What is a blessing?
We use that word a lot at church and in our everyday lives. When you really think of it, it’s not so simple to define. I did a Wikipedia search and found a few definitions all faith based. And depending on the faith they were different. The one that gave the most clarity for me was: "To be blessed" means 'to be favoured by God'. Blessings therefore are directly associated with God and come from God. Thus to express a blessing is like bestowing a wish on someone that they will experience the favour of God.
Blessings can be performed by anybody on anyone or anything. We bless our food, prayer shawls, the bread, the wine, our travels, a new baby and even someone who has just sneezed. Barbara Brown Taylor in her book “An Altar in the World” says that “To Pronounce a blessing on something is to see it from God’s perspective. To pronounce a blessing is to participate in God’s own initiative”.
I now offer this blessing on you. I wrote this for a sermon at Knox United in Caledon. Please read it, absorb it and know that it will connect us. As John O’Donohue says “There is no distance in spiritual space. This is what blessing does: it converts distance into spiritual space.” ...
May you find that your heart is open.
May you find that your brokenness can be healed.
May you find your inner self and know your heart.
May you find your yearning for connection, to God, to people and to each and every thing in creation.
May you find the power of forgiveness.
May you find the strength of character and dedication to be the light of God in this world.
May you find peace within yourself and in the world.
May you find the courage to lift up the cross and say, this is who I am!
May you always know that you are a beloved child of God who has been given everlasting life.
Now I ask a favour in return: pay it forward...when you have a chance some time this week take a moment and observe your surroundings. What is around you? Who is around you? Then offer up a blessing, it can be very simple. Not only does it wish favour upon them or it, it gives you a connection to the divine.