A blessed life.

An Episcopalian Priest I know is fond of telling a story about the time he went to Kmart wearing his clerical collar. A man stopped him in the middle of the store and asked that he bless a religious article that had just been purchased. Of course, he made the sign of the cross and said a prayer over the object, but he went away thinking how odd those Roman Catholics are.

I was recently reminded of this story when a friend asked me to bless a picture of the Sacred Heart. She was not sure if the blessing of religious objects was still practiced in the Catholic Church, but since the picture was for her mother, she asked me to do the honors. The invitation caused me to rethink this Catholic tradition and awakened memories of the world that I had grown up in as a Hispanic Catholic. There, God's presence was routinely acknowledged in occurrences of daily life through myriad blessings and the sprinkling of holy water.

In the biblical context, blessings call forth the emergence of new life. Whenever God blesses, life seems to gush forth. Creation is God's blessing. Thus, all of creation is holy, and God is the source of all blessing. Early Christian blessing formulas reflect this understanding, blessing God with proclamations of praise and thanksgiving. In the New Testament, Jesus blesses people directly using physical actions such as the laying on of hands.

As theological thinking shifted to a dualistic conception of the world, the distinction between sacred and profane came to dominate the understanding of blessing. The idea of exorcism crept into the tradition so that people and objects were now blessed to free them from the power of Satan. Blessed things were increasingly seen as a safeguard against evil rather than mediating God's protection to the users. People prevailed upon priests to invoke God's name over everyday articles such as salt and bread to assure protection from demonic powers. Over time the practice of getting things blessed evolved into a form of religious piety practiced by Catholics. Religious objects, such as statues, medals, and rosaries, were especially thought to need blessing to designate them for their holy use.

Since Vatican II there has been an earnest effort to recover the early tradition of blessing. At the same time, the regular practice of getting things blessed by the priest has declined among Catholics. I believe that this signals a positive move toward a new understanding of the tradition of blessing.

Instead of relying on the clergy, people are increasingly claiming their baptismal power to bless by creating their own rituals. The blessing of a new house, for example, is no longer a passive observation of the priest sprinkling holy water throughout the premises. The family and neighbors often plan the ritual. It is likely to include symbolic actions such as the sharing of food to symbolize that this household will always welcome the neighbor to their table.

While symbolic actions such as the sprinkling of water may still take place, the presence and prayers of those gathered constitutes the blessing. Similarly the blessing of a new car may elicit petitions of protection but also expressions of hope that the driver may be led along the path of good. The idea of blessed things mediating God's protection is still preserved and made explicit, but the concept of community solidarity is also recognized as blessing.

Like the blessing of objects, the blessing of persons is also taking on greater meaning. The parents' blessing of the bride and groom with the sign of the cross and laying on of hands is often part of the wedding ceremony. Parish or prayer communities often plan public rituals of blessing for a member who is about to embark on a new job or project.

There are also the everyday blessings, in many different forms, of those we love. The blessing of children by their parents is a participation in the Creator's blessing. One of the most beautiful memories from my childhood is the nightly ritual of asking for my parents' blessing. We would ask for la bendicion (a blessing), and they would say, "Dios te bendiga" (God bless you), signing a cross over our foreheads and kissing us good night. It was a simple gesture, but it gave powerful assurance of my parents' care as well as God's protection.

The practice of blessing people and things continues to be an important expression of faith of the Christian community. In the act of blessing, we affirm God's connection to every aspect of life and recognize God as the source of every good gift. We also express our care for, and connection with, each other.