Lives of the Saints
1. SAINT PORPHYRIUS, BISHOP OF GAZA
This great archpastor was born in Thessalonica to wealthy parents. He spent his youth until the age of twenty-five in his native city, then forsook his parental home and worldly life and withdrew to the Egyptian desert. Under the guidance of an experienced spiritual father, young Porphyrius was tonsured there as a monk and spent five years. He then visited the Holy Land in the company of his faithful friend, the monk Mark. Near Jerusalem he pursued his ascetic struggle in a certain cave for another five years. But then his legs became enfeebled and he could not walk. Nevertheless, crawling on his knees, he continued to attend the Divine Services without fail. One night in a vision the Lord Himself appeared to him and healed him of the infirmity in his legs, and he became completely well. When he was elected bishop of Gaza, Porphyrius accepted this duty with a heavy heart. In Gaza he found only two hundred and eighty Christians; all the other inhabitants were idol-worshippers, and very fanatical ones at that. Only by his great faith and patience was Porphyrius able to bring the people of Gaza over to the Christian faith. He was obliged to travel in person to Constantinople to Emperor Arcadius and the Patriarch John Chrysostom, to seek support in the unequal struggle against the idol-worshippers. The desired support he did obtain. The idol-temples were closed, the idols demolished, and a beautiful church with thirty marble columns was built. The construction of this church was aided especially by the Empress Eudoxia. Porphyrius lived long enough to see the entire city of Gaza converted to the Christian faith, though only after many of his own labors, sufferings, and tearful prayers to God. He reposed peacefully in the year 421. He was a wonderworker both in life and after death. His holy relics rest to this day in Gaza.
2. HOLY MARTYR JOHN THE BUILDER
This saint was born in Galata in Constantinople. By trade he was a builder, a mason (Kalfa means builder). Because of his fervent confession of the Christian faith he gave offense to the Turks, and they began to compel him to convert to Islam. "I will not renounce my beloved Jesus Christ," John answered boldly, "in Him I believe, to Him I minister, Him I confess." After severe tortures the Turks beheaded him on February 26, 1575, in Constantinople. He suffered honorably for his beloved Christ and departed to the courts of the Lord.
“I will not renounce my beloved Jesus Christ. In Him I believe, to Him I minister, Him I confess.”
Hymn of Praise
SAINT PORPHYRIUS
The monk Mark asks Porphyrius:
"Holy father, thou wast enfeebled,
On thy knees didst thou crawl to church,
Thy hand didst thou hold in mine;
Yesterday thus — and today otherwise!
Thou wentest to sleep in sickness, and behold, thou hast awoken in health!
Who healed thee so suddenly?
Tell me the name of this rare physician!"
Porphyrius answers Mark:
"My Creator is my Healer.
Last night I fell asleep on holy Golgotha,
Overcome entirely by grievous pain,
In sleep I saw clearly as in waking
My Lord hanging upon the Cross,
And upon another cross the robber.
As I saw, so I cried out:
'Remember me, O God and Lord,
Remember me in Thy Kingdom!'
The gracious Lord said to the robber:
'Descend, and heal his body,
As I healed thy soul.'
The robber quickly descended from the cross,
Embraced me, kissed me, and lifted me up:
'Come, he said, to our Savior!'
Then from the cross the Lord also descended,
Raised up the cross and laid it upon me:
'Receive, He said, this holy wood,
And bear it for the sake of eternal salvation.'
The moment I grasped the cross with my hands,
Forthwith I stood, forthwith I was made whole.
Glory to God, my Creator,
Glory to Christ, my Savior!"
“Receive this holy wood, and bear it for the sake of eternal salvation.”
Reflection
Against those who make noise in church and depart before the end of the Divine Service, Saint Chrysostom writes as follows: "Some do not approach (Holy Communion) with trembling but with shoving, pressing against one another, blazing with anger, shouting, scolding, pushing their neighbors, full of confusion. Of this I have often spoken, and I will not cease to speak. Do you not see what good order prevails at the Olympian games (of the pagans), when the marshal walks about the arena with a garland on his head, dressed in a long robe, holding a staff in his hand, while the herald proclaims that there be silence and order! Is it not shameful that where the devil triumphs, such silence prevails, while where Christ calls men to Himself, there is great clamor? At the arena — silence, and in the church — shouting! On the sea — calm, and in the harbor — a storm!... When you are invited to a dinner, you dare not leave before the others, even if you have eaten your fill before them; but here, while the awesome Mystery of Christ is still being completed, while the sacred action is still in progress, in the very midst of it you abandon everything and depart! How can this be forgiven? How justified? Judas, having communed at the Last Supper on that last night, quickly went out, while all the rest were still at table. Behold whose example is followed by those who hasten to depart before the final thanksgiving!" (From the Homily on Theophany).
Contemplation
Contemplate the Lord Jesus in the boat with His disciples (Matt. 8:24), namely:
1. How a storm arose while the Lord was sleeping;
2. How the frightened disciples woke Him and called for help;
3. How the Lord rebuked the disciples for their little faith and calmed the sea and the winds;
4. How I need not fear any storm in life if I keep the Lord in my heart as at the helm of a boat (the body — a boat, the heart — the helm).
Homily
on inner almsgiving
But rather give alms of such things as ye have, and behold, all things are clean unto you (Luke 11:41)
Outward cleanliness befits a man. But that is a small cleanliness. Inward cleanliness is incomparably more important than outward cleanliness. That is a great cleanliness. A vessel can serve usefully only if it is clean within, however sooty and ash-covered it may be on the outside. If a cup is dirty within, its outward cleanliness will attract no one to drink from it. If a bowl is sooty and ash-covered within, who will dare to eat from it? There are more teachers and examples of outward than of inward cleanliness in the world. For it is easier both to teach and to demonstrate outward cleanliness by example than inward cleanliness.
But look, brethren, how the Teacher and Example of great cleanliness makes this great cleanliness dependent on inward almsgiving. Almsgiving that is done from the heart cleanses a man's heart. Almsgiving that is done from the soul cleanses a man's soul. Almsgiving that is done from the whole mind cleanses a man's mind. In a word, inward almsgiving cleanses the whole man. But if almsgiving is only from the hand, it cleanses not even the hand, let alone the heart, and soul, and mind. Almsgiving from the hand is also necessary, but it cleanses the giver only when the heart moves the hand toward almsgiving. But besides almsgiving from the hand there are other forms of almsgiving. Prayer for men is inward almsgiving, as likewise is compassion toward human pain and joy in another's joy. This is almsgiving that proceeds from the heart and creates purity in the heart, and in the soul, and in the mind.
O most pure Lord, help us through true almsgiving to attain great purity. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“Almsgiving that is done from the heart cleanses a man's heart. But if almsgiving is only from the hand, it cleanses not even the hand.”