271. Слово в день рождения Благочестивейшего Государя Императора Николая Павловича

(Said in the Assumption Cathedral on June 25; printed in the Tv. St. Ot. 1852 and in the collection 1861) Bring your deeds closer to the Lord and your thoughts will be established (Prov. 16:3). Here is one of the parables of King Solomon, which he, according to his own legend, wrote so that a person could “know wisdom and punishment, ... understand the true truth” (Proverbs 1: 2-3), that is, through thorough instruction, learn true virtue and with it direct life to bliss. Why this parable came to my mind for this word, you will soon see: but first, let’s take a closer look at the parable. Approaching God, according to the beneficent intention of the Creator, in accordance with the needs of a being created in the image of God, is for man the true and legitimate goal of striving in the field of life. Created in the image of the Infinite, man is not satisfied with the finite: and if he chases after what seems desirable to him in creatures, then even after achieving what he wants, he does not remain satisfied, soon finding it small and insufficient for himself. The mind, created in the image of the Infinite, can only quench the thirst for knowledge with eternal truth. The heart, created in the image of the Infinite, can only satisfy the hunger for well-being and bliss with infinite good. This is, of course, what the Prophet King thought when he cried out to God: “I will be satisfied when Thy glory appears” (Ps. 16:15). Therefore, another Prophet exhorts: “Draw near to your God” (Hos. 12:6). And the Apostle encourages this with the promise of reciprocity that facilitates this: “draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8). But how can a person get closer to God - invisible and incomprehensible? Obviously, he cannot fly, as he soon wishes, with his whole being from earth to heaven, from the visible to the invisible: but he can and should direct to God the movements of his powers and abilities, predominantly marked by the image of God, not bound by the body, not limited by space; can and should direct thoughts and desires towards God, approach God with mind and heart, contemplation and prayer, faith and love. On this right path we encounter difficulties that arise partly from the innate damage to our nature, which conveniently extends to our arbitrariness, and partly from the attack of forces acting outside of us, also damaged and deviated from the well-being of the Creative. Although we realize that we have the power to think about what we want, does it not happen that, raising our thoughts to God, we cannot keep them high for a long time and constantly, that they then, as if inadvertently, fall, then, even despite our efforts to elevate them, they are cast down to the ground, onto low, vain objects? Although we feel that it is not some extraneous force that drives our desires, but we ourselves arbitrarily extend them to this or that object: however, does it not happen that, directing our desires to spiritual, heavenly, eternal goods, we experience a strong confrontation with other desires, which attract us to earthly, perishable objects, to sensual pleasures, and weaken and delay our desire for God? Against such and similar difficulties, a parable wants to give us help, which suggests bringing our deeds closer to God, and encourages that through this our thoughts will be confirmed. “Bring your deeds closer to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.” In fact, can we unhesitatingly approach God with our thoughts, desires, and spirit, when we are careless about the appropriate direction of our affairs? Although the spirit must be stronger than the flesh, “the spirit ... is willing” by its very nature, “but the flesh is weak” by its nature (Mark 14:38): however, can a spiritual thought have full power when it is opposed by things alien to the spiritual direction, with which is connected the power of the same thoughts and desires that produced them, and, in the case of their becoming more frequent, the power of habits and addictions? So, if you want to approach God with unwavering and unwavering feet and stand firmly before Him in contemplation of God, in prayer, in faith, in love, then try to give spiritual direction to all your affairs, animating them with thoughts striving towards God. “Bring your deeds closer to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.” Do you ask: how can I bring my deeds closer to God? – I have already said: animating them with thoughts directed towards God. I am not talking now about lawless and evil deeds: they cannot be brought closer to God; they must be reflected and rejected with all the strength of the will, as moving away from God. I’m talking about good deeds, or at least innocent ones, ordinary in life, but not directly related to God; strive not to do them in oblivion of God, out of self-will, out of whim, out of passion; because through this you remove them from God, and they, noticeably or imperceptibly, remove you from God. If, for example, you want to do good to your neighbor, do not do this for glory or honor, because through this you bring your work closer to people, and not to God; do not do this without attention, without thought and feeling, because such a thing will be without life, and therefore without movement towards God; give your mite to the beggar with a heartfelt thought about Rexham: “Be ye... merciful, as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36), and your mite will go through the beggar to God, and will lead you to God. If you are called to matters of rank and public service: do not seek to excite your jealousy in the desire for rewards and in the hope of elevation above others; find for yourself a driving force in the thought that an official in society “God’s ... servant is ... for good” (Rom. 13:4); serve the Tsar and the kingdom with faith and truth, so that you can serve God, and your deeds for the earthly Fatherland will bring you closer to the heavenly Fatherland. If you work for the needs and well-being of earthly life: beware of setting yourself the goal of finally saying with the rich man of the parable: “You have much good for your soul, ... eat, drink, be merry” (Luke 12:19): the parable has already said that this is the path of madness and leads to sudden death. Take for your guidance the Apostolic word: “there is... great gain” - a great acquisition - “godliness with contentment” (1 Tim. 6:6), and learn to “become rich toward God” (Luke 12:21) by the righteousness of acquisition, moderation in the use of what you have acquired, serving from your abundance, and sometimes from your poverty, to your needy neighbors. “Whether ... you eat,” says the Apostle, “whether you drink or do anything else, ... do it for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). Note how the matter that degrades a glutton to the lowest level among the dumb can be animated by a prudent person with an elevated thought and, in the words of Solomon, “bring him closer to the Lord.” Do you see a work that needs to be started: before you bring it into the realm of events, bring it closer to God by praying for a blessing for its beginning, for help for its completion. Do you look at the deeds that you have already accomplished with success, with dignity, with benefit for yourself and others, with glory; do not bring them too close to you, do not feed your conceit with them; bring them closer to God, confessing over them the goodness of His Providence, lifting up to Him the incense of a grateful heart. This last meaning and application of Solomon’s parable now, especially for consolation and edification, we can see in a living, majestic action. From the new summer of the life of our Most Pious Autocrat, which now begins, turning to the past summer, there we see a day that the days that preceded it looked upon with anticipation, and that the days that followed will look upon with reverence. This is the day on which His twenty-fifth anniversary took place as God’s crowned and anointed King. How many memories did this day bring to Him of the exploits and memorable deeds that he accomplished for the good of the Church and the kingdom, in war and peace, in legislation and government, in the elevation of the improvement of titles and states, in the outpouring of mercies and generosity, in the charity of suffering and helpless humanity, in the alleviation of private and public disasters irresistible by human power, in taming the storms and waves of the sea of nations, sometimes solely by His personal steadfastness and strength of spirit! How did He triumph that day? What marked these memories? His Spirit ascended above all earthly solemnity: He “brought His works closer to the Lord.” With the crowned Spouse and the assembly of the second and third kind of His family, on the wings of fire, He was transported from His new to His ancient capital solely in order to offer God the incense of a reverent and grateful heart in the very church in which He received the sacred wedding and anointing from Him. The celebration is undoubtedly the highest! Because it goes directly to God. The celebration is extremely joyful! Because the joy in him is heavenly. Righteous, Russia, you call your Tsar the most pious. Rejoice in this, and keep your joy for yourself, constantly striving to be worthy of the name with which you adorn Him. Strive to be and remain actively pious, “bringing your deeds closer to the Lord,” with living faith and unwavering adherence to His commandments, so that you can cry out to Him with a prophetic voice with firm hope: “then I will not be ashamed,” I will not waver, I will be established in power and glory, “even though I may look upon all Your commandments.” (Ps. 119:6). Amen. You might be interested in: