Ephesians 4.14-19 (Epistle)

14Da ne budemo više mala djeca, koju ljulja i zanosi svaki vjetar nauke, u laži èovjeèijoj, putem prijevare; 15Nego vladajuæi se po istini u ljubavi da u svemu uzrastemo u onome koji je glava, Hristos. 16Iz kojega je sve tijelo sastavljeno i sklopljeno svakijem zglavkom, da jedno drugome pomaže dobro po mjeri svakoga uda, i èini da raste tijelo na popravljanje samoga sebe u ljubavi. 17Ovo dakle govorim i svjedoèim u Gospodu da više ne hodite kao što hode i ostali neznabošci u praznosti uma svojega, 18Koji imaju smisao tamom pokriven, i udaljeni su od života Božijega za neznanje koje je u njima, za okamenjenje srca svojijeh; 19Koji ostavivši poštenje predadoše se besramnosti, na èinjenje svake neèistote i lakomstva.

Mark 11.27-33 (Gospel)

27I doðoše opet u Jerusalim; i kad hoðaše po crkvi doðoše k njemu glavari sveštenièki i književnici i starješine, 28I rekoše mu: kakvom vlasti to èiniš? i ko ti dade vlast tu, da to èiniš? 29A Isus odgovarajuæi reèe im: i ja æu vas da upitam jednu rijeè, i odgovorite mi; pa æu vam kazati kakvom vlasti ovo èinim. 30Krštenje Jovanovo ili bi s neba ili od ljudi? odgovorite mi. 31I mišljahu u sebi govoreæi: ako reèemo: s neba; reæi æe: zašto mu dakle ne vjerovaste? 32Ako li reèemo: od ljudi; bojimo se naroda; jer svi mišljahu za Jovana da zaista prorok bješe. 33I odgovarajuæi rekoše Isusu: ne znamo. I Isus odgovarajuæi reèe njima: ni ja vama neæu kazati kakvom vlasti ovo èinim.

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.