need. But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration.

Source:  Early Church Fathers, Anti Nicene Fathers, Volume I
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.ii.lxv.html and http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.ii.lxvi.html and http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.ii.lxvii.html  or http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/justinmartyr-firstapology.html or http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0126.htm
The Catholic Encyclopedia s.v. "Saint Justin, Martyr"  http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08580c.htm

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