Galatians 2.11-16 (Epistle)

11A kad doðe Petar u Antiohiju, u oèi njemu protiv stadoh; jer bješe zazoran. 12Jer prije dok ne doðoše neki od Jakova, jeðaše s neznabošcima, a kad doðoše, ustruèavaše se i odvajaše bojeæi se onijeh koji su iz obrezanja. 13I dvolièahu s njim i ostali Judejci, tako da i Varnava prista u njihovo dvolièenje. 14A kad ja vidjeh da ne idu pravo k istini jevanðelja, rekoh Petru pred svima: kad ti koji si Jevrejin, neznabožaèki a ne Jevrejski živiš, zašto neznabošce nagoniš da žive Jevrejski? 15Mi koji smo roðeni Jevreji, a ne grješnici iz neznabožaca, 16Pa doznavši da se èovjek neæe opravdati djelima zakona, nego samo vjerom Isusa Hrista, i mi vjerovasmo Hrista Isusa da se opravdamo vjerom Hristovom, a ne djelima zakona: jer se djelima zakona nikakvo tijelo neæe opravdati.

Mark 5.24-34 (Gospel)

24I poðe s njim; i za njim iðaše naroda mnogo i turkahu ga. 25I žena nekakva koja je dvanaest godina bolovala od teèenja krvi 26I veliku muku podnijela od mnogijeh ljekara, i potrošila sve što je imala, i ništa joj nijesu pomogli, nego još gore naèinili, 27Kad je èula za Isusa, doðe u narodu sastrag, i dotaèe se haljine njegove. 28Jer govoraše: ako se samo dotaknem haljina njegovijeh ozdraviæu. 29I odmah presahnu izvor krvi njezine, i osjeti u tijelu da ozdravi od bolesti. 30I odmah Isus osjeti u sebi silu što iziðe iz njega, i obazrevši se na narod reèe: ko se to dotaèe mojijeh haljina? 31I rekoše mu uèenici njegovi: vidiš narod gdje te turka, pa pitaš: ko se dotaèe mene? 32I on se obziraše da vidi onu koja to uèini. 33A žena uplašivši se drktaše, i znajuæi što joj se dogodi, doðe i kleèe pred njim, i kaza mu svu istinu. 34A on reèe joj: kæeri! vjera tvoja pomože ti; idi s mirom, i budi zdrava od bolesti svoje.

Great Martyr Nicetas the Goth (372)

He was a Goth of noble birth among his people, a disciple of Bishop Theophilus of the Goths, who took part in the First Ecumenical Council. When he confronted Athanaric, the pagan ruler of the Goths, for his persecution of Christians and for his unbelief, Nicetas was cruelly tortured and finally burned to death. Though he died in the flames, his body was brought forth unharmed. His relics were taken by his friend Marianus to Mopsuestia in Cilicia, where a church dedicated to the Saint was built.

Holy Martyr Porphyrius (361).

“An actor, he first mocked at Christians before Julian the Apostate. On one occasion, when he was mimicking the Christian mystery of Baptism, he was dipped into the water, pronouncing the words: ‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ When he emerged from the water, he cried out: ‘Now I am a Christian!’ Everyone thought that this was in jest, as always, but he held firm to it, stopped mocking Christians and finally suffered for Christ. He was beheaded in 361, and entered into the Kingdom of Christ.” (Prologue)

We rightly condemn worship that is purely external; but the life of St Porphyrius reminds us in a striking way that the ‘externals’ of the Faith have a power that can work to convert the heart of man. St Porphyrius used the words of Holy Baptism not only carelessly but mockingly, yet by God’s grace he emerged from the waters truly renewed into Christ.