Salesian Literature

Letters on:

Loving and Serving God in Your Daily Life

1. Marriage is an exercise in mortification   ::   2. As far as possible, make your devotion attractive  ::   3. Have patience with everyone, including yourself

4. Keep yourself gentle amid household troubles  ::   5. Do what you see can be done with love  ::   6. Parents can demand more than God Himself

7. Avoid making your devotion troublesome  ::   8. Have contempt for contempt  ::   9. Lord, what would You have me to do?  ::   10. Take Jesus as your patron

11. Remain innocent among the hissing of serpents  ::   12. Never speak evil of your neighbour  ::   13. Extravagant recreations may be blameworthy

14. We must not ask of ourselves what we don't have  ::   15. If you get tired of kneeling, sit down  ::   16. You will not lack mortification

17. We must always walk faithfully  ::   18. Illness can make you agreeable to God  ::   19. You are being crowned with His crown of thorns

20. Often the world calls evil what is good  ::   21. Rest in the arms of Providence  ::   22. In confidence, lift up your heart to our Redeemer

23. We must slowly withdraw from the world  ::   24. This dear child was more God's than yours  ::   25. Think of no other place than Paradise or Purgatory

26. How tenderly I loved her!  ::   27. Calm your mind, lift up your heart  ::   28. Miserable beggars receive the greatest mercy

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24. This dear child was more God’s than yours

To a man whose son has died

 

Sir,

 

Knowing what you have felt about your son by that which I have felt myself, I realize that your pain has been extreme; for truly remembering the contentment that you took in speaking to me the other day about this child, I felt a great compassion when I reflected how painful would be your sorrow at the news of his death.  But still I do not dare to express to you my sympathy, not knowing whether his loss was certain, nor whether it had been told to you.

 

And now, sir, I come too late to contribute toward the consolation of your heart, which will already, I am sure, have received much relief, so as no longer to remain in the grief that so deep an affliction has caused it.

 

For you will have well know how to consider that this dear child was more God’s than yours, who had it only as a loan from that sovereign liberality.  And if His Providence judged that it was time to withdraw it to Himself, we must believe that it was for the child’s good, in which a loving father like you must quietly acquiesce.  The time in which we live is not so delightful that those who quit it should be much lamented.  This son has, I think, gained much by leaving it almost before properly entering it.

 

The word dead is terrifying, as it is spoken to us; for some one comes to you and says, “Your dear father is dead,” and “Your son is dead.”

 

But this is not a fit way of speaking among us Christians, for we should say, “Your son or your father has gone into his and your country”; and because it was necessary, he has passed through death, not stopping in it.

 

I know not, indeed, how we can in right judgement esteem this world to be our country, in which we are for so short a time, in comparison with Heaven, in which we are to be eternally.

 

We are on our way, and are more assured of the presence of our dear friends there above than of these here below.  For our friends there in Heaven are expecting us, and we are going toward them; our friends here on earth let us go, and will linger as long after us as they can; and if they go with us, it is against their will.

 

But if some remains of sorrow still oppress your mind for the departure of this sweet soul, throw your heart before Our Lord crucified, and ask His help.  He will give it to you, and will inspire in you the thought and the firm resolution to prepare yourself well to make t his terrifying passage in your turn at the hour He has fixed, in such way that you may happily arrive at the place in which we hope already is lodged our poor – or rather our happy – departed.

 

Sir, if I am heard in my continual desire, you will be filled with all holy prosperity; for it is with all my heart that I cherish and honour yours; and in this occasion, and in every other, I name myself and make myself, sir,

 

Your very humble and obedient servant,

Francis

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