Feast Day of St Polycarp

Today is the Feast Day of St Polycarp; a disciple of John and Bishop of Smyrna. With the new deacons in Atlanta, it is nice to go back and read the words of this Father of the Church and his perspective on diaconal ministry.

Polycarp's Letter to the Philippians 5:2

In like manner deacons should be blameless in the presence of His righteousness, as deacons of God and Christ and not of men; not calumniators, not double-tongued, not lovers of money, temperate in all things, compassionate, diligent, walking according to the truth of the Lord who became a minister (deacon) of all. For if we be well pleasing unto Him in this present world, we shall receive the future world also, according as He promised us to raise us from the dead, and that if we conduct ourselves worthily of Him we shall also reign with Him, if indeed we have faith.

St Polycarp, pray for us.