Today we have a very important feast day to celebrate in St. Justin the Martyr. He lived in the early 2nd century. He is interesting because he was a thinker – he was a philosopher. His search for the depths of knowledge led to Christianity. Following his conversion to the faith he wrote many books in defense of religion – in those early years when the Church faced a great deal of opposition as it made its way into the pagan world doing what Jesus commanded it to do: preaching the gospel to the ends of the earth. Two of his most famous books are the "Apology" and the "Dialogue with Trypho." To emphasize the free nature of seeking the one truth found in God alone he opened a school at Rome in which public debates were held. Justin was martyred along with several companions during the reign of Marcus Aurelius around the year 165.
Two important ideas to take from the readings today: first, the wisdom of God is the only true wisdom – because it has divine light as a part of it; the student, the scholar, the ordinary citizen, the person in authority can investigate, research, apply preexisting criteria to a whole range of topics using ordinary intelligence and unaided wisdom: but it is just not possible to attain a clarifying depth and accuracy of understanding unless the divine light of the Spirit is also present – and invited to be so! Without that light, Paul tells the Corinthians in the first reading, God makes the wisdom of the world foolish. For example: the absolute ultimate expression of God's power and love is found in the Crucified One – apparently lacking in any power whatsoever, apparently defeated, apparently dead! But the divine light of God's Spirit tells us that this is Jesus finest hour – that he as Son of God never did die – that at that point he immediately went to the netherworld to free the captives and open the gates of heaven – and that he himself as Son of Man rose from the dead three days later.
And so the stumbling block to Jews, and the foolishness of the Gentiles: Christ Crucified, needs to be understood in proper context. This is what preaching and teaching is all about; this is what apologetics is all about: defending the truths of the faith in the face of all opposition – even if it means giving up one's life! This is what Justin's job was all about!
The second point is this: we each are called to stay updated with our understanding of the truths of the faith – this, by listening to preaching, reading these matters for ourselves, debating them with those who are learned in such things – so that we can defend them when the times call for it. The times call for it now. The Church is being called upon to give witness in a paganized world as never before. But just as the early Church had the freshly given gifts of the Spirit; we have those same fresh gifts today – we are baptized, we are confirmed, we are ordained and sent forth to bring the salt and light of God's truth to others – who are so desperately searching for it.
For so many are simply like sheep without a shepherd; they need us and our vision, our values our faith to bolster them up! Strengthened by the Eucharist may we do our part today!
Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
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