Saint Justin Martyr

We pray together, then listen to the martyrdom of Saint Justin as he faces Rome’s demand to sacrifice to the gods and refuses with steady conviction. We end by entrusting our lives to Jesus through Mary and taking up the call to live and proclaim the Gospel without fear. 
• opening invocation and daily offering through the Immaculate Heart of Mary 
• Saint Justin brought before Rusticus and ordered to obey the emperors 
• Justin’s clear confession of Christian doctrine and worship of the one Creator 
• hope of heaven held as certainty rather than a guess 
• refusal to offer sacrifice to idols despite threats of torture 
• sentencing, beheading, and the martyrs’ final witness 
• resolve to finish the course and proclaim God’s grace without shame 

If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful, and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org. 

Transcript

Opening Prayers And Daily Offering

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Saint Justin, Martyr, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. O my Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of sin, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

Saint Justin Faces The Prefect

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From the acts of the martyrdom of Saint Justin and his companion saints. The saints were seized and brought before the prefect of Rome, whose name was Rusticus. As they stood before the judgment seat, Rusticus the prefect said to Justin, Above all, have faith in the gods and obey the emperors. Justin said, We cannot be accused or condemned for obeying the commands of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Rusticus said, What system of teaching do you profess? Justin said, I have tried to learn about every system, but I have accepted the true doctrines of the Christians, though these are not approved by those who are held fast by error. The prefect Rusticus said, Are those doctrines approved by you, wretch that you are? Justin said, Yes, for I follow them with their correct teaching. The prefect Rusticus said, What sort of teaching is that? Justin said, Worship the God of the Christians. We hold him to be from the beginning the one creator and maker of the whole creation, of things seen and unseen. We worship also the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He was foretold by the prophets as the future herald of salvation for the human race, and the teacher of distinguished disciples. For myself, since I am a human being, I consider that what I say is insignificant in comparison with his infinite Godhead. I acknowledge the existence of a prophetic power, for the one I have just spoken of as the Son of God was the subject of prophecy. I know that the prophets were inspired from above when they spoke of his coming among men. Rusticus said, You are a Christian, then. Justin said, Yes, I am a Christian. The prefect said to Justin, You are called a learned man, and think that you know what is true teaching. Listen, if you were scourged and beheaded, are you convinced that you would go up to heaven? Justin said, I hope that I shall enter God's house if I suffer that way, for I know that God's favor is stored up until the end of the whole world for all who have lived good lives. The prefect Rusticus said, Do you have an idea that you will go up to heaven to receive some suitable rewards? Justin said, It is not an idea that I have. It is something I know well and hold to be most certain. The prefect Rusticus said, Now let us come to the point at issue, which is necessary and urgent. Gather round then and with one accord offer sacrifice to the gods. Justin said, No one who is right thinking stoops from true worship to false worship. The prefect Rusticus said, If you do not do as you are commanded, you will be tortured without mercy. Justin said, We hope to suffer torment for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, and so be saved, for this will bring us salvation and confidence as we stand before the more terrible and universal judgment seat of our Lord and Savior.

Torture Threats And Martyrdom Witness

SPEAKER_00 3:48

In the same way the other martyrs also said, Do what you will. We are Christians, we do not offer sacrifice to idols. The prefect Rusticus pronounced sentence saying, Let those who have refused to sacrifice to the gods and to obey the command of the emperor be scourged and led away to suffer capital punishment according to the ruling of the laws. Glorifying God, the holy martyrs went out to the accustomed place. They were beheaded, and so fulfilled their witness of martyrdom in confessing their faith

Gospel Resolve And Closing Prayers

SPEAKER_00 4:22

in their Savior. I have preached faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and now I fear no danger. I do not count my life more precious than my work, which is to finish my course, the task of preaching and proclaiming the good news of God's grace. I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God's power at work, bringing salvation to all who believe in it, Jew first and then Greek. I do not count my life more precious than my work, which is to finish my course, the task of preaching and proclaiming the good news of God's grace. All that I have and all that I am, I give to your hands, Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother, amen. The sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us, our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

How To Join The Cristeros

SPEAKER_00 5:24

If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful, and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith, consider joining the Christoros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Christoros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Christos can be found at theCristeros.org.