14 April: St. Justin, martyr

Today is the feast of St. Justin, Martyr, who was killed in about 165.

COLLECT (1962):

Deus, qui per stultitiam crucis eminentem Iesu Christi scientiam beatum Iustinum Martyrem mirabíliter docuisti; eius nobis intercessione concede; ut, errorum circumventione depulsa, fidei firmitatem consequamur.

Let’s have your flawless yet smooth versions of this beautiful Collect for one of the great saints of the earliest times of Holy Church!

Reflect on what these people believed… the faith in which they believed fuel like a fusion reactor by the faith by which they believed.

They were willing to die.

From Justin.. before you go trooping up to Holy Communion the next time:

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 genoito [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. And this food is called among us Euxaristia, 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.

First Apology 65-66

 

 

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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4 Comments

  1. InFormationDiakonia says:

    I deign to compare this great saint’s understanding of the Eucharist with the claptrap that of the Jesuit Thomas Reece (you presented to us Father Z in the piece above this) has with his understanding of the Eucharist. One died for his faith and one lives in and is of the world. The comparisons could not be more clear or more stark.

    It is clear that our liturgy is timeless through this saint’s writings. Justin Martyr (probably more correct to say Justin the Martyr) stands as one who was faithful to the end. With the predominance in most catholic circles of effeminate, clownish men in the hierarchy it is no wonder that we are in the situation we are in today in the Church. Unclear encyclicals, wrong-headed edicts, and watered down liturgy have led the Church to the precipice of the pit. While Christ told us that Hell would not prevail, many in the Church today are trying their best to prove Him wrong (and we know where that will end!).

    Would that we all take St. Justin’s words to heart!

  2. Aliquis says:

    Best I can do:
    God, who through the foolishness of the Cross wonderfully taught blessed Justin Martyr lofty knowledge, grant us by his intercession that, having repelled the trickery of errors, we may obtain firmness of faith.

  3. Sol says:

    It’s been a while but I will give it a shot:

    O God who by the folly of the Cross hath wondrously instructed blessed Justin martyr with sublime knowledge, grant by his intercession that, with the falsehood of errors having been repelled, we may attain steadfastness of faith.

  4. Pingback: Before you go to Holy Communion next time, read this… | Catholicism Pure & Simple

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