Father Lawrence Lew, OP, via Flickr, licensed cc
While at Ephesus, he was impressed by the steadfastness of the Christian martyrs, and by the personality of an aged Christian man whom he met by chance while walking on the seashore. This man spoke to him about Jesus as the fulfillment of the promises made through the Jewish prophets. Justin was overwhelmed. “Straightway a flame was kindled in my soul,” he writes, “and a love of the prophets and those who are friends of Christ possessed me.”
Justin became a Christian, but he continued to wear the cloak that was the characteristic uniform of the professional teacher of philosophy. His position was that pagan philosophy, especially Platonism, is not simply wrong, but is a partial grasp of the truth, and serves as “a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.”
While at Ephesus, he was impressed by the steadfastness of the Christian martyrs, and by the personality of an aged Christian man whom he met by chance while walking on the seashore. This man spoke to him about Jesus as the fulfillment of the promises made through the Jewish prophets. Justin was overwhelmed. “Straightway a flame was kindled in my soul,” he writes, “and a love of the prophets and those who are friends of Christ possessed me.”
Justin became a Christian, but he continued to wear the cloak that was the characteristic uniform of the professional teacher of philosophy. His position was that pagan philosophy, especially Platonism, is not simply wrong, but is a partial grasp of the truth, and serves as “a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.”
From Father Lew on Flickr
From Early Christian Writings.com
Well, they say, if then the flesh rise, it must rise the same as it falls; so that if it die with one eye, it must rise one-eyed; if lame, lame; if defective in any part of the body, in this part the man must rise deficient. How truly blinded are they in the eyes of their hearts! For they have not seen on the earth blind men seeing again, and the lame walking by His word. All things which the Saviour did, He did in the first place in order that what was spoken concerning Him in the prophets might be fulfilled, “that the blind should receive sight, and the deaf hear,” and so on; but also to induce the belief that in the resurrection the flesh shall rise entire. For if on earth He healed the sicknesses of the flesh, and made the body whole, much more will He do this in the resurrection, so that the flesh shall rise perfect and entire. In this manner, then, shall those dreaded difficulties of theirs be healed.
At 50+, these are welcome words to read! I’d like to know that the aches and pains of my body in this life, will be gone when it rises again!
Today is the feast of Justy Martyr. By some odd coincidence, it is also my birthday. I was originally due in May but much to my mother’s distress, I waited two weeks to put in an appearance. As first labors go, it was a long one. She labored with the Medical Missionary Sisters and my grandmother in attendance and at one point got off of the table and said she was done and that she would be back tomorrow, but the sisters and grandma laughed it off and told her to stay and soon after I was born.
It wasn’t until I reverted back to my Catholic Faith and started to get interested in such things that I discovered that I was born on the feast of a saint that I felt such an immediate kinship too. Of course, it wasn’t until I reverted back to my Catholic Faith that I felt the need to defend it, study it, and seek the truth from it. Isn’t it funny sometimes how God gives us the role models that we need, and puts them in special places in our lives for us to benefit from, even when we aren’t aware of it? How he designed this special date as a connection between this holy saint and me, born centuries later, is just awesome. It makes me even more aware that God really has a plan and is working it, every day, of every year, through the centuries and that I am indeed a part of it!
I think I can now safely say that I am in my “late 50s.” And although I am in good health and energy and don’t feel old or aged at all – I do feel as if time is running out. Mr. Pete and I used to talk about buying property and putting in a Christmas tree farm – now we realize that the little trees we might plant could possibly outlast us! Plans for business and education also feel more urgent – the vague idea of “someday” is a luxury being replaced by a realization of “now or never.”
And yet most of the things I want to accomplish are “interior” things such as pray more and read more. And leave a legacy – be someone they want to remember in a good way – not a traumatic way. But I’m not one to regret another birthday. Every year is a gift and I want to celebrate mine.
Psalm 90:10
