No Bible, No Problem? St. Justin Martyr and Sacred Tradition

When I came into the Church, I took St. Justin Martyr as my patron saint. I did so because I felt drawn to him during my conversion. In fact, I truly believe I felt his prayers. It was at a pivotal point in my studies when I stumbled across a quote from him regarding Sacred Tradition. I've looked for it over and over again and still cannot seem to find it, nonetheless; his message is still clarion clear in my mind and it was and is still chill rendering.

St. Justin Martyr writing in the second century had the audacity to claim that if not one single drop of ink had been spilt on the New Testament the Church would not be without recourse to the knowledge of the Truth. Why? Because, She has the Sacred Tradition. Straight from the mouth of Christ, the early Church understood how to worship and what Christ taught particularly and primarily through the Holy Tradition.

The Marriage Bed
of the Church

It was at that point that I understood "why". Why the Catholic Church wouldn't just "give up" what I thought was extraneous to "Bible" Christianity. What I had was a book. What this Church had was the Incarnation. I had propositions. She had a Person. Why would a Bride enraptured by her Groom let even one word of Her lover be forsaken? No, this is the Catholic Church, and she is the Bride of Christ. She is intoxicated with her Lover, and had He not jotted one note to her in the day, She would but cling to the ever word whispered in her ear in the night. Like a Jewish Bride, the Church has passed through water and has partaken of the Cup, and now she ever waits for the return of the Bridegroom.

Yet in a beautiful and unexpected way, this waiting for the Groom is not a hope deferred that only makes ill the heart of the lover. No. It is precisely through water She comes and at the Table she partakes not of the meal of mortals, but rather of the Bread of Heaven and receives into Her the fecundity necessary for Her very eternal rebirth.

And so, on this great Feast of St. Justin Martyr I will fet with the best of em as I, for another day, anticipate the return of the Groom--hanging onto His every word whether written or spoken (1 Thess 2:15).

St. Justin Martyr, pray for us!