Wherever You Go, There Rests a Blessing

Let me share with you a reflection that Carmen Vergara, Filipina Lay Marist, sent me yesterday. Thank you very much to her for sharing these thoughts.

Wherever we place our feet – wherever we are – can be a blessing if we are aware of the inherent sacredness and beauty of that place. That “place” might be the heart of another person or the limb of a newly budded tree or a fuzzy caterpillar climbing a drainpipe. ATTENTIVENESS to the present moment is essential for a blessing to truly communicate the life and beauty of God to us. “Calling forth” a blessing is actually a naming of the goodness that is already there.

In Hebrew Scriptures a blessing is perceived to be something that communicates divine life. With this life comes strength, stamina and inner peace. Blessings were often shared by the Jewish people. When they prayed “Blessed are you, O God…” they were acknowledging with gratitude all that God had done for them.

Blessings were given for a variety of purposes: to invoke divine care; to pray for someone; to regard another with favor; to bring happiness; to guard,  preserve, protect, and to keep safe; to give good fortune or satisfaction; and to approve or encourage another. Whenever God blesses, there emerges bounteous life and an abundance of goodness.

Anyone and anything that brings good or God-ness into our lives is a blessing. To bless is to bring the touch of God, the touch of love and goodness, to another by our presence as well as by our actions. Blessing is a greeting from God saying “I care about you. I desire what will be for your good. You are dear to my heart. I want your life to be filled with love.”

Blessings are not always immediate, “feel good” sorts of things. Sometimes these blessings come disguised in the pain, struggle, and hardship of the unwanted part of our lives. It is only later, with hindsight that we look and see what a gift those times and or events were for us.

As you pray through these days….may you grow in awareness of the countless blessings that are yours. May you become much more aware of how you yourself are a blessing in the lives of others by the loving quality of who you are and what you do. Most of all, may your love and appreciation for the Giver of all Gifts, the best of all blessings, continue to grow and be enriched.

God Bless and praying for you,

ate Carmen