Wednesday June 1/14 ns 2023 • Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher et al., St. Justin of Ćelije • Fast day • Rom. 4:13–25; St. Matt. 7:21–23 • Vladyka Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco by Nun Theodosia (Tikhonovich)

Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher et al., 

St. Justin of Ćelije

⧫
HOLY APOSTLES' FAST

Fast Day

Justin was born of Greek parents in the Samaritan town of Shechem, later called Nablus one hundred-five years after Christ. He zealously sought wisdom among philosophers, at first with the Stoics and after that with the Peripatetics (Aristotle was the founder - a philosophy studied while walking about), the Pythagoreans and finally with the Platonists. Even though Plato's philosophy did not satisfy him, nevertheless, he adhered to it the longest time not having anything else that would attract him more.

By God's Providence an honorable elder encountered Justin who confused him concerning the philosophy of Plato and persuaded him that men cannot know the truth about God unless God reveals it and God revealed the truth about Himself in the books of Holy Scripture. Justin began to read Holy Scripture and became a thoroughly convinced Christian. However, he did not want to be baptized nor to be called a Christian until he was personally convinced of the falseness of all those accusations which the pagans raised against the Christians.

Coming to Rome in a philosopher's dolman [cape], he quickly achieved great respect there as well as many followers. He was present at the martyrdom of St. Ptolemy and St. Lucian. Witnessing the tortures of innocent Christians, Justin wrote an Apologia (Defense) of Christians and Christian teachings and presented it to the Emperor Antoninus and to the Senate. The emperor read the Apologia with care and ordered the persecution of Christians to cease. Justin took a copy of the emperor's decree and, with it, journeyed to Asia where, with the help of this decree, saved many persecuted Christians. After that he again returned to Rome. When a persecution began under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, he wrote another Apologia and sent it to the emperor. A disreputable philosopher Crescens, a Cynic ( a Socratic school of philosophy), out of envy accused him of being a Christian because Justin had always overcome him in all debates and Justin found himself in prison.

Desiring the death of Justin and fearing that he [Justin] would somehow justify himself before the court, Crescens seized the opportunity and somehow poisoned Justin in prison. So ended the earthly life of this great defender of the Christian Faith who took up habitation in blessed eternity in the year 166 A.D.

⧫

Romans 4:13-25 KJV

13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

⧫

Saint Matthew 7:21-23

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

⧫

Vladyka Saint John of Shanghai
and San Francisco

by Nun Theodosia (Tikhonovich)

—I remember Vladyka would often visit hospitals, take people to church and give them Communion.  If any doctors were speaking of one or another patient fatally ill, Vladyka disagreed with them, saying, “He will survive.”

When he had no time, he just found words of consolation: “Everything will be well.”

—Patients recovered each time.

One woman developed cancer. She had an operation and on the third day after it the doctor came to her and said: “You have no cancer. Everything is clear.”

“What do you mean?!” she asked; she was surprised to hear that.

“I don’t know. I think your grandfather was here—he blessed you with a cross and sprinkled holy water over you.”

“I have no grandfather!” the woman argued.

“But here is his portrait, standing on your bedside-table!” the physician replied.

And it was a photograph of St. John of Shanghai.

My life is also filled with amazing miracles. If I do something wrong, Vladyka John appears to me in a dream, shakes his finger at me and says, “Beware lest your candle go out.” And I realize that I did something wrong. As a matter of fact, I don’t believe dreams, but that is a particular case.