251. Беседа при торжестве о рождении Его Императорского Высочества Великого Князя Алексия Александровича

(Spoken in the Chudov Monastery on January 7th; printed in the Moscow Ved. and Provincial Ved. of 1850 and in the collection of 1861) The Prophet Psalmist, in one of the Psalms, looks at a person in whom he finds a sign of God’s blessing; and, as if rejoicing at what he had found, he points it out to everyone: “Behold, a man who fears the Lord will be blessed.” What does it mean: “this will be blessed?” Where does the Prophet see a bright sign of blessing? He sees him in happiness. - “Thy sons, like new olive trees are around your table. Behold, the man who fears the Lord will be blessed” (Ps. 127:3–4). We, Russians, saw how around the table of our Tsar they appeared, multiplying, from days to days, “sons like new olive trees,” and grew to the point of bringing the desired fruit to the Royal Family and the Fatherland. Now we see how “around the meal” of the firstborn Son of the Tsar, one after another “sons” arise, and have already reached the number that surrounds the meal of His Sovereign Parent. It is joyful to see the good fortune of a sovereign family, as the fruit of a blooming nature: but it is even more joyful to understand that this is a blessing coming from above, “like the dew of Aermon descending on the mountains of Zion” (Ps. 133:3). A blessing to the King and His Heir is a blessing to the Kingdom. The subject of the current celebration is marked by special features that are pleasantly and edifyingly instructive. You know that the Sovereign Heir to the All-Russian Throne was born in this ancient capital city, under the shade of the prayers and blessings of St. Alexis; here in the church of this Saint, he received Holy Baptism; and, after baptism, he was laid in the shrine of the resting Saint, as if in his arms, as if in his arms. Is it necessary to explain the thought and feeling contained in this significant action? The remembrance of this was conveyed by the faith of the Most Pious Parents to the faith of the Blessed Son, while time in Him justified the faith of the great in the Holy One. The same feeling was communicated to His Blessed Spouse. During the days of the past spring, which they spent under the shade of St. Alexis, and in which they repeatedly flowed to his Holy relics, it is clear that his grace, with Their faith, met in a special way in Their hearts: and here they are, to common joy, meeting in an open event. A new blessing from above appeared to Them in the successful birth of the Son: and at the same time, Their faith and gratitude to Saint Alexis, and hope for His prayers, appeared in the fact that, as a sign and guarantee of His blessing, They took His Name for Their Highly Newborn. I said that the subject of the current celebration is marked by features that are not only pleasant, but also edifying. In fact, now, not from us, but from the Royal House, through example, a teaching comes to you: in God and His blessing, place the source of the good that we have or receive, and the hope of the good that we desire, - to elevate and sanctify the works of nature with the spirit of grace, - to greet the birth of children not only with joyful feelings, but also with pious thoughts, - to look for a happy future for them not only in favorable views earthly, but also in the union of their earthly existence with the heavenly - to give names to children not indiscriminately, or with a superficial analysis of pleasant or unpleasant sounds and the like, but with the thought of pious ancestors, whose souls are able to impart an effective blessing to their descendants, and even better with faith in the Saints, whose prayers and blessings are, without a doubt, beneficial. Naming is not as unimportant as people think, who remember names better than know the essence and relationships of objects. The wisdom of primordial man was tested and demonstrated by the naming of every living soul. In the naming of names by Patriarchs, the gift of foresight and prophecy was repeatedly demonstrated. God Himself, when He deigned to give Abraham a new, significant, hereditary blessing, - as a pledge, as a seal, as a mysterious sign of this blessing, he gave him a new name: “Your name shall not be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, as the father of many tongues who set you up” (Gen. 17:5). The Holy Church, knowing that not many are capable of giving names on their own that bring blessings, has established the wonderful custom of borrowing names from the Saints, which, by the grace of the Saints, are always significant and capable of bringing blessings. But at the same time, it is especially good for the baby, who is given the name of the Holy One not only according to custom, but out of faith and love for the Holy One. By this faith, I invite everyone present here to say with me a single common word to Saint Alexy: Blessed are God and His grace, through you, Saint Alexy, who promoted the faith of the Most Pious, and fulfilled the prayers and hopes of Russia in the Blessed Firstborn Tsar. Look now at the faith of Him and His Blessed Spouse; and bless and bless His Newborn Child, and do not cease with Your God-pleasing prayers to bring down heavenly blessings on Our Most Pious Autocrat and on His entire House, “like the dew of Aermon descending on the mountains of Zion.” Amen. You might be interested in: