As I began writing this post, the US launched 30,000 pounds of bombs on Iran. A few short days later, a ceasefire was announced. Now what? While I am grateful for signs of diplomacy, I feel sad, anxious, bewildered. Humanity continues to step closer and closer to annihilating ourselves. 

As readers of this blog know, I am not a political analyst and leave it to those who are skilled in it to speak out. My focus here at Incarnation Place is to explore where faith and the body meet. How do we live our journey of faith, be that within religion or not? How does faith affect our day-to-day lives, and how does it weave through our thinking, feelings, words, and actions? 

Where faith and my body meet these days is this: My Christian faith fuels my journey, yet I am endlessly frustrated, disappointed, and outraged by the thoughts and actions of many Christians. 

I’m passionate about theology and have a master’s degree in it. I support my Christian journey with a heavy dose of Buddhist teaching and practice. As the book title by Paul Knitter, a well known Christian theologian, says, “Without Buddha, I Could Not Be a Christian.” And periods of intensive yoga training have threaded through my journey as well. 

Today I am 70 years old, in excellent health. My husband and I just celebrated 40 years of marriage, with two grown sons, their wives, and 4 grandchildren. I love to travel, to write, and to walk among the trees of southern Washington where I live. My favorite activities come with being “Grandma” and spending time with these four little ones who are just embarking on their journeys of life. 

I easily become consumed by the news and work to keep myself “off the ledge”, so engrossed with matters that I cannot control yet I ignore daily tasks that I can. Perhaps in my reaching for some moment of hope at this fractious time, I am drawn to the language of blessings, a language I heard first in church. In typical Episcopal, Roman Catholic, or Orthodox services, the priest opens with words some version of:

“Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

And the congregation responds:

“And blessed be His Kingdom, now and forever. Amen.” (BCP, p 355)

At the end of the service, the priest offers a version of this blessing:

“May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ; and the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you always.”

In religious services and gatherings, blessings acknowledge the holiness of life and presence of God. They express thanksgiving, and offer assurance and comfort. 

For years, I assumed only clergy members offered blessings during worship services. I was wrong. Today, I know that giving and receiving blessings is a gift that each of us can take part in, any time, any place.

I dare say all of us — especially during these challenging times — are hungry to receive a blessing. We long to be acknowledged, seen, and heard; to know that we matter.To offer a blessing is to affirm the inherent goodness in life, the movement of Life that connects and transcends us. Blessings express the energy of Love.

We may offer blessings in words. The specific words are not as important as the intent to bless another. 

But blessings extend beyond words. People can give blessings in many other ways, such as with a kind gesture, like a smile, or by holding the door at the post office. A blessing be holding the hand of a friend who is suffering. We can extend blessings through images shared with one person or many others. In some moments, the greatest blessing is offering a space to be silent. 

Imagine if 50% of people posting on social media commit to only posting blessings! 

As a Christian, my intent is to follow Jesus. For years, this was very simple. His instruction is: “Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul. And love one another as I have loved you.”(Matthew 22: 36-40, Luke 10:27, John 13:34) This is a reminder to keep love in the center; to return to love when I stray from it; and to remember that I am loved unconditionally by God, love that extends to all. Jesus tells us that unconditional love is God’s gift, not something we can earn. Our journey is learning to receive this love, care for, and extend this precious gift to others. 

Giving and receiving blessings is about how we relate to life. Blessings are a simple form of human caring, an affirmation of the other as worthy of the goodness in life. Buddhist teaching talks less about “love”, more about “compassion.” Blessing is a path for developing compassion for ourselves, for one another, for Life itself.

If there’s one thing I have learned, it is that all things are passing. Whatever is happening today, things will change tomorrow, regardless of whether I like or dislike the changes. This movement is the fundamental flow of life, true of plants, fish, and animals, mountains, rivers, and oceans. And it is true of human life. Buddha expressed this fundamental truth nearly 3,000 thousand years ago (4th-5th century BC). 

Another profound truth that the Buddha taught is that suffering is a part of life. Everyone experiences painful loss, illness, and death. We cannot change that, but we can change how we relate to the truth of suffering. We can commit to using our minds and bodies to live fully, embracing these truths rather than fighting or ignoring them. A practice of giving and receiving blessings is a way to live into this. 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

~ What blessings have you received recently?

~ What blessing do. You need right now? How might you reach out to receive it? (For example, ask a trusted friend or family member, offer a prayer, create a picture, poem, or other artistic expression…)

~ What blessings can you offer to another?

Feel free to post comments, questions, or observations in the comments section below. I appreciate “hearing” your voices!

RELATED BOOKS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST:

Blessing by David Spangler

My Grandfather’s Blessings by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.

To Bless the Space Between Us by John O’Donohue