Sunday of the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council

Title

Follow the Leader

Outline

Last Sunday we had our pastor here, Fr. Elias

It is true that I am usually the priest serving here, but he is our official leader.

I was trained by him and still check with him about unusual parts of liturgy

He is throughly trained linguistically and culturally in Byzantine theology and liturgy and well-traveled

What is more, the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council would approve of his icon writing and iconography teaching - a central topic of that council was the inconoclastic controversy

We are to “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their life, and imitate their faith.”

But our texts point to a more central leader, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.”

The critical statement that Hebrews makes is “So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.” And because of this we should do likewise, “Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing abuse for him. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come.”

This is accompanied by two sacrifices that we make, a sacrifice of praise and a sacrifice of doing good and sharing

Jesus, facing the cross, takes up a similar theme:

“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,” - in John the glorification of Jesus is through the cross, on which he is in complete control

About himself and through his cross he says, “you [God] have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.”

This life is found in following Christ, “this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

The one who was crucified has through his crucifixion taken up the power to transform us, if we will follow him, including following him to our cross where we will find life precisely in what the world around us views as death

So there we have it, brothers and sisters, a simple and yet profound statement:

Follow our leaders, past and present, but our leaders tell us through iconic representations to follow Jesus, our ultimate leader

And Jesus leads us through the glorification of the cross to real life

What that looks like for each of us will differ, just as Anthony of the Desert was different from John Chrysostom who was different from St Basil - but all followed the way of the cross

It will definitely mean “going outside the camp” and in one way or another bearing our cross and through that knowing Christ and experiencing his glory and his life

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 10-8-2023: Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council

EPISTLE

Hebrews 13:7–16

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is well that the heart be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited their adherents. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11  For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing abuse for him. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come. 15  Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 10-8-2023: Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council

GOSPEL

John 17:1–3

17  When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (10-8-2023: Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2021 | FIXED FEASTS FATHERS OF THE SEVENTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

Slavic

On the same date: Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Epistle Hebrews 13:7–16

Gospel John 17:1–3

GOLD

St Hosea, Prophet; St Andrew of Crete, Venerable Martyr (m 761)