Readings
for the Memorial of

St Justin
Martyr
June 1


MASS


ENTRANCE ANTIPHON          Cf. Ps 119 (118) 85, 46
Narraverunt mihi iniqui fabulationes, sed non ut lex tua: ego autem loquebar de testimoniis tuis in conspectu regum, et non confundebar.
The wicked have told me lies, but not so is your law:
I spoke of your decrees before kings,
and was not confounded (E.T. alleluia).


COLLECT
Deus, qui per stultitiam crucis eminentem Iesu Christi scientiam beatum Iustinum martyrem mirabiliter docuisti, eius nobis intercessione concede, ut, errorum circumventione depulsa, fidei firmitatem consequamur.
O God, who through the folly of the Cross
wondrously taught Saint Justin the Martyr
the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ,
grant us, through his intercession,
that, having rejected deception and error,
we may become steadfast in the faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.


FIRST READING          1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Brothers and sisters:
The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved lit is the power of God.
For it is written:

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the learning of the learned I will set aside.

Where is the wise one?
Where is the scribe?
Where is the debater of this age?
Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
For since in the wisdom of God
the world did not come to know God through wisdom,
it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation
to save those who have faith.
For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we proclaim Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.


RESPONSORIAL PSALM           Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11
Ex omnibus terroribus meis eripuit me Dominus.

R. (5) The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear and be glad.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the Lord is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.


ALLELUIA          Matthew 5:16
Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus, ut videant vestra bona opera it glorificent Patrem vestrum.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.


GOSPEL          Matthew 5:13-19
Jesus said to his disciples:
"You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."


PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Concede nobis, quaesumus, Domine, haec digne frequentare mysteria, quae beatus Iustinus strenua virtute defendit.
Grant us, we pray, O Lord,
that we may celebrate worthily these mysteries,
which Saint Justin strenuously defended.
Through Christ our Lord.


COMMUNION ANTIPHON          Cf. 1 Cor 2: 2
Non iudicavi me scire aliquid inter vos, nisi Iesum Christum, et hunc crucifixum.
I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (E.T. Alleluia)


PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Caelesti alimonia refecti, supplices te, Domine, deprecamur, ut, beati Iustini martyris monitis obsequentes, de acceptis donis semper in gratiarum actione maneamus.
Refreshed by heavenly food,
we humbly implore you, O Lord,
that, attentive to the teaching of Saint Justin the Martyr,
we may abide at all times in thanksgiving
for the gifts we have received.
Through Christ our Lord.


Liturgy of the Hours
Justin Martyr

From the Common of One Martyr, except the following:

Morning Prayer

BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: In every sacrifice, let us praise the creator of all things through his Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit (alleluia)


COLLECT
O God, who through the folly of the Cross
wondrously taught Saint Justin the Martyr
the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ,
grant us, through his intercession,
that, having rejected deception and error,
we may become steadfast in the faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

Evening Prayer

MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: Suddenly, my soul caught fire and I became filled with love for the prophets and those who are friends of Christ (alleluia).


COLLECT
O God, who through the folly of the Cross
wondrously taught Saint Justin the Martyr
the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ,
grant us, through his intercession,
that, having rejected deception and error,
we may become steadfast in the faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

Office of Readings


The Account of the Martyrdom of St. Justin
(An anonymous eyewitness)


I have accepted the true doctrine of the Christians

The saints were seized and brought before the prefect of Rome, whose name was Rusticus. As they stood before the judgement 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 things 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 favour 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 judgement-seat of our Lord and Saviour."

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 in their Saviour.


RESPONSORY          Acts 20:21, 24; Romans 1:16
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.


COLLECT
O God, who through the folly of the Cross
wondrously taught Saint Justin the Martyr
the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ,
grant us, through his intercession,
that, having rejected deception and error,
we may become steadfast in the faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.


The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm 95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission.



 
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