Bless To Me

God with me lying down,
God with me rising up,
God with me in each ray of light,
Nor I a ray of joy without God.
Christ with me sleeping,
Christ with me waking,
Christ with me watching.
Every day and night
Each day and night.
God with me protecting,
The Lord with me directing,
The spirit with me strengthening,
For ever and for evermore
Ever and evermore.
Amen.
-Carmina Gadelica, I, 5

This is one of the blessings included in Beth A. Richardson’s book Christ Beside Me, Christ Within Me: Celtic Blessings. She writes that Bless To Me prayers are an ancient Celtic form of prayer. The prayer may focus on a tool, item, or activity in an expression of gratitude, celebrating the gift of this object or activity and how it contributes to the life of the one who prays. It’s a prayer of the present moment, an acknowledgment of the presence of the holy right now in this place. She adds these words of blessing: “Bless to me this kitchen, this truck, this walking the dog, this pillow, this washing of the dishes. Bless to me this bird song, this quiet before sunrise, these falling leaves.” (taken from page 18 - Christ Beside Me, Christ Within Me 2016)

These beautiful images of gratitude - in written word may sound like poetry or a song - and they are all of that and more. They are signs that we are in the present, in the moment, and remembering that God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - are with us in all the moments. Bless to me - God with me weary, God with me busy, God with me heart full and heart empty, God with me... how beautiful and comforting to consider. Maybe we can use the supposed lazy, hazy days of summer this July to write some of our own blessing prayers. God in this moment, right now, right here - thanks be to God.

Pastor Cathy

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