Reflection Day 51
Numbers 6-8; Psalm 42; Mark 16
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PRIESTLY BLESSING
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon
You; and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon
You, and give you peace.” (Num 6:24-26)
The Priestly Blessing is, at least for me, one of the most beautiful blessings imaginable. It is among the oldest blessing in continuous liturgical use, and is used today by both Christians and Jews, and at more secular events such as the presidential inauguration. Archeologists discovered the words of this blessing, given to Aaron and his sons by God, in 1979 etched on silver scrolls in tombs from the seventh century B.C. The tombs were buried beneath the Scottish Church of St. Andrew’s in Jerusalem.
Traditionally, from the time of the Exodus from Egypt through the conquering of the land of Canaan, the priests blessed the people every morning after the sacrifice at the mishkan, the portable dwelling place for the divine presence. This act of blessing continued in the Temple. Today, Sephardic synagogues end their service with this blessing as a benediction; Ashkenaz only recite it on certain holy days. When performing the Priestly Blessing the Priests stretch their arms and hands forward. They hold their hands together, palms-down and split their fingers so that there are five spaces: one space between the thumbs, a space between the thumb and the first finger of each hand, and a space between the second and third finger of each hand.
It is believed that the five spaces allude to verses in the Song of Solomon (2.8-9) – “Listen! My beloved! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.”
The Talmud says that before the Priest blesses the congregation they (the priests) must make a blessing in which praise is given to the Lord for the honor of blessing the people. This blessing is called, “to bless His nation Israel with love”.
The phrase “with love” is integral to the act of blessing the people; just as God blesses us as an expression of His kindness, so too the priests must seek to display God’s love through their blessing.
The text of the Priestly Blessing has three parts, and is therefore called “the three in one blessing.” It is written in the singular rather than the plural because it is meant to have personal application, not to be a general benediction over a crowd of people.
In the Old Testament, the word "bless" means to confer well-being or prosperity. However, the promise of such blessings was conditional - Deut 28:1-6. Failure to meet God's conditions brought curses, not blessings - Deut 28:15-19
The word "keep" means to provide and care, to guard and protect - like a shepherd guarding and providing his sheep. The blessing calls upon God to keep watch over Israel
To "make His face shine" suggests God's smile of favor on His people, evidenced by His being "gracious" - Ps 31:16; 80:3; Dan 9:17
To "lift up His countenance" suggests pleasure and affection; approval and recognition.
The word "peace" is not just the absence of war, but a positive state of rightness and fullness of well-being.
In today’s world…
“The Lord bless you and keep you" Today, our blessings come through the Good News of Jesus Christ - Ep 1:3 and as described by Jesus in Mt 6:25-32. However, this blessing remains conditional - Mt 6:33.
"The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you" Just as all spiritual blessings come through Jesus, so God's grace is now manifested through His Son - Jn 1:17
"TheLord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace". Through Christ, peace with God is now possible - Ro 5:1. And as we continue to pray, God bestows peace through His Son- Php 4:6-7
The God of the Old Testament remained hidden from his people. No one was allowed to see His face. The God of the Old Testament “peeked” through the hands of the priests to see the needs of His people. Only a select few were given the authority to convey His blessings upon those whom He had chosen.
The God of the New Testament, no longer hidden, is fully with us. He has shown us His face. He has lived among us to be with us and to heal us – to show us the way; the light. He has given to all of us, through our baptismal covenant, the authority to bestow this unspeakably glorious gift of Good News to all nations through our life in Christ.
Yet, despite His immediate presence among us, to the very end Jesus’ disciples refused to believe in the gift they had been given. Mark’s Gospel has Jesus appearing to Mary and to his disciples a total of three times after his resurrection before he is finally taken up into heaven by the Father. After Jesus’ ascension, still dazed, the disciples remained unclear as to what direction they should take.
Think of the persistence, courage, passion and compassion of Christ in bringing the hidden face of God the Father to us. Think of the blessing that we have received, and continue to receive from God the Father. Think of the blessing that we have been commissioned, through our baptism in Christ, to bring to the world.
Will we through thought, word, and deed give life to the Priestly Blessing? Will we, through the compassion and grace we have received from His being among us and with us always, personify with love and humility the words of this incredibly powerful blessing to those whom we seek to heal?
