JUSTIN, Martyr

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June 1, 2023

JUSTIN, Martyr

Introduction

St. Justin, a philosopher living in the second century, was an honest seeker of the truth. Disappointed at pagan philosophies, he came to recognize the way of Christ as the true philosophy and the full truth. After his conversion he served the Church as an apologist (defender of the faith) and founded in Rome the first school of Christian philosophy, a sort of catechumenate for those interested in Christianity. In this school and in his writings he presents Christianity as the complete and surpassing fulfillment of pagan thought and culture. Stating that no one gives up the truth for error when the judge condemned him, he was beheaded for his faith.

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
we celebrate today the remembrance
of the philosopher and martyr St. Justin.
He did not cease to search for the truth
until he had found your Son Jesus Christ.
Like him, may we become restless
until we have discovered all the depth
of the love of your Son,
who is our way, our truth, our life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Reading 1: Sir 42:15-25

Now will I recall God’s works;
what I have seen, I will describe.
At God’s word were his works brought into being;
they do his will as he has ordained for them.
As the rising sun is clear to all,
so the glory of the LORD fills all his works;
Yet even God’s holy ones must fail
in recounting the wonders of the LORD,
Though God has given these, his hosts, the strength
to stand firm before his glory.
He plumbs the depths and penetrates the heart;
their innermost being he understands.
The Most High possesses all knowledge,
and sees from of old the things that are to come:
He makes known the past and the future,
and reveals the deepest secrets.
No understanding does he lack;
no single thing escapes him.
Perennial is his almighty wisdom;
he is from all eternity one and the same,
With nothing added, nothing taken away;
no need of a counselor for him!
How beautiful are all his works!
even to the spark and fleeting vision!
The universe lives and abides forever;
to meet each need, each creature is preserved.
All of them differ, one from another,
yet none of them has he made in vain,
For each in turn, as it comes, is good;
can one ever see enough of their splendor?

Responsorial Psalm: PS 33:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (6a) By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
For upright is the word of the LORD
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as in a flask;
in cellars he confines the deep.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all who dwell in the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it was made;
he commanded, and it stood forth.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.

Alleluia: Jn 8:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Mk 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.

Intentions

– Lord, see the eyes of children open to life; see the eyes full of hope of those who believe in your future and fill them with your light, we pray:

– Lord, see the eyes of those who suffer; see the lifeless eyes of those who are physically blind, we pray:

– Lord, see the eyes of those who fail to see others; see the eyes full of tears of those who mourn for those they loved, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

God, source of the truth and of all life,
we come with bread and wine
to join Jesus your Son
in his praise and thanks to you.
Accept our thanks for our faith,
which came to us as your free gift.
Let the Holy Spirit express in us
that we are happy to have found your Son
and to be his disciples
and through him to see fulfilled
our quest for life and love.
All thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
happy that we have your Son as our guide,
may we in your Church, like St. Justin,
be eager to make others know and love Jesus.
Do not even let the foolish wisdom of the cross
deter us from being faithful to him
and to proclaim him as the living Lord
who understands our sufferings
and who make us see
that even the difficulties of life make sense.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Blessing

May God give to all of us eyes of faith and may he bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Reflection:

1 June 2023

Mark 10:46-52

Do not be resigned to darkness

Today’s Gospel text tells us about the healing of the blind Bartimaeus. From the side of the road, he cries out to Jesus, who passes by: “Son of David, have mercy on me.”

The name Timaeus in Greek meant respect or fear. The blind man was named the son of the fearful one. But he displayed remarkable courage in shouting for mercy even as the crowd tried to silence him.

Deep down, we are all blind. Bartimaeus’ advantage over us is that he was aware of his blindness and, therefore, capable of crying out to the Lord who was passing by. We, on the contrary, are unaware of our blindness; we have a false confidence that we can see clearly. That is why we judge, denounce and condemn … God alone knows the human heart and the why of things.

Bartimaeus is the image of the disciple who finally opens his eyes to the Master’s light and decides to follow him along the way. Only those who realise they are leading a meaningless, unacceptable life look for a way out. Bartimaeus is not resigned to the darkness in which he is immersed. After hearing about Jesus one day, he realises he has the chance of a lifetime: He screams, asking for help; he will no longer live in this state. But there are difficulties to overcome. He immediately feels thwarted in his effort to encounter the light of heaven. Yet he is not discouraged nor ashamed of his condition and does not hide his anguish; he cries and asks for help from the one who can open his eyes.

Jesus stops! It is an invitation to joy and hope: “Take heart! Get up, he is calling you” (v. 49). Bartimaeus “jumps up, throws off his cloak and runs” toward Jesus. These gestures are symbolic. The mantle was considered the only asset owned by the poor. The act of abandoning it, along with a few coins passers-by placed there, indicates complete detachment from his previous life. His previous life is no longer relevant to him.

Anyone who comes to Christ must not dream of a comfortable and trouble-free life. The experience of Bartimaeus teaches that the journey that awaits those who have received the light is very difficult; it forces one to rethink habits, behaviour and friendships. It demands that life, time, and goods are managed in a radically new way. Those who want to be enlightened by Christ must choose between the old mantle and the new light.

Jesus is the light that illuminates everything, fills everything with life and meaning. That is why when Jesus opens our eyes we cannot but follow him along the way, because we have discovered the light.

Do not be resigned to darkness - Youtube

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