Oh, pets of sweet pedagogy! More and more, more and more closely, and more fully let us join this beautiful body of the Holy Spirit. Church; let us run into it, as little children run to their good mother. Having become hearers of the Logos, let us glorify the economy of our salvation, which makes us blessed; by it a person is brought up to the state of a child of God and sanctified into it; through education received on earth, he becomes a citizen of heaven (Phil. 3:20); in heaven he receives the Father, whom he learned to know here on earth. The Logos is the Creator of everything; He is both the Pedagogue and the Teacher. The horse is controlled by means of a bridle, the ox by means of a yoke, game is caught by nets, and human life is transformed by the Logos. He bridles a wild horse, catches animals swimming in the water with groundbait, flying in the air, fascinates them. It is He who forms the bridle for the horse, the yoke for the ox, the fishing rod for the fish, the snare for the birds. He Himself governs the citizens of His Kingdom, but He is also the Farmer; He is the Lord, but He is also the Minister; He Himself creates everything.

He formed the earth, the sky and the sea

And all the beautiful stars with which the sky is crowned.

O Divine works! O Divine commandments! "Let this water (of Divine revelations and commandments," says the Logos, "like the ebb and flow of the sea, be agitated unceasingly and unhindered, uniting us with each other! Let this fire (of Divine revelations and commandments) bring with it wrath. Let the air (of these revelations and commandments) be poured over the ether, purifying it. Let this ground (of Divine revelations and commandments) be strengthened; and, being fertilized by them, it is constantly and further covered with vegetation. If I wanted to create another (new) man, and desired more matter for this, I have it in these elements. In this creation of mine I live. If you believe in Me, fire (eternal, but also of the judgments of this world) will serve you." Such is the Logos and such is His greatness. He is the Pedagogue and the Teacher. He is the Creator of the world and man. And through this, He is the Teacher of the Universe. Spirit and matter are equally subject to Him; and it is them that He has to divide at the last judgment. For it is not by any fleeting word that the Logos announces us in these revelations and commandments, but by eternal wisdom, as Bacchylides says. That you may be blameless and pure, children of God, blameless in the midst of a stubborn and corrupt generation, in which you shine like lights in the world, says Paul (Phil. 2:15).

Now, after such a solemn recognition of the glory of the Logos, what can we do but turn to Him with such a humble prayer: "Be merciful to Thy children. The Divine Teacher, the Father, the Leader of Israel, the Son and the Father, both are one God, our Lord. Grant us, the fulfillers of Thy commandments, to be in the full likeness of Thy image, to love Thee as much as we can, to prove worthy of Thy goodness, and not to be subjected to the severity of Thy terrible justice at the Last Judgment. Meanwhile, before its coming, penetrate all with the desire to gather under the peaceful banner of Thy kingdom, under the meek wings of the Holy Spirit, transform all into peaceful citizens of Thy holy city, so that, under the influence of the gentle breeze of the grace of the Spirit, by His power, we may quietly sail towards the peaceful harbor, not suffering harm on the sea of this life from the surf of the waves of sin to us, on the contrary, in Him, the Holy Spirit, ineffable wisdom, night and day, even to the last hour of life, thanks to praise, and in praise, to give thanks to the one Father and Son, Son and Father, Thee the Son as Pedagogue and Teacher, with the Holy Spirit, Who is all in one, in Whom are all things, through Whom all things are one, through Whom eternity is, Whom we are all members. To whom belongs the glory, (history in all) ages. Which is the sum total of all good things, all beauty, all wisdom, all righteousness. To whom be glory now and forever and ever. Amen.

CONCLUSION

Since the Pedagogue brought us into the church and united us with Himself, it is quite natural that we should bring praise and gratitude to this Teacher, the all-seeing Logos, the Lord, every time we are here. People who are well-bred should do this perfectly and decently.

Hymn to Christ the Savior

A bridle for foolish foals,

The wing of birds in flight that do not wander,

Strong ships were fed,

Shepherd of the king's lambs!