The Rev. Deacon Clelia P. Garrity, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach
Numbers 6-8; Psalm 42; Mark 16
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PRIESTLY BLESSING
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon
You; and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon
You, and give you peace.” (Num 6:24-26)
The Priestly Blessing is, at least for me, one of the most beautiful blessings imaginable. It is among the oldest blessing in continuous liturgical use, and is used today by both Christians and Jews, and at more secular events such as the presidential inauguration. Archeologists discovered the words of this blessing, given to Aaron and his sons by God, in 1979 etched on silver scrolls in tombs from the seventh century B.C. The tombs were buried beneath the Scottish Church of St. Andrew’s in Jerusalem.
Traditionally, from the time of the Exodus from Egypt through the conquering of the land of Canaan, the priests blessed the people every morning after the sacrifice at the mishkan, the portable dwelling place for the divine presence. This act of blessing continued in the Temple. Today, Sephardic synagogues end their service with this blessing as a benediction; Ashkenaz only recite it on certain holy days. When performing the Priestly Blessing the Priests stretch their arms and hands forward. They hold their hands together, palms-down and split their fingers so that there are five spaces: one space between the thumbs, a space between the thumb and the first finger of each hand, and a space between the second and third finger of each hand.
It is believed that the five spaces allude to verses in the Song of Solomon (2.8-9) – “Listen! My beloved! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.”
The Talmud says that before the Priest blesses the congregation they (the priests) must make a blessing in which praise is given to the Lord for the honor of blessing the people. This blessing is called, “to bless His nation Israel with love”.
The phrase “with love” is integral to the act of blessing the people; just as God blesses us as an expression of His kindness, so too the priests must seek to display God’s love through their blessing.
The text of the Priestly Blessing has three parts, and is therefore called “the three in one blessing.” It is written in the singular rather than the plural because it is meant to have personal application, not to be a general benediction over a crowd of people.
In the Old Testament, the word "bless" means to confer well-being or prosperity. However, the promise of such blessings was conditional - Deut 28:1-6. Failure to meet God's conditions brought curses, not blessings - Deut 28:15-19
The word "keep" means to provide and care, to guard and protect - like a shepherd guarding and providing his sheep. The blessing calls upon God to keep watch over Israel
To "make His face shine" suggests God's smile of favor on His people, evidenced by His being "gracious" - Ps 31:16; 80:3; Dan 9:17
To "lift up His countenance" suggests pleasure and affection; approval and recognition.
The word "peace" is not just the absence of war, but a positive state of rightness and fullness of well-being.
In today’s world…
“The Lord bless you and keep you" Today, our blessings come through the Good News of Jesus Christ - Ep 1:3 and as described by Jesus in Mt 6:25-32. However, this blessing remains conditional - Mt 6:33.
"The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you" Just as all spiritual blessings come through Jesus, so God's grace is now manifested through His Son - Jn 1:17
"TheLord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace". Through Christ, peace with God is now possible - Ro 5:1. And as we continue to pray, God bestows peace through His Son- Php 4:6-7
The God of the Old Testament remained hidden from his people. No one was allowed to see His face. The God of the Old Testament “peeked” through the hands of the priests to see the needs of His people. Only a select few were given the authority to convey His blessings upon those whom He had chosen.
The God of the New Testament, no longer hidden, is fully with us. He has shown us His face. He has lived among us to be with us and to heal us – to show us the way; the light. He has given to all of us, through our baptismal covenant, the authority to bestow this unspeakably glorious gift of Good News to all nations through our life in Christ.
Yet, despite His immediate presence among us, to the very end Jesus’ disciples refused to believe in the gift they had been given. Mark’s Gospel has Jesus appearing to Mary and to his disciples a total of three times after his resurrection before he is finally taken up into heaven by the Father. After Jesus’ ascension, still dazed, the disciples remained unclear as to what direction they should take.
Think of the persistence, courage, passion and compassion of Christ in bringing the hidden face of God the Father to us. Think of the blessing that we have received, and continue to receive from God the Father. Think of the blessing that we have been commissioned, through our baptism in Christ, to bring to the world.
Will we through thought, word, and deed give life to the Priestly Blessing? Will we, through the compassion and grace we have received from His being among us and with us always, personify with love and humility the words of this incredibly powerful blessing to those whom we seek to heal?
The Rev. Deacon Clelia P. Garrity, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach
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