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On the Sunday on or near the 11th of October, we annually commemorate the 350 Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which gathered at Nicaea under Patriarch Tarasius and during the reign of the Empress Irene and her young son, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, to refute the Iconoclastic Controversy, which initially received Imperial support beginning with the Edict issued in 726 by the Emperor Leo the Isaurian. Many of the Fathers who condemned Iconoclasm at this Council later died as Confessors and Martyrs for the Icons during the second assault of Iconoclasm in the ninth century, especially during the reigns of Emperors Leo the Armenian and Theophilus.

In the Epistle read today (for the 20^th Sunday after Pentecost), Saint Paul declares that the “Gospel” he preaches derives form no human tradition, but that he has received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

The Gospel read today presents us with the compassion of Jesus triumphing over death as he raises the dead son of the widow of Nain back to life.

For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days; but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord's brother.

Soon afterwards he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother's only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, "Do not weep.” Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, rise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen among us!" and "God has looked favorably on his people!” This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.