503. Речь Новопосвященной Игумении Серпуховского Владычнего монастыря Митрофании

(April 2; printed by Sushkov, appendix LIV, p. 133) Newly ordained Abbess! In recent times, you have been called to the field of obedience, and by the will of God, the rod of governance is already being handed to you - and like a mother you must watch over the sisters now entrusted to you. I understand that your thoughts are agitated and that with fear and not without embarrassment you take upon yourself this great responsibility; but strengthen yourself with the fact that you were chosen for the field of this ministry not by me, but by God Himself. 1) Intensify your prayer; prayer gives us strength and strength; without it we become weak. 2) To control your sisters, do not use the power given to you alone, but edify them in the spirit of strength and love; Love conquers everything, and try to be lenient towards the weaknesses of humanity. 3) Edify the children entrusted to you by your own example rather than by power and severity; your example will have a stronger effect on them than words. Finally, I say, do not avoid the lot that God has assigned to you, work for the benefit of the monastery, for the consolation of the sisters entrusted to you; and accept this rod not as power and honor, but as a support for human weakness. You might be interested in: