St. Justin Martyr

 

St. Justin Martyr like many saints was not born into the Christian faith but, found his place by Christ and ultimately in heaven by searching for the Truth and ultimately giving up his life for it.  

 St. Justin Martyr, according to the web site New Advent.org, was “born at Flavia Neapolis, about A.D. 100, converted to Christianity about A.D. 130, taught and defended the Christian religion in Asia Minor and at Rome, where he suffered martyrdom about the year 165.”  ¹ St. Justin Martyr looked into many different philosophy’s, before finally finding his true vocation as a teacher and great witness to Christianity. For instance, St. Justin Martyr found Stoicism lacking because the teachers of this philosophy were unable to explain about God to him. In regards to the teachings of Pythagorean philosophy, St. Justin Martyr was asked to also learn about music, astronomy, and geometry. This did not interest St. Justin Martyr so he did not pursue that particular field of philosophy. St. Justin Martyr also looked into the philosophy of Aristotle, but that teacher was only interested in money. The final stop before converting to Christianity St. Justin Martyr found interest in the philosophy of Platonism. In an encounter with a Platonist teacher St. Justin Martyr had this to say in regards to Platonism, “And the perception of immaterial things quite overpowered me, and the contemplation of ideas furnished my mind with wings, so that in a little while I supposed that I had become wise; and such was my stupidity, I expected forthwith to look upon God, for this is the end of Plato's philosophy.”²    

St. Justin Martyr’s conversion to Christianity came by chance, as surprise one day while walking down the road. An old man approached St. Justin Martyr and struck up a conversation with the future saint. St. Justin Martyr informed the old man that he considered himself to a philosopher and lover of reason. The old man asked St. Justin Martyr why he was not a lover of truth.  The old man told St. Justin Martyr about the Profits and Scriptures, opening up the doors to his true calling of Christianity. Why did it take so long for St. Justin Martyr to come this conclusion and realization of the Truth? After all, St. Justin Martyr surly had heard about the Christians. But, at that time in Christendom, Christianity was looked down upon to say the least, and often time’s followers of Christ would be put to death for practicing their faith. Maybe this was God’s plan all along, testing St. Justin Martyr and his intellect, knowing that this future saint had something missing in his heart, and longing for a love that only God could fill?  St. Justin Martyr did choose God and for that decision he was put to death by the state for holding fast to his faith and never denying Jesus Christ and the True King and True God.

St. Justin Martyr is known as the first great Catholic apologist, apologist in the meaning of defender of the Catholic Faith. There was much to defend the Faith against in the early years of Christianity as there is today. St Justin Martyr debated Jewish followers on how they both could worship the same God and how Jesus was the long awaited Messiah. St. Justin Martyr debated pagans on why Christians do not worship idols, but yet are not to be considered atheists. In regards to debating the followers of the different philosophies of the time, St. Justin Martyr explained to them how Christianity recognized the dignity of all human beings. St. Justin Martyr also taught people about the supernatural greatness found in the Sacraments of Baptism and The Most Holy Eucharist. 

In his “Apologies” St. Justin Martyr explains what the Christian faith truly is and disproves the false accusations of the religion that were circulating around at that time. “Saint Justin Martyr, himself a convert from paganism, wrote his two apologies to explain and defend Christianity as a reasonable religion rooted in the truth and practiced in virtue and thus worthy of toleration rather than persecution. All of his writings, including the two apologies, are intended to clarify the belief of Christians, their moral code, and their sacramental rites.”3   

St. Justin Martyr’s first “Apology” was written for the ruler of that time Emperor Antoninus Pius. Rome was punishing Christians at that time for not worshiping Rome’s pagan gods. St. Justin Martyr explained that it was not possible for Christians to worship other god’s than their one true God Jesus Christ. Basically, St. Justin Martyr was the first Christian working for the freedom of religion in that empire, not asking for exemptions of Christians for punishment from personal crimes. Another fact about the Christian faith that St. Justin Martyr wanted to make known to the emperor was that Christianity was in fact good for the overall well-being of the state. The fact was if a Christian was truly practicing their faith they did not commit crimes, which if course was a good thing for the state. Also, family life was a top priority for a Christian, and strong families meant strong societies, also a good thing for the state. Not to mention, if a Christian was truly following their faith, they would be helping out all of the needy members of the state, praying for their enemies, as well as following all the state civil laws that do not call a Christian to abandon their faith in any way. To make a long story short, the presence of Christianity in the state, translates to a presence of love and peace in the state.

