152. Слово при посещении Свято-Троицкой единоверческой церкви, пред заложением на единоверческом кладбище храма всех Святых

(Said September 8th; printed separately and in collections of 1844 and 1848) The Holy Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans says, among other things, to the children of the Roman Church: “I desire to see you, so that I may give you a certain spiritual gift to strengthen you; and this is that you may be comforted by the common faith, yours and mine” (Rom. 1:11-12). Apostolic zeal is instructive. Saint Paul had in his care many churches of Asia, Greece, Macedonia, mostly founded by him, and guided by him: but he also extended attention to the Roman Church, which was not so close, and not founded by him; and not only wrote a message to her, but also wanted to visit her personally. If those who, according to the dispensation of God, have received, although not the Apostolic authority, however, from the Apostles the mutually accepted lot of the priesthood, in justice should imitate the Apostolic zeal in their, although not so extensive, circle of action: then I will not boast of anything special, but will only point out my duty if I say that I have long “desired to see you”, brothers, in your the church itself, and that my long-standing wish is now being fulfilled. But perhaps someone, having heard this, will think: why not have this desire been fulfilled long ago, if it is long-standing? - In order to answer this question, I will again resort to the Holy Apostle Paul, who, following the above words, in his Epistle to the Romans writes: “I do not want you to know, brethren, that with a multitude of desires I will come to you, and have been forbidden until now” (Rom. 1:13). If it could happen that Saint Paul, with such an abundance of even miraculous grace given to him, could not fulfill the difficult task for a long time: then, given my weakness, it is certainly not surprising that I could not quickly fulfill the difficult task. The question incomparably more worthy of attention for me and for you must be this: why did I want, or better, why should I want, to see you here, and why it was fitting for you to want this; for I am now here both by my long-standing desire and by your repeated invitation. And in this regard, the same Apostle can be a leader and a model not only for me, but also for you, brethren. “I wish to see you,” he says to the Roman Christians. But for what? “Yes,” he says, “I will give you a spiritual gift.” What does it mean? What spiritual gift does he promise? - He explains: “This is the comfort you have in your common faith, yours and mine.” So this is why the Apostle wants to visit the Roman Church, to see the Christians of Rome: he wants to find among them a common faith and fellowship in faith, to find out and discover as soon as possible that the Romans are definitely fellow believers with him, and he is a fellow believer in the Romans. And in this inquiry he hopes to find “consolation,” that is, mutual consolation, to the Romans from him, and to him from the Romans, and not just human consolation, but a “spiritual gift,” the gift of the Holy Spirit the Comforter. If, brethren, we also want to be faithful to this Apostolic direction, consistent with this original image of the Church of Christ, then it is necessary that both your previous invitation and my present coming to you have no other purpose than “a common faith, yours and mine.” Both you and I must have the same desire, that we may become like one another in the same faith, according to the true, Orthodox, pure, immaculate faith, handed down from the Lord Savior through the Holy Apostles and God-bearing Fathers, and which has reached us through continuous and unchanging tradition; Yes, in the communion of peaceful hearts and untroubled consciences, “let us be comforted by our common faith, yours and mine,” and in this consolation we will recognize and feel the grace-filled “spiritual gift.” I do not seek to subjugate you to my word: I submit to the word of the Gospel and the Apostles, and in submission to it I wish to be with you. Listen also to how it preaches and commands not only faith to each individual, but also to all together the fellowship and unity of faith. When our Lord, departing to freely suffer for us, with His omnipotent prayer to His Consubstantial Father, He established His Church forever: then, having first prayed for His Apostles, preachers of the faith, pillars of the Church, builders of the mysteries, then He continued His prayer like this: “I pray not for these only, but also for those who believe their word for Me, yes and they will be one” (John 17:20–21). Hear: not only does the Author and Finisher of faith care about this, that believers should remain in the faith, but especially that believers should all be one. So, if anyone imagines he has faith, but does not adhere to the great unity of all believers; walks around on his own, not caring about sincere communion with the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church: one must be very afraid for such a person, lest he remain outside the action of the saving prayer of Christ, and consequently outside salvation; for there is no doubt that only those for whom the Intercessor of God and men brought His prayer, and over whom it was fulfilled, will be saved. Therefore, the Apostle, exhorting Christians to act worthy of their calling, exhorts them to maintain unity. “I beseech you,” writes Saint Paul to the Ephesians, “who am a servant of the Lord, to walk worthy of his calling,” “to be diligent in guarding the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1, 3). With this combination of thoughts He makes it clear that only those who strive to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace walk worthy of the Christian title; that neglect of unity belongs to a walk unworthy of the title Christian. Further, revealing the foundations of Christian unity and urging the observance of it, the Apostle adds: “one body, one spirit, just as your calling was called in one hope: one Lord, one faith, one baptism: one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all” (Eph. 4:4-6). Truly, how many reasons, and what strong reasons and motivations for unity! If for slaves one common master is the center of unity, and even more so for households the head of the family, for children a father: then how much more so for us, Christian brothers, the One Lord Almighty over all of us, the One Heavenly Father for us all! If there is one faith, living in the unity of the Church, in the communion of the same sacraments, then one who withdraws from unity must necessarily fear lest faith itself, which cannot be separated from its unity, be removed from him. If we all in Christ must form one body, animated by one spirit, then who can neglect unity without extreme danger to himself? Who does not know that the members of the body live only in the unity of the body; in imperfect unity they become sick, separated from the unity, and die? If we are called by grace to the single hope of the Kingdom of Heaven, then we obviously need the unity of souls in order to unhinderedly enter into the possession of an indivisible heavenly inheritance. Just as it is true that “a kingdom divided among itself will be desolate” (Matthew 12:25): it is also true that the eternal and indestructible kingdom will not accept any divisions and strife. In the pure unity of faith and love on earth, the capacity for the highest union with God and the Saints in heaven should be formed. Brethren of this holy church! The more confidently we learn from the Divine word how important and necessary unity in faith is: the more carefully we should think about whether we really have this good, whether, with real visible communication, internally and spiritually, according to the Apostle, “we can be comforted by the common faith, yours and mine.” And why shouldn’t we indulge in this consolation, with unwavering thoughts and unconstrained hearts? Do we not have solid foundations for your unity in faith? Isn’t it one consubstantial and indivisible Trinity that we confess and glorify with the same dogmas of Orthodoxy? Do we not place the single death on the cross and life-giving resurrection of Jesus Christ as the foundation of our faith and our salvation? Is it not the same grace of the Holy Spirit that is acceptable in the same sacraments? Do we not have the same commandments and rules of the Gospel, Apostolic, Council, and Holy Fathers? Is it not by the same hierarchy and priesthood, which from the one living Vine of Christ, through the Apostles, emanates in the likeness of branches, extending to all places, continuing through all times, and never being cut off, that we are grafted into the one and the same living and life-giving Vine, spiritual and Divine? Will the knot of unity, knitted from so many golden threads, cease to be strong if below it someone sees the diverging ends of some small threads? I know, brethren of this holy church, that your common faith does not seem clear to everyone, firstly, because they see in you some liturgical rites and customs that are externally different from those used in the great Church, although, however, they do not contradict the spirit and meaning of them, as proven by a short-term test; secondly, because those who adhere to these rituals were once subject to church condemnation when they adhered to them in disobedience to the Church and in rejection of its unity. But don’t I already resolve these perplexities when I just utter them? Where there is one spirit of faith, and unity of spirit in love and in obedience, since the word of the Apostle commands Christians to be children of obedience (1 Pet. 1:14): there some random diversity in rituals is not division; and from the judgment pronounced on the disobedient, the obedient are justly released. It was not we who began to reason this way now, nor our predecessors recently: this is how the Holy Church reasoned and acted in its earliest times, as circumstances demanded. In the second century after the Nativity of Christ, between the customs of the Eastern and Western Churches, there was a difference in an important subject: the Eastern celebrated Easter on the fourth or tenth day of March, even if it was not a Sunday, and the Western - certainly on Sunday. But at the same time, the unity of faith and the unity of the Churches existed and was not subject to doubt. The Roman Bishop Victor rebelled for this against the Eastern, and attempted to dissolve church communion with them: but the Western Bishop, Saint Irenaeus, also opposed this peaceful intention, who, moreover, reminded Victor that when Saint Polycarp visited the Roman Bishop Anicetas, then each of them remained with his own custom of celebrating Easter, but nevertheless they had communication with each other, and Anicetas for the sake of honor gave Saint Polycarp primacy in his Church in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, and both parted in peace, and peace was preserved throughout the Church between those who adhered to one custom, and between those who adhered to the other. Here is proof that unity of faith can exist with a variety of rituals, and this proof is presented to you by Saint Polycarp and Saint Irenaeus. Remember at the same time that, after the establishment at the first Ecumenical Council for the entire Church of the same time for the celebration of Easter, and after that the general Easter circle, those who disobeyed this definition were not excused by the old custom, but were condemned: and here you have an ancient church example of how church severity can fall on those who are disobedient and at war for a rite or custom that is tolerated in the peace-loving and obedient. Whoever thinks about what has been said now, carefully and impartially, I hope, will clearly see how even now the Holy Church agrees with itself, when it condescendingly extends its motherly embrace to those who sincerely wish to be children of obedience, and, firmly holding its common ancient rites and pious customs, does not, however, place certain private rites of old times as an obstacle to unity of faith, with confidence in the unity of dogmas, sacraments and hierarchy. So, brethren, there is no obstacle for us to “take comfort in the common faith,” as a true “spiritual gift,” if we sincerely desire this and earnestly seek it. “If there is any consolation in Christ,” I say to you with the Apostle, “or if there is any joy in love, if there is some fellowship of the spirit, if there is any mercy and generosity; Fill my joy, so that you are wise in the same way, have the same love, are of one mind, of the same wisdom: nothing in zeal or vanity, but through humility, creating greater honor for each other. Look not at each of your own, but also at each of your friends” (Phil. 2:1-4). Have Christian love; it’s simple: and love will contrive to make you of the same wisdom; for it tends to unite, and not to divide. Zeal, vanity, and self-interest are the seeds of strife and division: do not allow evil seeds to be sown, and evil vegetation will not arise. Plant humility deeply, and peace will grow abundantly. Seek good, consolation and salvation not only for yourself, but also for your neighbors: may the hope of your salvation be strengthened, may the joy of the salvation of everyone increase. Find saving consolation in unity with the one Holy Church; and bring comfort to your mother’s heart with your sincere obedience to her. Do not be content with just being somehow not alien to it: strive, “that you may,” according to the word of the Lord, “be perfect in one” (John 17:23). With the spirit of pure unity and love and the example of good living, help us, so that “other sheep that are not of this fold” may come into the safe fence of church unity (John 10:16). To those who philosophize and live by such rules, blessing, grace, and peace from the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the One True God, glorified and worshiped in the Holy Trinity forever. May the blessing of the Lord come to the good undertaking, to which we are now approaching, so that with the very beginning of the work, subsequently the holy one, we can connect the beginning of sanctification. May the Lord accept the voluntary sacrifice of His servants, whose hearts He moved to the work of piety and philanthropic hospitality; and may He bestow upon them His Divine grace and bounty. May He found His church, may it build, may it sanctify, may it establish. And may the brethren of this holy church, who have previously fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, receive new consolation in the fact that their resting place will be overshadowed by the holy church, with prayer and bloodless sacrifice for them. And the soul of the newly departed servant of God Peter, who did not give himself rest, “until you have found the place of the Lord, a dwelling place for the God of Jacob” (Ps. 132:5), and having found it, he is immediately laid to rest by the fate of God at the very beginning and foundation of his work, may he settle with the Lord in a place of light, in the village of the righteous, in the eternally blissful unity of the “Church of the firstborn in heaven written” ( Hebrews 12:23). Amen. You might be interested in: