On the Sunday after Ascension on which the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, Fr. Matthew Howell uses John 17:3 to discuss the difference between knowing about God and truly knowing God, leaning on a quote from St. Nikolai Velimirovic: "We should not, then, consider that a man knows God when he comes, through his mental processes, to the conclusion that God exists somehow and somewhere. The man knows God who feels the living breath of God in himself and all around him; who with heart and mind and soul senses the majestic and fearsome presence of the only true God, in nature and in his own personal life" (Homilies, Volume One, page 287).
Fr. Matthew then spends some time explaining the controversy that led to the calling of the First Council in Nicaea and how the Orthodox position of truth hinged on one iota (Christ is homoousios--of the same essence--with the Father; the Arian heretics claimed that He was homoiousios--of similar essence--with the Father). He claims that the saints who defended the truth of Orthodoxy all truly knew God and spoke theologically from positions of experiencing God rather than speculating about Him.
Fr. Matthew then spells out three ways (that all start with "s") to put oneself in position to know God as a Saint and thus have eternal life: Silence, Scriptures, and Sacraments.
