140. Слово в день вoсшecтвия на Всероссийский Престол Благочестивейшаго Государя Императора Николая Павловича

(Said in the Chudov Monastery, November 20; printed in the Resurrection Readings of 1837 and in the collections of 1844 and 1848) And I will make you great, great, and make you one of the nations, and kings will come from you. (Gen.17:6). If the day of inanimate nature can speak something to the attentive, as someone overheard and testified that “the day burps forth the verb” (Ps. 18:3): then shouldn’t the human day, marked by the special actions of God’s Providence, or memories of them, speak more clearly and abundantly. – What word can encompass everything that this day says to the mind and heart of a Russian? He speaks, firstly, about that day that happened fourteen years ago, on which God in the heart of the ever-memorable Alexander, and in his cherished charter, put the idea of ​​​​the reign of Nicholas, as primarily desirable and trustworthy for Russia; then, about another day, from which twelve years of experiments, up to now, begin, confirming that Alexander’s covenant contained a prudent and beneficial determination of God’s destinies for Russia. In a reign full of activity, “day and day vomits the verb” of royal exploits, undertaken and accomplished in war and peace, in legislation and justice, in improving the structure of various types of public service, titles and statuses, in patronage and dissemination of education and charity, in overcoming difficulties, in averting dangers, in multiplying the fruits of national prosperity at the present time, in sowing new seeds public good for future times: and it is natural that this royal day is especially full of echoes of such diverse verbs of royal glory. However, when I see that this day has gathered you, the faithful and chosen children of Russia, brought you to the church, placed you before the altar: then with consolation for you I conclude that the day has already spoken its sermon into your hearts, and that you have already accepted its teaching, which primarily consists in bringing glory to God, thanksgiving and prayer for the Tsar, bestowed by God, reigning under the shadow of the Providence of God. After this, it is not so difficult for the servant of the word to finish some of the verbs of the king’s day, for the edification of the sons of the kingdom. The spectacle of the Tsar's blessed family, which this capital is enjoying at this time, presents to us, Russians, among the lofty virtues of the Tsar, in an equally exalted light, the valor of the family. The royal virtues are the property of the king itself: family virtues can and should be the common property of the Tsar and the people. Providence, revealing family virtues at the height of the Throne, does not through this tell the people that they also have sublime dignity, that they are necessary and important, and are as worthy of jealousy as they are capable of heroic deeds? The family is older than the State. Man, spouse, wife, father, son, mother, daughter, and the positions and virtues inherent in these names existed before the family grew into a people and the State was formed. Therefore, family life in relation to state life is in some way the root of a tree. For a tree to turn green, bloom and bear fruit, the root must be strong and bring pure sap to the tree. So, in order for state life to develop strongly and correctly, to flourish in education, and to bear the fruit of public prosperity, - for this it is necessary that family life be strong with blessed marital love, sacred parental authority, childish respect and obedience, and so that, as a result, from the pure elements of family life, equally pure principles of state life naturally arise, so that with respect for the parent it is born and grows. reverence for the Sovereign, so that the love of the child for the mother is a precursor to love for the fatherland, so that simple-minded obedience at home prepares and guides self-sacrifice and self-forgetfulness in obedience to the laws and sacred power of the Autocrat, acting directly or through the authorities appointed by him. The State is made up of families, and family members are formed into members of the great composition of the state. Although the power of the general life of the body can, more or less, correct particular shortcomings and damage in the health of the members: but, without a doubt, it can manifest itself more fully and perfectly in the movements of healthy and undamaged members. Thus, although state power can correct private shortcomings and vices of family life, it is even better for the State the less these corrections are needed, the more healthy members of the family are placed at the disposal of the State, the more accurately domestic honesty and kindness are prepared and preserved for use in exploits and virtues in the field of public life. So, let the fathers and heads of families consider that if they, according to the Apostle’s expression, “rule their house well” (1 Tim. 3:4); if in their internal dominion they act correctly and faithfully, judiciously using power, an experienced word, a good example; if they keep their household in order and obedience, instill in them the fear of God, love for their neighbors, loyalty to the Sovereign and the Fatherland, and guard their morals with a vigilant watch: then, in addition to the fact that through this they fulfill the duty assigned by nature, and consequently by its Creator, that they prepare for themselves the fruits of family consolations - besides this, by such action they also perform a service in favor of the State, which the beneficial consequences can even extend to posterity. I said that the consequences of family virtues can extend even to posterity: and how can I not show this in future posterity, which we do not see; then, in order to justify what has been said, I must, of necessity, turn to the ancestors and descendants who came before us. Abraham was a pious and kind father of a family that was almost just beginning when God appeared to him and made the following promise: “I will make you grow great, great, and make you a nation, and kings will come from you” (Gen. 17:6). A message that says a lot in a few words! It must be remembered that this happened many centuries before God established the royal dignity in His chosen people, and sanctified it with His own election and anointing. Notice how early the Lord thinks about kings; as it clearly makes clear that the establishment of the king is a matter of His eternal predestination; how highly he values ​​the dignity of a king, when the privilege of being the ancestor of kings is given as a reward to such chosen valor as Abraham's. But what kind of valor was it that acquired such a great and extensive hereditary promise to Abraham: “I will make you great, great, and make you one of the nations”? – This is not the only valor of self-sacrifice with which, by the will of God, he was ready to sacrifice his only begotten son; for this happened afterward; but not so unparalleled is the valor of an immaculate husband, practicing domestic piety, ruling his house well, protecting home peace and family harmony with the sacrifice of his own benefits (Gen. 13), and ready to save his family from disaster at the risk of his own (Gen. 14). So Abraham in this case represents the image of family valor; and God’s prophecy to him is an image of the hereditary good consequences of such valor. To show the importance of family positions and virtues for subordinate family members, it is enough to point to one example, stronger than the law itself; because this is an example of the Lawgiver who repents of the law. When the young Jesus was found by His most blessed Mother and imaginary father in the church in conversation about objects of spiritual wisdom, and complained that He had abandoned them: then He gave them such an answer, with which, apparently, He freed Himself from the law of obedience to earthly parents; because he was busy with the work of his heavenly Father. “What, as if you were looking for me? Don’t you know that in those who are My Father, I am worthy of being”? But what then? Despite such a high right, He humbly bowed his neck under the yoke of the commandment, commanding to honor his father and mother: “And he departed from him, and came to Nazareth, and obeyed him” (Luke 2:49, 51). The duty of family obedience is so important that the only begotten Son of God delayed His entry into the work of God in order to fulfill this duty before earthly Matter, and even before the one name of the father, which Joseph bore 585 until the timely revelation of the secret of the fatherless one on earth, and in order to re-sanctify by His example the duties and exalt the virtues of family life. If these reflections and examples are remembered by those who heard, upon returning to their families; if some are protected from inattention to family responsibilities; if the attentive are made more zealous, the zealous are consoled: then this little word will be rewarded with considerable fruit. Amen. In the author's manuscript: “private”. 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