2 Corinthians 9.12-10.7 (Epistle)

12Jer služba ove poreze ne ispunjuje samo nedostatak svetijeh, nego èini te se i mnoge hvale daju Bogu, 13Ogledom poreze ove hvaleæi Boga za vaše pokorno priznanje jevanðelja Hristova, i za prostotu podjele k njima i k svima, 14I da se mole Bogu za vas i da èeznu za vama za premnogu blagodat Božiju na vama. 15A hvala Bogu na njegovu neiskazanome daru.

1A sam ja Pavle molim vas krotosti radi i tišine Hristove, koji sam pred vama ponižen prema vama, a kad nijesam kod vas, slobodan sam prema vama. 2Molim pak da mi ne bude trijebe kad budem kod vas, onako slobodan biti kao što mislim da smijem protiv nekijeh koji misle za nas da po tijelu živimo; 3Jer ako i živimo u tijelu, ne borimo se po tijelu. 4Jer oružje našega vojevanja nije tjelesno, nego silno od Boga na raskopavanje gradova, da kvarimo pomisli 5I svaku visinu koja se podiže na poznanje Božije, i robimo svaki razum za pokornost Hristu, 6I u pripravnosti imamo osvetu za svaku nepokornost, kad se izvrši vaša pokornost. 7Gledate li na ono što vam je pred oèima? Ako se ko uzda da je Hristov neka misli opet u sebi da kako je on Hristov tako smo i mi Hristovi.

Mark 3.19-27 (Gospel)

19I Judu Iskariotskoga, koji ga i izdade. 20I doðoše u kuæu, i sabra se opet narod da ne mogahu ni hljeba jesti. 21I èuvši to rod njegov iziðoše da ga uhvate; jer govorahu da je izvan sebe. 22A književnici koji bijahu sišli iz Jerusalima govorahu: u njemu je Veelzevul; i: on pomoæu kneza ðavolskoga izgoni ðavole. 23I dozvavši ih govoraše im u prièama: kako može sotona sotonu izgoniti? 24I ako se carstvo samo po sebi razdijeli, ne može ostati carstvo ono; 25I ako se dom sam po sebi razdijeli, ne može ostati dom onaj; 26I ako sotona ustane sam na se i razdijeli se, ne može ostati, nego æe propasti. 27Niko ne može pokuæstvo jakoga, ušavši u kuæu njegovu, oteti ako najprije jakoga ne sveže: i onda æe kuæu njegovu oplijeniti.

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.