St. Justin Martyr explains the Christian reason for following the states “just” laws is not primarily out of fear of punishment from the state, but rather to be in union with God, in hopes to be with Him in heaven for eternity, an eternity that consists not only of an immortal soul, but also a resurrected body, as seen in the example of Jesus Christ. St. Justin Martyr then goes on to explain that the arrival of Jesus here on earth has been foretold for thousands of years in the Hebrew Scriptures, as well as found in the writings of many of the well-known philosophers such as Plato. Possibly, a reason for this comparison of ancient philosophy and ancient Scripture to Christianity is not only for conversion purposes, but also to ease possible tensions the state might have in regards to a new religion, that in the states mind could possibly cause the state to lose its reign.

Next, St. Justin Martyr goes on to explain the Sacraments and The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to Emperor Antoninus Pius. This is an important explanation because of the false accusations Christians were having orgies, blood sacrifices at their meetings. St. Justin Martyr goes on to explain that Christian worship is for Christians only because of what Christians believe and profess at the worship services, not because they are hiding anything. Those who are baptized in the name of the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit and accepted into the community do receive what is to be the body and blood of their savior, in the form of bread and wine. Also, the community prays together, takes up collections for the poor, needy, and imprisoned.

After St. Justin Martyr’s death, his second “apology” was published; this work was intended for the Roman Senate. This work went over some of the same topics as the previous work, again revealing the injustice the Romans were inflicting on the Christians. St Justin Martyr used an example of a previous court case that wrongly prosecuted teachers of Christianity, and he believed this would be his fate. In this case a woman who had converted to Christianity to lead a better life in virtue, won her case in court, but her teachers were punished. Also, in this work St. Justin Martyr explains the Christian mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, as well as an explanation of Creation and the Fall of man. He then goes on to explain human responsibility for the sin they cause, out of the use of their free will. This also explains the mystery of evil. St. Justin Martyr then teaches how we are punished for our freely choosing to perform evil acts and how Jesus died for the forgiveness of our sins.  St. Justin Martyr makes reference to the philosophers Plato and Socrates having partial truth that was contained in their beliefs, and fulfilled in the belief of Christ. For instance, Christians could not in gauge in sinful sensual pleasures similar to the teachings of Plato.            

St. Justin Martyr’s example of practicing what he preached is a rock solid example of how all Christians should walk with Christ. Granted, not all Christians are called to a red martyrdom like St. Justin, but Christ did promise all His followers will be persecuted in some fashion or another, if they are truly living out their Christian calling.  After reading this it is not hard to see how St. Justin earned the titles, Apologist, Philosopher, Martyr, and most of all Saint.

        

 

 

 

 

    

 

References

 ¹ Retrieved from: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08580c.htm

 ² Retrieved from: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=74

 ³ Retrieved from: https://www.enotes.com/topics/first-second-apologies

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

Book Review: St. Thomas Aquinas by G. K. Chesterton

 

  St. Thomas Aquinas by G. K. Chesterton is described by Chesterton as book that “makes no pretense to be anything but a popular sketch of a great historical character who ought to be more popular. Its aim will be achieved, if it leads those who hardly even hear of St. Thomas Aquinas to read him in better books.”[1] In other words, this books intention was not set out to be a systematic cerebral timeline of this great saint, but rather a work that intends to bring its readers to an understanding of the life of St. Thomas through the admiring eyes and heart of one of one the greatest writers the world as ever known. Chesterton, through this book opens up to its readers the human aspect of this great saint, in hopes kindling a desire for its readers to look deeper into St. Thomas’s groundbreaking philosophy and theology.

St. Thomas Aquinas by G. K. Chesterton was written in 1933. “Chesterton wrote Saint Thomas Aquinas during a period when people generally tended to oppose faith and reason. Scientific people thought that reason is sufficient. Believing people were persuaded that reason is alien. Chesterton tried to address both audiences.”[2] St. Thomas Aquinas is still appealing to audiences to this very day. Perhaps, not because people are looking for a complete historic biography of St. Thomas, or even a thorough analyzation of St. Thomas’s theology or philosophy, but rather its readers may see this work as an inviting doorway into the minds of two of the greatest truth seekers the world has ever had the pleasure to offer.

What I believe the thesis or theme of this work is, is the pursuit of truth. Not the truth of any one thing, but rather the pursuit of all the truth the universe has to offer. Both Chesterton and St. Thomas possessed a great zeal for knowledge and truth and both men had the gift of passing on this great knowledge to not only the people of their time, but also to people through out time. They were able tackle the greatest questions the human mind has to offer and then pass on the answerers to these questions in a simplistic way for everyone to understand. Not because the questions they asked and answered were simple, not by any means, but because the questions they asked were reasonable, and the answers they brought forth to the masses appealed into the soul of humanities God given gift of rational reasoning. Chesterton explains the appeal of natural reason that St. Thomas makes with his learners by stating, “In the subjectivist, the pressure of the world forces the imagination inwards. In the Thomist, the energy of the mind forces the imagination outwards, but because the images it seeks are real things. All their romance and glamour, so to speak, lies in the fact that they are real things; things not to be found by staring inwards at the mind.”[3] St. Thomas allows one to trust their senses and deduct from what is real to gain a truth about that which is in question. Chesterton explains this as a sort of marriage between reality and a recognition of reality by stating, “In other words, the essence of the Thomist common sense is that two agencies are at work; reality and the recognition of reality; and their meeting is sort of marriage. Indeed, it is truly a marriage, because it is fruitful; the only philosophy now in the world that really is fruitful. It produces practical results, precisely because it is the combination of an adventurous mind and a strange fact.”[4]

Chesterton divides the book out into eight chapters. The first chapter “On Two Friars” compares St. Francis to St. Thomas, and explains to its readers by stating:

And it is of primary importance to realize this fact first, about the time of the great Dominican and the first Franciscan, because their tendency, humanistic and naturalistic in a hundred ways, was truly the development of the supreme doctrine; which was also the dogma of all dogmas. It is in this that the popular poetry of St. Francis and the almost rationalistic prose of St. Thomas appear most vividly as part of the same movement. They are both great growths of Catholic development, depending upon external things only as every living and growing thing depends on them; that is, it digests and transforms them; but continues in its own image and not in theirs.[5]

 

Chesterton is stating that both if these great saints are using their God given abilities and God given callings, which are unique in their own way, but both are focused on the same path of the will of God. To sum the point up Chesterton states, “St. Francis was content to call himself the Troubadour of God; but was not content with himself the God of the Troubadours. St Thomas did not reconcile Christ to Aristotle; he reconciled Aristotle to Christ.[6]

The second chapter is referred to as “The Runaway Abbot.” This chapter’s focus is a quick overview of St. Thomas’s life on how he became a part of the Dominican’s. Originally, St. Thomas’s family had plans for him to join the Benedictine Abbey at Monte Cassino and to eventually take over the role of Abbot from his uncle. Indeed, a prestigious role religiously and politically. But St. Thomas had other plans. According to Chesterton, “Thomas had appeared to wish to be a Monk; and the gates were silently opened to him, and long avenues of the abbey, the very carpet, so to speak, laid for him up to the throne of the mitred abbot. He said he wished to be a Friar, and his family; and his family flew at him like wild beasts; his brothers pursued him along the public roads, half-rent his friar’s flock his back and finally locked him up on a tower like a lunatic.”[7] Who can say for sure if this act of his family was indeed an act of  “tough love” or an act of selfish pride on the part of St. Thomas’s family, in hopes of changing the future saints mind. The shenanigans did not end with imprisonment. One night his brothers tried to tempt their brother into an impure scandal by bringing a woman into his room. Chesterton explains St. Thomas’s reaction to this situation by stating, “He sprang form his seat and snatched a brand out of the fire and stood brandishing it like flaming sword. The woman not unnaturally shrieked and fled, which as all that he wanted; but it quaint to think of what she must have thought of that madman of monstrous stature juggling with flames and apparently threatening to burn down the house. All he did, however, was to stride after her to the door and bang and bar it behind her; and then, with a sort of impulse of violent ritual, he rammed the burning brand into the door, blacking and blistering it with one big black sign of the cross.”[8]

The next chapter in Chesterton’s St. Thomas Aquinas is called “The Aristotelian Revolution.” One might label this chapter as the “meat and potatoes” of this great work, because it dives into the part of St. Thomas’s life that formed his intellectual greatness, as well as describing his great intellectual battels.  St. Thomas had the privilege of being one of St. Albert the Greats students. Though St. Thomas was large in stature and not overly large in verbal dialogue, St. Albert the Great saw what God’s plan was for St. Thomas, sainthood. Chesterton explains the binging of their relationship by stating, “He learned with amusement that this dunce had been nicknamed the Dumb Ox by his school fellows. All that is natural enough; but it does not take away the savour of something rather strange and symbolic, about the extraordinary emphasis with which he spoke at last. For Aquinas was still generally known only as one more brilliant and promising pupils, when the great Albert broke silence with his famous cry and prophecy: “You call him a Dumb Ox; I tell you this Dumb Ox shall bellow so loud that this bellowing’s will fill the world.”[9] Together the two traveled to Paris to battle heretics and heresy’s.

One of the great battles they engaged in was the battle against Averroes and Averroism. St. Thomas was able to re-translate the works of Aristotle according to their truth and was able to use these truths philosophically and theologically inline with Church teachings. However, this contradicted Averroes’s translations and teachings of Aristotle. St. Thomas ultimately won the battle against Averroes and duality. “Rejecting Plato's dualistic theory which made the soul and body of man two distinct beings joined together without substantial unity, he adopted, explained, and defended the teaching of Aristotle, that the soul is the substantial form of the human body, distinct from it, but united so intimately with it that the two form one substantial being, which is an individual of the human species. The soul alone is not the man; the body is not the man; but the soul and body united constitute an individual man, a person, e.g., John, or Peter, or Paul. This doctrine was afterwards solemnly defined as a dogma of the Catholic faith at the Council of Vienne (1311-1312), and its proclamation by St. Thomas was a deathblow to Averroism. If the soul belongs to a particular individual, then there is no place for the Averroistic dream of one intellect for all men. Moreover, there is no foundation for such a oneness of intellect as Averroes imagined.”[10] The end of St. Thomas’s great life is explained by Chesterton, “He fell back on the extreme simplicities of his monastic round and seemed to desire nothing but a sort of permanent retreat. A request came to him form the Pope that he should set out upon some further mission of diplomacy or disputation; and he made ready to obey. But before he had gone many miles on the journey, he was dead.”[11] Though tired, St. Thomas was in service to God and His bride to the very end.

This book made several impressions on me personally. Probably the greatest impression is the bond between Chesterton and St. Thomas. Obviously, they never met physically, but they did meet through the pursuit of the truth through the grace of God. Not so much as one could say Chesterton was a devote student of Thomism, but more so a devote son of God and pursuer of the truth of God. It has been said the majority of St. Thomas Aquinas was written before he thoroughly studied the works of the great saint. “For it is highly doubtful that Chesterton had actually devoted much time to reading Aquinas or to studying Thomism. In fact, it is reported that Chesterton began the book without the benefit of extended research. The volume is dedicated to Chesterton’s secretary, Dorothy Collins, who told one of his early biographers, Maisie Ward, that Chesterton had dictated the first half of the book to her before he asked her to go to London and to buy up whatever books may be available about Aquinas.”[12]  Both Chesterton and St. Thomas nobly acted in accordance with the will of God, to battle the lies against their God at each ones God given time and place.

 

 

 

 

---

[1] G. K. Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas (Connecticut: Martino, 2011), ix.

[2] Romanus Cessario, O.P., Saint Thomas Aquinas: “The Apostle of Common Sense”, Nova et Vetera, English Edition,Vol. 7, No. 3 (2009): 567.

[3] Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas, 147.

[4] Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas, 148.

[5] Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas, 20.

[6] Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas, 20.

[7] Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas, 46.

 [8] Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas, 50-51.

 [9] Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas, 56.

 [10] Jacques Maritain Center, Influence of St. Thomas on Philosophy.

 [11] Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas, 76.

[12]  Cessario, Saint Thomas Aquinas: “The Apostle of Common Sense”, 566.