A reading from the Holy Gospel according to the Apostle and Evangelist John (Jn 17:1-13).
"Jesus spoke these words, lifted His eyes to heaven, and said: 'Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You. For You have given Him authority over all people, that He may give eternal life to all whom You have given Him. And this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work that You gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.
I have manifested Your name to the people whom You gave me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to me, and they have kept Your word. Now they know that everything You have given me is from You, for the words that You gave me I have given to them. They received them and truly know that I came from You, and they believed that You sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those whom You have given me, for they are Yours. All mine are Yours, and Yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, which You have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
While I was with them, I kept them in Your name, which You have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to You, and I speak these things in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.'"
Reflection.
Dear brothers and sisters, may peace and blessings be with you all.
This Sunday, we are invited to reflect on the significance and importance of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, whose memory we celebrate. But before delving into this topic, we must first understand what an ecumenical council is.
An ecumenical council is a solemn assembly of bishops of the universal Church, convened to discuss and resolve matters of faith and doctrine. The term "ecumenical" signifies that the council involves the entire Church, as opposed to local or regional synods. The first seven ecumenical councils were fundamental in defining the Church's core teachings and remain a pillar for us Orthodox Christians as well.
Why was the Seventh Council convened?
The Seventh Ecumenical Council, held in Nicaea in A.D. 787, was convened to resolve a very important controversy regarding the use of icons in the Church. Specifically, there had arisen an iconoclastic movement (from the Greek "destroyers of images"), which argued that the use of sacred images constituted idolatry and, therefore, they should be destroyed.
The Church responded to this with the council, declaring that icons are not idols but tools that help us venerate Christ and the saints. Icons, in fact, remind us of the reality of the Incarnation: God became flesh in Jesus Christ. As St. John of Damascus, one of the defenders of the use of icons, said: "I do not represent the invisible God as invisible, but as visible, for He became visible out of love for mankind." Sacred images are not objects of worship, but of veneration, because they lead us to the divine reality they represent.
What were the topics of the previous councils?
The first six ecumenical councils addressed key doctrinal issues, particularly concerning the nature of Christ and the Trinity. For example:
• The Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) defined Christ's divinity against the Arian heresy, which denied His consubstantiality with the Father.
• The Council of Constantinople (A.D. 381) completed the Creed, affirming the divinity of the Holy Spirit.
• The Council of Ephesus (A.D. 431) proclaimed Mary as "Theotokos" (Mother of God), against the Nestorian heresy, which separated Christ's divine and human natures.
• The Council of Chalcedon (A.D. 451) confirmed that Christ has two natures, human and divine, in one person.
• The Second (A.D. 553) and Third (A.D. 680) Councils of Constantinople further clarified the unique nature of Christ and His will.
The Seventh Council, as mentioned, defended the use of icons, reaffirming the value of tradition and the Incarnation. It is important because it reminds us that the Christian faith is not abstract but concrete: God has taken on a human face. Venerating icons is a way to affirm the reality of the Incarnation and our personal relationship with God.
Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, let us read together from the Letter to the Hebrews (13:7-16): "Remember your leaders, who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." St. Paul invites us to remember our fathers in faith, including the holy Fathers of the ecumenical councils. Their example guides us toward an authentic understanding of faith.
In the Gospel of John, we see Jesus praying to the Father for His disciples, that they may be kept in unity and truth. This prayer reminds us that the Church, through the ecumenical councils, has sought to maintain unity in faith and defend the truth revealed by Christ.
How can we put this message into practice today?
• Preserve Tradition: Just as the Fathers of the Seventh Council safeguarded the truth of the Incarnation through the use of icons, we must defend and live our faith today. This means respecting and reverently using sacred images in our homes and churches as tools to draw closer to God.
• Live in Unity of Faith: The Gospel invites us to live the unity that Christ desires for His Church. Today, we can commit ourselves to being witnesses of this unity in our communities, promoting peace and dialogue among believers.
• Live in Accordance with Faith: The first reading reminds us to continually offer sacrifices of praise to God. This means that our lives should be a continuous spiritual sacrifice. As St. John Chrysostom states: "The sacrifice that God accepts is a life lived in righteousness." We can offer this sacrifice through our daily actions, practicing justice, love, and service towards others.
As a priest, my role is not only to convey the teachings of the Church but to embody them in my daily life, so they become visible and tangible to you as well. Just as the Fathers of the ecumenical councils defended and clarified the faith, I am called to safeguard this legacy and make it relevant in our community.
In concrete terms, this means living with humility and pastoral love, placing the truth of the Gospel at the center of my mission. Every time I celebrate the Divine Liturgy, every homily, every confession is an opportunity to embody the message of Christ and help you make it your own. As the Letter to the Hebrews says, we must “continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess His name.” My duty is to offer this sacrifice for you and with you, assisting you in living with coherence and faith, in unity with the Church.
The icons we venerate remind us of the Incarnation, the face of God drawing near to us. I, as a priest, am called to be a living image of this incarnate love, not only through words but through actions: visiting the sick, supporting the weak, and accompanying each of you on your faith journey. It is through these concrete actions that the unity and truth we have received from the ecumenical councils become alive and active in our community.
My desire is that, through my guidance and testimony, you may feel the closeness of Christ and the warmth of the Church. My ministry is at your service, to accompany you on the path toward holiness, so that together we can be "one" as Christ prayed in the Gospel of John.
In this way, we can embody the teachings of the Fathers of the Church, living a faith that is concrete, visible, and authentic. And so, each time we meet, we can offer together that sacrifice of praise that pleases God so much, becoming living icons of His love in the world.
May the blessing of God the Almighty Father descend upon each of you, and may the Most Holy Virgin, Mary Mother of God, always protect you and accompany you along this journey we share together.
Amen.
Archpriest Michele Alberto Del Duca.
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