SPOTLIGHT

Dear Friends,

A ‘blessing’ is an ancient literary form; a collection of words crafted together to convey God’s deepest desire for our wholeness and well-being, both individually and in community. Blessings are spoken over objects, activities and people. In baptism, water is blessed; in a wedding service the marriage of two people is blessed; church bells, cats, and food donations are some of the other items I have seen blessed in these churches over the past year.

John O’Donohue, an author of blessings writes “The word blessing evokes a sense of warmth and protection; it suggests no life is alone or unreachable. In the light of blessing, a person or situation becomes illuminated in a completely new way. In a dead wall a new window opens, in dense darkness a path starts to glimmer, and into a broken heart healing falls like morning dew.”

At the beginning of Jesus’ sermon on the mount, Jesus throws out an abundance of blessings; pouring out God’s love and protection upon the poor, the hungry, those who grieve, those who work for peace and many others who perhaps thought they had been forgotten. May we all receive blessing upon blessing. And may we realise our power to bless, heal and renew one another.

Love and prayers,

Rev Olivia