A loving father was grievously ill and was about to die. On the last day of his life he gathered his children around his bed and exhorted them to do good always, but he especially ordered them to attend without fail the religion class and to treasure what they learned.
"My dear children," he said, "I have lived fifty years and in this world I have had many joys, but the purest, the most sublime, the most divine ones came from religion. It has purified all my earthly joys.
"I have lived fifty years and in this world I have suffered much had have fought hard, but in all my sufferings I have always found the best consolation and the surest help solely in our holy religion.
"I have lived fifty years and I have often found myself face to face with death, but this time I feel that I shall not see the sun set and therefore I assure you before God that only the celestial power of religion can free us from the terrors of death; only trust in God can give us the courage and strength to step into eternity and appear before the tribunal of God.
"Strive therefore, to know better our Creator and to follow faithfully His holy teachings: you will thus be pleasing to Him, you will live joyously and one day you will die a happy death."
The children listened to him in tears. The father died an hour later, but they kept in their hearts his last words for the whole of their life; they put them into practice and from experience they learned those words were the mirror of truth. God's might to direct me,
God's power to protect me,
God's wisdom for learning,
God's eye for discerning,
God's ear for my hearing,
God's word for my clearing. |
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The Dying Father