22nd December 2025 - O King

While reflecting on this ‘O Antiphon’, I was reminded of a recent lecture that we shared as a community on some significant ecumenical councils, specifically the Council of Florence that was held between the years 1439- 1445. This council was an attempt to reconcile the already centuries old divide between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Interestingly and perhaps an echo of this very Antiphon, in session 6 of the council it begins with the following statement; “ Let the heavens be glad and let earth rejoice. For, the wall that divided the Western and Eastern church has been removed, peace and harmony have returned, since the cornerstone, Christ who made both one, has joined both sides with a very strong bond of love and peace, uniting and holding them together in a covenant of everlasting unity”. However, this proved to have been an ambitious statement to declare as the outcome of the council sadly failed to create any lasting unity between the Catholic church and the Orthodox church.

The near millennium old division between the Western and Eastern churches has always been a contentious topic close to my heart and the restoration of this great divide is a regular petition of my poor prayers. Perhaps, in my naivety, the real underlining issue in this great rift is not entirely of the theological, historical or authoritative differences but of a lack of charity and humility on both sides. A lack of charity that loses sight of the “King whom all peoples desire” and a lack of humility which fails to realise that we Christians are all made from the same clay and cemented together by the same cornerstone which is Christ.

Just as a family divided by years of bitterness, misunderstandings and past hurts can sometimes unite themselves around the birth of a new child; let us pray then this Christmas, that the birth of Our King and saviour in the humble form of a new born, may encourage us to continue our efforts and prayers for unity among the Catholic and Orthodox Church.