Justin’s Letter to the Emperor
Justin lived around 110-165 AD. After trying out several philosophical systems, he became a convert to Christianity. Christians were being persecuted, often based on mistakes about what they believed and did. To dispel misunderstandings, Justin wrote a long letter to Emperor Antoninus Pius. The letter was not immediately successful; it is recorded that Justin died for his faith (he is called Justin Martyr). Here is part of what he told the emperor:
On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits. Then, when the reader has ceased, the person presiding verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who relieves the orphans and widows, and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds, and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need. But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before, that of Saturn; and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to his apostles and disciples, he taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration.
For almost 2000 years, the Christian Church has continued to do what Justin reported: reading and teaching from the sacred Scriptures, praying, the Eucharist of bread and wine, and helping those in need. That’s what we do at St. Barnabas. Come and see. We start at 9:45 on Sundays with hymns, and our Prayer Book liturgy begins at 10:00.
