The fifth practice in following the Way of Love is the practice of Blessing. This practice, perhaps more than any other practice in the Way of Love’s seven practices, is often misunderstood to be a special “reserved practice” for clergy or those who have made the “religious life” their daily life’s work. Several years ago, while serving at my first church as associate pastor, a very busy Sunday morning before worship required me to find someone to read the first Scripture lesson and say a blessing for the planting of a new tree in the church yard. With limited time available, I decided to “divide and conquer” these tasks – I asked the newly arrived Deacon to join the church school group outside and bless the tree, while I searched for a reader. After successfully finding a willing reader, I made my way to prepare for the upcoming service…only to be greeted by a frantic Sunday School Director, who was certain the tree would not be blessed before the service! I assured her I sent the Deacon to say the blessing; and she replied, “Yes, the Deacon is standing next to the tree, but refuses to bless the tree because they taught all the students in Deacon school, only Priests can do that!” Off to the tree I went, said the blessing, and then, after Sunday services, I assured the Deacon that God does not hear the blessings of Priests alone…that all of God’s children are sources of the eternal and perfect Love of God, and the blessings of everyone are heard quite equally. I am very happy to say that Bishop Budde shares this idea of blessings in her chapter of the practice of Blessing. To bless is to invite the reality of God’s Love and Goodness into our awareness; often a state of God’s presence that already exists, but perhaps we are still working toward that reality. It is like the picture above: the dim light of early sunrise hides many features and marks of beauty that exist in God’s world, and the blessings of light bring all these marks and moments of Love to our waking consciousness. To bless is a powerful practice of the Way of Love.

Bishop Budde begins this chapter with the strong words of blessing: “To BLESS is the most affirming and life-giving of all the practices, as much for us as when we offer blessings to others. In acts and expressions of blessing, we share in the creative love of God that has blessed us all from the beginning of creation. God is the primary source of all blessing, all that is good and lovely and life-affirming in this world.” Now, I hope you share my opinion that all may be vessels of sharing this powerful act of blessing, as so beautifully described here! Budde continues to explain the many types of blessings we find in our lives: grace at meals, sneezing and health, and for life in general. All blessings flow from a spirit of gratitude and a mindfulness that gifts of life flow from the Creator of Life, and blessings are both moments of thanksgiving and expressions of understanding of our reliance on God. Budde also shares the story of Jesus teaching his followers the vital lessons of the Beatitudes (Matthew 25). One of the important lessons of Jesus’ teaching is that when we extend kindness and graciousness to others, we extend these same expressions of love and compassion to God, for it is God who wishes these things to be done with unconditional love at all times. Budde quotes author John O’Donohue: “When someone is kind to you, you feel understood and seen. There is no judgment or harsh perception directed towards you. Kindness has gracious eyes.” Budde also quotes the spiritual insights of Joan Chittister: “The godly are those who never talk destructively about another person – in anger, in spite, in vengefulness. They can be counted on to bring an open heart to a closed and clawing world…The holy ones are those who live well with those around them. They are just, they are upright, they are kind. The ecology of humankind is safe with them.”

Bishop Budde closes her chapter on blessings with perhaps one of the most difficult subjects to understand, and to live out: to bless and to be blessed during great loss or hardship. Like so many difficult moments in life, we can be challenged to feel God’s presence, or to even feel that God is God, when we are immersed in sorrow or hardship. Budde writes, “I have never believed that God brings hardship and suffering upon us, but I know from experience and observation of others that we can, nonetheless, feel blessed in difficult times. To name those blessings for ourselves has the power to transform our experience of suffering.” I appreciate that Bishop Budde offers the idea that blessings can transform our suffering and sorrow to something holy, something good, something that God would want for us. I also appreciate her explanation that the road of this transformation of blessing is not easy, not “one size fits all,” and certainly not anything that is wished-for. She writes, “Blessings during difficult times also take the form of deep, inner transformation. We need never feel grateful for the heartbreaking events that provided soil for the blessing to take root in order to give thanks for its flowering in our lives…We would never wish what we have gone through on anyone, and yet the blessing, when it comes, if often enough for us to be grateful…That is the miraculous power of blessing.” And so I pray that you may be blessed to know that God is with you in all things…and that the power of God’s blessings is not only upon you, but God wishes for all of us to be sources of blessings (both in word and action) to others we encounter in our life! This is the amazing gift of “Blessings” as we walk the Way of Love.