I have heard and spoken the words "God Bless You!" frequently this week.
Why? Because there seems to be a new wave of colds hitting the community. There's been alot of sneezing going around.
It seems ironic that the same people who reflexively bless others in the wake of a sneeze wouldn't think of offering those words in other situations. Perhaps we can use some practice saying "God bless you!" to everybody we encounter, Maybe this week we should pass pepper around the congregation, and tell everybody to take a deep whiff! In the surge of sneezes we would instinctively offer the words "God bless you", wouldn't we? Over time we would be more at ease greeting others or bidding farewell with powerful words of blessing, which point towards God's will for hope, joy, justice and consolation.
This week's gospel lesson is the familiar story of the Beatitudes. The children of God will hear once again how unconditionally and how lavishly God extends blessings to all of us.
It seems that most folks can relate to the good times as blessed times. But blessings don't seem quite as clear to us when we are broken hearted, or yearning, or stuck in seeming insanity. Still, part of our universal call as Christians is to point to God's blessings, to be instruments of God's blessings and to literally BE blessings to others.
How easily do words of blessing come to your lips? To whom might you say those words in the days ahead? (Not just the sneezers!)
1 comment:
No guts, no glory!
Time and again, I am tempted to say to a server at a restaurant, "God's peace be with you!" after the bill is settled and we're ready to go.
How many times have I done it?
Once.
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