A Letter from a Father to his Son and a Letter from a Mother to her Son.

This week, I have run across a couple readings from parents to their children. One comes from King St. Louis and another comes from Blessed Concepción Cabrera de Armida of Mexico. I wanted to share them here with all of you.

Letter from a Father to his Son:

In my daily Mass homily on Tuesday, August 25 on the Feast of St. Louis, I read a letter from the Office of Readings, one of the daily prayers we pray everyday as priests, from King St. Louis to his son. I wanted to post it here for you to read for yourself these beautiful words of St. Louis:

Office of Readings for St. Louis

From a spiritual treatise to his son by Saint Louis

My dearest son, my first instruction is that you should love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your strength. Without this there is no salvation. Keep yourself, my son, from everything that you know displeases God, that is to say, from every mortal sin. You should permit yourself to be tormented by every kind of martyrdom before you would allow yourself to commit a mortal sin.

If the Lord has permitted you to have some trial, bear it willingly and with gratitude, considering that it has happened for your good and that perhaps you well deserved it. If the Lord bestows upon you any kind of prosperity, thank him humbly and see that you become no worse for it, either through vain pride or anything else, because you ought not to oppose God or offend him in the matter of his gifts.

Listen to the divine office with pleasure and devotion. As long as you are in church, be careful not to let your eyes wander and not to speak empty words, but pray to the Lord devoutly, either aloud or with the interior prayer of the heart.

Be kindhearted to the poor, the unfortunate and the afflicted. Give them as much help and consolation as you can. Thank God for all the benefits he has bestowed upon you, that you may be worthy to receive greater. Be just to your subjects, swaying neither to right nor left, but holding the line of justice. Always side with the poor rather that with the rich, until you are certain of the truth. See that all your subjects live in justice and peace, but especially those who have ecclesiastical rank and who belong to religious orders.

Be devout and obedient to our mother the Church of Rome and the Supreme Pontiff as your spiritual father. Work to remove all sin from your land, particularly blasphemies and heresies.

In conclusion, dearest son, I give you every blessing that a loving father can give a son. May the three Persons of the Holy Trinity and all the saints protect you from every evil. And may the Lord give you the grace to do his will so that he may be served and honored through you, that in the next life we may together come to see him, love him and praise him unceasingly. Amen.

(Taken from the following blog: https://abitadeacon.blogspot.com/2020/08/on-his-feast-day-read-this-beautiful.html)

Letter from a Mother to her Son:

Blessed Concepción, “Conchita” († 1937), was a wife, mother, and widow in Mexico. She was the first Mexican laywoman to be beatified. 

Maternal Advice for Being a Faithful Servant

My dear Nachito, son of my soul: If I should die, if I should die if our Lord wills to take me, I beg you not to forget my advice. Before everything else, be a good Christian; go to Communion often, have a great, great love for the Blessed Virgin, have a Mass said in her honor every month, and commend your enterprises and your future to her. If the Lord destines you to married life, consult him, and approach the altar keeping your chastity. Be very pure in thoughts, words, and deeds. Be an example for your younger brothers and sister, give them good advice, be patient with them….

Be the leader of the house if you stay and live with your brothers, and pay attention to the servants, that they all accomplish their religious duties. Go to confession frequently and never go to sleep in a state of sin. Be good in whatever status of life God establishes you. Believe me, I have always loved you very much and if I have been strict in some points, it has been for your own good. Good-bye, son of my soul, until heaven, I will await you there, make yourself worthy to go there loving the Lord with all your heart, being an exemplary Christian and living in great unity with your brothers and sister.

Do not become too desirous of acquiring riches and do not think only about money; remember your soul. All earthly things are worth little and we might have to leave them soon; rather, heap up treasures for heaven; have a spiritual director to whom you may confide all your sorrows and do not forget me in your prayers. I await you over there, I will come for you, but behave as my beloved son whom I love so. You mother blesses you with all her soul.

Blessed Concepción Cabrera de Armida

[From A Mother’s Letters: A Vision of Faith in Everyday Life, Mary McCandless, Tr. © 2004, The Society of St. Paul, ST PAULS/Alba House, Staten Island, NY. www.stpauls.us. Used with permission.]