justin Martyr

Today in the church we celebrate the feast of St, Justin Martyr. Justin Martyr was, as his name suggest, martyred for the faith.

He lived between the year 100 and 165 (date of martyrdom). He was a philosopher, a thinker, the one who knew the badge of courage necessary to think a thought through. He never gave up on reason and understand faith as a necessary reality of allowing reason to become perfected in this life.

He was killed because he chose to stand firm in his profession of faith in Christ, in Christianity as the true and only way to God.

Here are few words of wisdom from St. Justin Martyr who speaks of the Christian faith and what it means to be Christian, to bear such a name:

"Reason requires that those who are truly pious and philosophers honor and cherish the truth alone, scorning merely to follow the opinions of the ancients, if they are worthless."

"the lover of truth ought to choose in every way, even at the cost of his own life to speak and do what is right."


"Unless both rulers and those that they rule become lovers of wisdom cities cannot prosper."


"Rulers of respect reputation rather than truth have as much power as brigands in a desert."


"That we may avoid all injustice and impiety, we have been taught to expose the newly born is the work of wicked men."

"But to begin with, we do not marry except in order to bring up children, or else, renouncing marriage, we live in perfect continence. To show you that promiscuous intercourse is not among our mysteries."


"And on the day called SUnday there is a meeting in one place who live in cities or country, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read as long as time permits. when the reader has finished, the president in a discourse urges and invites us to imitation of these noble things. then we all stand up together and offer prayers. And bread is brought forth, and wine and water, and the presider similarly sends up prayers and thanksgivings to the best of his ability, and the congregation assents, saying Amen; the distribution and reception of the consecrated elements by each one takes place."

"This food we call Eucharist, in which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing of forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ handed down to us."

"We have been taught that the food consecrated by the word of prayer which comes from him, from which our flesh and blood are nourished by transformation, is the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus."

Amazing that in the beginning of the second century the Mass as we celebrate today was already in full bloom for the faithful. Somethings never change and we are thankful for such continuity and dedication of faith of those who have gone before us preserving the faith with their life, shedding their blood so we may receive the very body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ himself in the Eucharist.

We are all Eucharistified, as St. Justin tells us. Could we be anything else?