The Power of a Parents Blessing

[Dysmas1]

I have heard and read a few things about a persons authority, spiritual authority, to bless one of thier own children.What sort of ‘power’ or efficaciousness of the blessing of ones own child would it have vs. the same given by a Priest or Deacon?

Where does this ‘authority’ come from and would my wife’s blessing be any less effective in the spiritual realm? I am looking forward to seeing opinions and facts on this issue as my opinion keeps jumping back and forth!! Thanks for your time and God bless.

 

[kage_ar]

I’ll tell you a true story - no deep theology, just a real family story.

A lady I know was close friends with a family. That family made the practice, every evening before bed, of tracing the Sign of the Cross on each child’s forehead and saying “May Jesus come and bless you”.

Years went by, the oldest son was leaving for college. A family cook-out dinner took place the evening before the son was to leave. As the evening grew late, the family and close friends sat around the back yard talking.

The son left to take his girlfriend home, and when he came back, those adults were still sitting in the back yard. The son came to his parents to say good night, they went through the family ritual - then the son stood and went to each of the adults, his parents, family and close friends, and traced the Sign of the Cross on each one’s forehead and said those same words.

That family knew that son would go away to college with a Faith that was real, alive, and demonstrated.

After hearing that story, we began doing the same thing with our son. He is now a big teenager, and still comes and bends down to his mom every night for that blessing.

I can’t tell you why, I can tell you it is a powerful beautiful thing.

 

[Dysmas1]

That is a wonderful story and indeed it is a shining example of a vibrant and living faith. One so true that it inspired your family to begin the practice.

My family as well does this and it has really brought us closer.

I feel that, in the immediate family, it is fully appropriate to trace the sign of the cross on a forehead or wound and say a blessing. However, outside of the immediate family, the domestic church, I feel that it is absolutly inappropriate for someone to give a blessing by tracing the sign of the cross.

Rather, as is evidenced in the Household Blessings and Prayers book, it is better to make the sign of the cross over oneself while blessing the person and never under ones own authority such as " I bless you…in the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit" that is reserved for Holy Orders alone.

Rather, " May God bless you, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" while making the sign of the cross on ones self.

God bless you and your family.
Dysmas1
In a nut shell that is how I feel about the issue.

 

[Belle10]

A lady I know was close friends with a family. That family made the practice, every evening before bed, of tracing the Sign of the Cross on each child’s forehead and saying “May Jesus come and bless you”.

I can’t tell you why, I can tell you it is a powerful beautiful thing.

We do this too. In fact, my mother traces the sign of the cross on pictures of her kids (including me, my DH, and our DD) who don’t live at home anymore. It certainly is a powerful, beautiful thing.

 

[Dysmas1]

This is a good thing indeed to do. I feel that it is a great way of living our faith to our children and, probably, a wonderful gift to leave them. The memory of giving and recieving a blessing every night.

What a powerful way of keeping Christ a constant presence in our lives. It teaches an appreciation for prayer, encourages humility, presumably lol, and is a fine way to let the love of a family flow back and forth.

God bless.
Dysmas1