Seeking Christ Everywhere

St. Justin and the Seeds of the Word

Yesterday was the memorial of St. Justin Martyr. But since it fell on a Sunday, it quietly passed by. Still, I really believe his thought deserves a couple of minutes of our attention.

Justin was a 2nd-century philosopher. After searching for truth in various schools of thought, he found it in Christ. But he didn’t throw away everything he had learned before. He realized that the Word — the Logos of God — had already sown fragments of truth throughout the world. This is the heart of what we call the doctrine of the seeds of the Word (semina Verbi).

He wrote: “Whatever has been rightly said by anyone belongs to us Christians” (Second Apology, 13). In other words: if something is true, good, and beautiful, it already reflects Christ — even if the one who says it doesn’t yet know Him.

The Second Vatican Council encourages us to look at the world the same way:
“[W]hatever good lies latent in the religious practices and cultures of diverse peoples, is not only saved from destruction but is also healed, ennobled, and perfected for the glory of God” (Lumen Gentium, 17).

Let’s try to live this today: fewer judgments, more listening. Eyes open. More trust that the Spirit is truly at work — even outside our expectations. Even where we least expect Him.

Image by eko pramono from Pixabay