43. For People in Positions of Civil Authority

Some of you, brothers, are in government service, and in that service you are clothed by the tsar with one authority or another and have subordinates under your charge. Since managing authority over others rightly is an extremely difficult undertaking—for sometimes it is very hard enough just to manage oneself—today, in order to lighten the burden of authority for those who hold it, we shall speak about how they ought to conduct themselves so that their authority may be both pleasing to God and beneficial to the Church, the tsar, and the fatherland, and may serve for the salvation of their own souls. In the life of Saint Seraphim of Sarov it is mentioned, among other things, that among his visitors there were men of government, and that the venerable elder received them with fitting honor and truly Christian love. What did he speak with them about? In his conversations with them, it is said, he would show them how important their rank was and how they must be faithful to the most pious sovereign and to their beloved fatherland. Pointing to the insignia of rank they wore, he would remind them of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified on the cross for our salvation, and would say that these insignia ought to serve as a reminder of their obligation always to be ready to sacrifice everything, even their very lives, for the good of the fatherland and the Church. Above all else he would urge them to protect the Orthodox Catholic Church, so strongly shaken by the vain philosophies of the present age. “For this,” he said, “the sovereign has appointed you; to this God and the Church oblige you; and this is what the Russian people expect of you.” He would then advise them always to stop in at the church and offer a prayer (Marka’s account, pp. 37-38). And so, if those who hold authority over others wish for their authority to be pleasing to God and beneficial to the Church, the tsar, and the fatherland, and to serve for the salvation of their own souls, let them act as Saint Seraphim teaches them to act—that is, first of all, whoever holds authority must understand how great his rank is; he must remember that he is God’s servant for good, in the apostle’s words, and God’s servant, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer (Rom. 13:4). This means he must remember that in governing he is doing God’s work. And keeping this in mind, he must at the same time remember inseparably from it that where God’s work is, there must be every diligence and care and reverence, for it is said: cursed is everyone who does the work of the Lord negligently. Furthermore, as Saint Seraphim teaches, those in authority must be faithful to the sovereign and the fatherland—which is also necessary for them both out of the duty of love, conscience, and their oath, and in order to set a good example for their subordinates by their faithfulness. Seeing their superior unshakably faithful to the throne and the fatherland, subordinates will likewise remain so, for the example of the superior will undoubtedly move them to the same and confirm them in their love for the tsar and the fatherland. Moreover, according to Saint Seraphim, those who hold authority must first of all dispose themselves to always be ready to sacrifice everything, even their very lives, for the good of the fatherland and the Church. And this will greatly lighten the burden of authority for them. Seeing their superior self-sacrificing and ready to give up everything for the common good, subordinates will undoubtedly be filled with profound love and respect for him, and in that spirit will obey him not only out of fear but out of conscience as well. And to win such obedience from one’s subordinates means to win for oneself obedient friends and loving children. Finally, the venerable elder, as we have heard, urges those in authority to defend the Holy Orthodox Church from her enemies, and then concludes by directing them to prayer, so that by it they may obtain God’s blessing upon their service. This too is needed for lightening the burden of authority. Seeing their superior zealous for the Church and a person of sincere piety and deep faith, subordinates will themselves be drawn involuntarily to share in his piety; and being so drawn, they will undoubtedly redouble their obedience, submission, and love for their superior, thereby making the burden of his authority both light and easy to bear.

God grant that all this may be so. God grant that those in authority may act according to the words of the venerable elder and thereby make their burden light, their service pleasant, and find in their subordinates sincere friends and loving children. Amen.