367. Речь По рукоположении Преосвященного Сергия Епископа Курского и Белгородского

(Said January 1st; printed in the Works of the Holy Father and in the meeting of 1861) Your Eminence Bishop Sergius! By the blessing of the Holy Synod, by the favor of the Most Pious Autocrat, above these, by the invisible wave of the Lord Almighty and the Great Bishop who passed through heaven, you were called, and now by the grace of the Holy Spirit you are consecrated to the ministry of episcopacy. The service is high, according to the grace given to him, humble, according to the example and commandment of the humble-hearted Jesus Christ, difficult, due to the passions and weaknesses of man, saving in its purpose. How do you now look at the field that has opened before you? Are you happy? - I'm afraid for you. Are you afraid? - I am happy about you. If, according to the teachings of the Apostle, everyone must “work out the salvation with fear” (Phil. 2:12) of his own soul: with what fear must he serve the salvation of thousands of souls? Fear will strengthen vigil and achievement; and humility will attract help from above. Your activities include prayer, teaching, governance, and ecclesiastical judgment. Strive so that prayer is strong and pure, teaching is Orthodox, governance is prudent, judgment is righteous and dissolved in mercy. May your faith and love for God be the wings of prayer, the word of God the immutable foundation of teaching, the rules and examples of the holy fathers the leaders of life, government and judgment. Above all, let prayer not fail. Like lightning from a cloud, so from prayer is the light of truth and understanding. From prayer comes the power of power. With prayer, judgment is discerning and faithful. Offer from the earthly altar to the heavenly prayers for our Most Pious Autocrat, for the Holy Synod, for the entire Orthodox Russian Church and kingdom, for the entire Orthodox universal Church, and now, as in ancient times, not safe from “troubles... in the false brethren” (2 Cor. 11:26), and in some countries, in these Christian times, in the face of Christian kingdoms, just as in pagan times persecuted by the enemies of Christianity. And, if, while thinking about the great, it is not inappropriate to pay attention to the small, I suggest to the attention of your brotherly love, so that he who served with your brethren in your prayers will not be forgotten, so that he who has received much mercy in entering and running the race will find mercy in the exit. May the mercy of the Lord precede and accompany you all the days of your life. You might be interested in: