NEUOFFENBARUNG← Gifts of Heaven · Volume 1 · Contents
Mama's boy's education
24th June 1841
[1] Listen, your son is ruled by three spirits of evil kind! The first one is: the magnanimous sluggard!
[2] But two others are added to this from below! One is always anxious for pleasures, in whatever form! This spirit hides under the cover of the spirit of contradiction, secret or open stubbornness and so also of all lies and deceit.
[3] Behold, the sluggard is and wants no activity; but his thing is to sluggishly enjoy. The second is, so to speak, his court jester. And the third one is the guard and sees to it – or rather must see to it – that the spirit of indolence, which always wants to do pleasurable things, is harmed as little as possible.
[4] Behold, this is the real, hidden cause of the son's soul-evil, which is an uninformed consequence of the boy being overprotected by his mother, opposed by the daughters, whereby he secretly became too free-willed as a child and when you were not present, did what he wanted, because he knew well that his sisters, fearing their mother's rebuke, did not want to tell you about all his secret deeds and did not dare to do so (which is still a little bit the case today).
[5] However, what I don't put to the mother's burden, you don't put to her either, because the mother's love is almost completely blind and doesn't notice anything beside the course of her heart, how one viper after the other is nursed by such a blind love-warmth.
[6] However, since the matter is now thus, it is now above all necessary to help the sick person again. So this is the prescription:
[7] First, for the future, require all your children to openly confess about him.
[8] Secondly, do not leave the boy any free will! Therefore, for his recreation, prescribe him a certain activity, which he must perform punctually and with strict punishment, so that you will soon kill the empty desire for entertainment in him.
[9] Third, before each activity, have him pray aloud for a quarter of an hour, always slowly and thoughtfully, an "Our Father" and then several appropriate passages from the Psalms of David, the Prophets, and some passages from the Book of Sirach. This will soon rid him of his evil company.
[10] And such he may then continue constantly for the sake of eternal life and for the once possible, sure winning of My grace, which weighs more than all high schools of the schools.
[11] Fourthly, however, you must not be angry with yourself, i.e. in your heart, but think that I, your heavenly Father, give on earth to all My followers a cross most appropriate to them, about which they should not grumble, but offer everything to Me. Do this and you will pave your children's way with precious stones.
[12] Fifthly, do not tie yourself too much to the school-progress. You know anyway how much it counts with Me! What does it matter whether someone becomes able to serve the world one year earlier or later? But everything depends on how early he recognizes Me and begins to love Me! Because not from the world, but from Me comes all life!
[13] Sixth, do not listen to what the boy wants, for all such things come from the secret whisperings of those spirits acting from without, who would like to gain their entrance in one way or another. There is always self-love and self-will in the children, because they only want to become what they are most
inclined to because of their sensoric inclination, i.e. according to the impulse of their evil, inherent spirits!
[14] Seventh, you must handle the other boys no less in this way – both Peter and Paul. And also do not leave the youngest to his desire, unless he asks; and then give him only as much as is necessary for one-third of his satisfaction. Then he will grow up physically healthy and with as good a will as possible.
[15] See and pay close attention to these seven points, and you will soon notice other successes in your son.
[16] Tell the girls also to leave him alone and not to nag the brother with worthless words, which do not inspire much brotherly love, but to pray for the brother who has not yet been awakened and to love him in this way, instead of, as I said, irritating and annoying him by constant and all kinds of nagging. But let your wife behave like you.
[17] But if any of the brothers and sisters sees the boy doing something strange, then they should – as already noted in the beginning – report it to you secretly and unconcealed – but make sure that this happens out of love and not out of some kind of incitement! Because for an added vindictive announcement, the announcer could be severely punished by Me!
[18] But whatever useless activity you notice in the boy, expect it from him the next day and, should that not suffice, also for several days, so that he performs it punctually, as if a school task, with strictest punishment; and you will rid him of all sensoric amusement in a short time!
[19] Understand it well and act accordingly! But all your children are more or less a little sluggish in one and the other thing. Therefore take care of all of them. Do not let them go to other houses, which are now filled with vipers, snakes and scorpions everywhere! How easy it is to get a bad inheritance!
[20] I have now shown you all except one thing. Act accordingly in faith and love, so you will experience the power of My word.
[21] This is what your Emanuel says to you, high and holy above all, in all love! Amen.