"The Blessing of
God Almighty...be upon you..." "Bless this food ..." "Let us
bless the Lord!" What is a "blessing" or "benediction?" In the Ancient
Near East blessings and cursings had a prominent part in everyday life.
Christian blessings originated in the Old Testament and are related to the
Hebrew word for "good fortune." A liturgical blessing of people is an
authoritative, assuring declaration of God's sustaining power in their lives;
further, it is a commitment of their lives to God, through Christ, and his
purposes. An (optional) sign-of-the-cross gesture during the benediction and,
from everyone, a vigorous "AMEN" are affirmations of the intentions of the
blessing.
Also, a blessing can be a
verbal setting apart, the dedication, of other creatures and objects to general
or special purposes of God. The officiant's ceremonial actions include the
laying-on-of-hands or an uplifted hand(s) usually accompanied by the sign of
Christ's Cross and Resurrection. Furthermore, we bless God to acknowledge and
thank our praiseworthy Creator for his many generosities. Think of the profound
implications of the blessings said when we worship together; when food, our
homes, or our pets are blessed; and when we acclaim "Blessed Be God: Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit."
Note: superstitious uses of
so-called “blessings” abound. For example, blessing oneself as one
enters the ocean for a swim, after overeating, as “life insurance” is
both dangerous and silly. Also, a blessed St. Christopher’s medal hanging
from the center mirror of one’s car will not prevent accidents, but may
fly into someone’s face in a mishap!