"He who spares his rod hates his son but he who loves him takes care to chastise him" (Proverbs 13:24).
God's love for men transcends the love of men for men as the heaven transcends the earth but, nevertheless, the Man-loving God chastises men. God chastises men not in order to destroy them but to correct and save them. O blessed chastisement which emanates from love! "For whom the Lord loves, He chastises; and He scourges every son whom He receives" (Hebrews 12:6).
With what does God chastise? With a rod!
What kind of rod? The rod of sickness, the rod of misfortune, the rod of loss, the rod of hunger, the rod of crop failure, the rod of drought, the rod of floods, the rod of death of relatives and friends, the rod of evil demons, when He permits them authority over man. These are the rods of God by which God chastises His children in order that He may correct them and bring them back to their senses, enlighten and save them.
Why should the parent not chastise his children if he truly loves them?
The rod is a tool of great love and concern. If the child is not sensitive to spiritual chastisement, the child is sensitive to the rod. The more a child is insensitive to the spirit and conscience, it is more sensitive to the body. The body was not given to man that by itself it has meaning, but the body is to be a servant of the spirit to help the spirit and to benefit the spirit. If corporal punishment arouses the spirit in man and the spirit arouses the conscience, then the body has completely fulfilled its duty toward the spirit, its master. If the master [spirit] sleeps, then the servants are struck in order to arouse the master [the spirit]. If the servants awaken their master in the hour of danger, they will not lament the blows that they have received for they saved their master. And the awakened and saved master will know how to repay his servants. Hence, in truth, "He who spares his rod hates his son." Whosoever spares the servant, betrays the master.
O All-wise Lord, open the hearts of the parents that they may receive this holy instruction of Yours.
To You be glory and thanks always.
Amen.
Prologue of Orchid
