Homily delivered by Fr. Volodymyr Zablotskyy at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Yonkers, NY, on the 7th Sunday of Pascha —
Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, June 1, 2025.
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth… That they may be one, as We are.”
— John 17:17, 21
As we stand between the Ascension of our Lord and the coming Feast of Pentecost, the Church gives us a gift: the memory of the 318 Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council. It is a reminder that the unity of the Church is not something we can take for granted. It must be protected, nourished, and at times, even defended.
The bishops who gathered in Nicaea in the year 325 did not do so because things were calm and peaceful. They gathered in response to a crisis—one that struck at the heart of the faith. A priest named Arius had begun to teach that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was a created being. Clever, even persuasive to some—but not true.
The Church didn’t ignore the crisis.
She didn’t pretend it would go away.
She gathered, she prayed, and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, she proclaimed with one voice the truth that had been received from the beginning:
Jesus Christ is Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten—not made—of one essence with the Father.
This confession didn’t arise from comfort.
It was forged in the fire of division and uncertainty.
Crisis—When Met with Grace—Becomes Opportunity
We often see crisis as something to avoid. But Scripture and the life of the Church teach us something deeper:
Every crisis, when met with humility and grace, can become an opportunity for repentance, for truth, and for love.
Even our sins—when confessed and surrendered—can open the door to healing and deeper communion with God.
Even our disagreements—when handled with prayer and patience—can reveal what needs to be refined or clarified.
The Holy Spirit does not fear crisis.
The Spirit hovers over chaos, as in the beginning.
The Spirit descends into locked rooms, as at Pentecost.
The Spirit brings unity, not by avoiding difficulty, but by entering into it and transforming it.
The Readings: Paul’s Warning and Christ’s Prayer
In the Book of Acts, St. Paul speaks to the elders of Ephesus with urgency:
“Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock… for savage wolves will come in among you.”
Paul isn’t just talking about external threats.
He’s warning about internal confusion and division.
Moments that test our unity, our clarity, and our faithfulness.
And in John’s Gospel, Christ offers His high priestly prayer:
“Sanctify them by Your truth… that they may be one, as We are.”
This is not a prayer for organizational peace.
It’s a prayer for spiritual unity—rooted in truth and sealed in sacrificial love.
For Us, Today
So what does all this mean for us?
It means that when we encounter difficulty—whether in our personal lives, our families, or even in the life of the Church—we don’t need to panic or hide.
If we invite the Holy Spirit into the crisis, it can become a place of grace.
If we meet our limitations with humility,
if we approach one another with charity,
if we seek the truth without fear—
then what seems like a breaking point may become a breakthrough.
Crisis is not the end of the story.
In God’s hands, it may be the chapter where everything begins to change.
Let us look to the Holy Fathers of Nicaea—not as distant heroes, but as fellow laborers.
They didn’t choose the conflict, but they stood firm when it came.
They guarded the truth with clarity, courage, and peace.
May we do the same.
And may the Holy Spirit, who brings light out of darkness and unity out of division, sanctify our lives—so that in all things, Christ may be glorified.
To Him be the glory—now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
