June 01 2021 - St. Justin Martyr - The only true and worthwhile philosophy

 A few decades after the death of the Apostle John, a young philosopher named Justin embarked on a spiritual journey to find truth. One day, he noticed an old man walking at a distance behind him. Wanting to be left alone, he turned and stared with annoyance at the elderly man. However, the old man, who turned out to be a Christian, struck up a conversation and learned that Justin was a philosopher. The old man then began to ask Justin some soul-searching questions, helping Justin to discover the truth of the Christian faith.

As Justin later reminisced, “When the old man had spoken these and many other things, he left, encouraging me to think about what he had said. I’ve never seen him since, but immediately a flame was kindled in my soul. I was overwhelmed by a love for the prophets and the friends of Christ. After pondering over the things the old man had said, I realized that Christianity was the only true and worthwhile philosophy.” Consider that! How an old nameless Christian changed the life of this young philosopher!

St. Justin went on to use his tremendous gifts of intellect and reason to win converts to Christ. He went from town to town giving lectures about the faith to those hungry for the truth of Jesus Christ and debating pagan philosophers.

While in Rome, a pagan philosopher named Crescens became enraged when he could not defeat Justin in debate. So Crescens had Justin arrested for the faith, and when Justin refused to offer pagan sacrifice, he was beheaded.

Several of Justin’s writings survive, including a letter written to the emperor Antoninus, in which Justin seeks to explain Christianity to the emperor. The letter contains some of the earliest descriptions of baptism and the weekly celebration of the eucharist.

Listen to Justin’s teaching on the Eucharist from around the year 150.

“And this food is called among us Eukaristia [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.”

Through the example and heavenly intercession of Justin Martyr may we be bearers and defenders of the Christian faith to all we meet, witnessing to the saving power of Christ in our words and deeds for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For openness to the Holy Spirits gifts, that we may be always bold and clear in spreading and defending the Gospel.

That the faith of the martyrs may give us courage in times of persecution.

For our young people beginning summer vacation, that they may be kept close to the truth and heart of Jesus.

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

June 01 2018 - St. Justin Martyr - The Folly of the Cross

The month of June, traditionally in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, begins each year with the feast of St. Justin, one of the most important apologists of the early Church.

St. Justin used his tremendous gifts of intellect and reason to win converts to Christ. He went from town to town giving lectures about the faith to those hungry for the truth of Jesus Christ and debating pagan philosophers. It was in Rome, that a pagan philosopher named Crescens became enraged when he could not defeat Justin in debate. So Crescens had Justin arrested for the faith, and when Justin refused to offer pagan sacrifice, he was beheaded along with other Roman martyrs whose names we shall only discover in eternity.

Prior to his conversion, Justin was a student of pagan philosophy himself, but his longing for God was not satiated by his students. His deep longing was satisfied when he began to read our Holy Scriptures.

Today’s Collect speaks of how God wondrously taught St. Justin the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ through the folly of the cross. The folly of the Cross. St. Paul writes to the Corinthians: “The message of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Like St. Justin, St. Paul was quite familiar with the philosophies of the world. Remember, how Paul preached to the philosophers in Athens, the seat of Greek art, science, learning, and culture. And there, Paul was rejected, Christ was rejected, the message of the cross was rejected as foolishness.
To the pagan Greeks, as well as so many of our contemporaries, wisdom is what brings you success, wealth, fame, pleasure, and power. That we are called to “lose our life in order to gain it” is madness to the world. Death brings Resurrection? Madness!

So, to the world, preaching the cross is foolishness, preaching Jesus brings you scorn and mockery. We see the consequences of preaching the truth of God in the Gospel today. For preaching in the Temple, driving out corruption from the Temple of God, the scribes, Pharisees, and chief priests conspire to put Jesus to death: he was bad for business!

But we know, as did Paul and Justin, that the cross isn’t foolishness, it’s power, it’s wisdom, it’s goodness, it’s truth, and we are called to preach that with “steadfast faith.”

The cross is a stumbling block because it requires us to reject worldly vice, worldly error. But we trust in the promise of our Lord, that those who pick up the cross and follow Him daily, shall have eternal life, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For openness to the Holy Spirits gifts, that the Christians may be always bold and clear in spreading and defending the Gospel.

That the faith of the martyrs may give us courage in times of persecution.

For our young people beginning summer vacation, that they may be kept close to the truth and heart of Jesus.

That our parish festival may be preserved from inclement weather and may be an instrument for the strengthening of our parish and the spread of Christ’s saving truth.

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.