Ephesians 4.25-32 (Epistle)

25Zato odbacite laž, i govorite istinu svaki sa svojijem bližnjijem; jer smo udi jedan drugome. 26Gnjevite se i ne griješite; sunce da ne zaðe u gnjevu vašemu. 27Niti dajite mjesta ðavolu. 28Koji je krao više da ne krade, nego još da se trudi, èineæi dobro rukama svojima da ima šta davati potrebnome. 29Nikakva rðava rijeè da ne izlazi iz usta vašijeh, nego samo što je dobro za napredovanje vjere, da da blagodat onima koji slušaju. 30I ne ožalošæavajte svetoga Duha Božijega, kojijem ste zapeèaæeni za dan izbavljenja. 31Svaka gorèina, i gnjev, i ljutina, i vika i hula, da se uzme od vas, sa svakom pakošæu. 32A budite jedan drugome blagi, milostivi, praštajuæi jedan drugome, kao što je i Bog u Hristu oprostio vama.

Luke 3.19-22 (Gospel)

19Iroda pak èetverovlasnika koraše Jovan za Irodijadu, ženu brata njegova, i za sva zla što uèini Irod; 20I svrh svega uèini i to te zatvori Jovana u tamnicu. 21A kad se krsti sav narod, i Isus pošto se krsti i moljaše se Bogu, otvori se nebo, 22I siðe na nj Duh sveti u tjelesnome obliku kao golub, i èu se glas s neba govoreæi: ti si sin moj ljubazni, ti si po mojoj volji.

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.