The parental blessing has its origin in the high dignity of parents.
Both in the Old and New Covenant, the dignity of parents is referred to as a royal priesthood. Just as priests have the right to bless the faithful, so do parents have the right to bless their children. Parents represent God to their children; from this dignity flows the power to bless their children naturally. The closer someone is to God through their dignity, the greater their right to be heard. How could the blessing of parents, who have such high dignity and represent God, be ineffective?
Christian parents were given an ever-flowing source of blessing the moment they gave each other their vows and received the sacrament of marriage. During the reception of this sacrament, the priest, as a representative of God, places the consecrated stole on the hands of the bride and groom, sprinkles them with holy water and blesses them. The bride and groom have thus, in a way, received the power to bless the children that the Lord will give them. From this rich source of blessings that flows throughout their marriage, the parents’ hands, whenever they raise them in prayer and blessing, pour blessings over the body and soul of their children.
Let us therefore continue to pass on the divine stream of blessings to our children as long as we are able.
A child that is blessed by its parents is blessed by God. The image of the blessing hands of the parents will never be forgotten in the child’s life.
Christian parents, make use often of the wondrous power that rests in your hands!
Bless your children when you leave the house in the morning and before bed at night.
Bless your children when you travel.
Bless your children before important decisions and events.
Bless your children if they have strayed from the path of faith, even if it takes years. The continuous blessing of parents will surely bear fruit one day and bring the child’s life back to faith and virtue.
Let us therefore put the fate of our children into the hands of God through our blessings. Let us have complete faith in His mercy and help.
An old saying goes:
“The parental blessing goes over hills and valleys and finds the children wherever they are; yes, it pulls them from the depths of destruction, into which they may have fallen through sins and vices.”
Source: “The Christian Family” – P. Konstanz Rudigier – 1920 – P. Cyprian Fröhlich O. Cap.