Blessing
a Pagan concept?
As a collective noun on a mythical beast, we say a 'blessing of unicorns'. The word may well originate from Paganism and is truly mystical, yet often it is devalued.
For Christians, blessings are splattered throughout their everyday lives, their worship, and the Bible8. But blessings are not just Christian or Pagan; they are a fundamental part of just about any religion.
Bless you!
| Knock knock
Who's there? Ach Ach who? Bless you!1 |
"God bless America", we say - quite frequently. A quick search on Google2 shows that we append the noun "America" to "God bless" a full thirteen percent of the time!
To wish blessings on somebody (or something) is the most positive feeling we can have and ranks alongside things like love. And like love, it comes in a variety of colours: Its use ranges from giving approval for something ("The new project had the blessing of the directors") to a prayer for divine protection (like the benediction "The Lord bless you and keep you..."3)
As a liturgical rite in the Church, a blessing sanctifies somebody or something for Divine service. God started this trend by blessing all living creatures, including man, when He created us4. God loves us and encourages us to spread this love5. Similarly, God wants us to spread blessings6, 7.
As you can see on the extensive list below, most blessings in the Bible are found in the Old Testament. Not only blessings from God, but a large proportion of the references show kings, lords and fathers blessing those beneath them. In the New Testament6, Jesus encourages people to bless one another, regardless of superiority. We seem to have gone overboard with blessing just about anyone and anything, and the Church considers this critical. If someone or something is not blessed for Divine service, then they are at risk from being snatched by evil spirits.
But there's a danger that if blessings are so abundant, we loose sight of their spiritual purpose and they become little more than lucky charms bestowed on people. Sure, it's nice to hear somebody saying "Bless you", but unless it comes from the heart, it has about as much value as the word love in "I love ice cream".
And the origin of the word?
Blessing comes from the Old English word bletsian, which means to consecrate and make holy. This word originates from the Proto-Germanic word blothisojan, "marking with blood". An ancient Pagan ritual included sprinkling an altar with blood, as a sign of sincerity.
Those rather extreme days are over. Now we are content to simply say "Bless you!"
(See also Blessing Cross)
1: Why do we say "Bless you!" after somebody sneezes? See Black Death Cross).
2: "God bless the USA" & "God bless America" - 4,401,400 Google hits
"God bless" - 33,700,000 Google hits
3: Benediction Numbers 6:22-27
4: God's blessing of creation Genesis 1:22,28
5: Love thy neighbour Matthew 22:36-40
6: Bless those who persecute you Romans 12:14
7: The Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican Churches restrict conferring liturgical blessings to those in sacerdotal orders
8: Bible references to "Blessing"
Genesis 1:22, 28,
2:3,
5:2,
9:1, 26,
12:2-3,
14:19, 20,
17:16, 18, 20,
18:18,
22:17-18,
24:1, 31, 35, 60,
25:11,
26:3, 4, 12, 24, 29,
27:1, 4, 7, 10, 12, 19, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30-31, 33-36, 38, 41,
28:1, 3, 4, 6, 14,
30:27, 30,
31:55,
32:26, 29,
35:9,
39:5,
47:7, 10,
48:3, 9, 15-16, 20,
49:1, 25-26, 28,
Exodus 12:32,
20:11, 24,
23:25,
32:29,
39:43,
Leviticus 9:22-23,
25:21,
Numbers 6:22-24, 27,
22:6, 12,
23:11, 20, 25,
24:1, 9-10,
Deuteronomy 1:11,
2:7,
7:13-14,
10:8,
11:26-27, 29,
12:7, 15,
14:24, 29,
15:4, 6, 10, 14, 18,
16:10, 15, 17,
21:5,
23:5, 20,
24:19,
26:15,
27:12,
28:1-6, 8, 12,
29:19,
30:1, 16, 19,
33:1, 11, 13, 20, 23, 24, 29,
Joshua 8:33, 34,
14:13,
17:14,
22:6, 7,
24:10,
Judges 5:24,
13:24,
17:2,
Ruth 2:4, 19, 20,
3:10,
1 Samuel 2:20,
9:13,
15:13,
23:21,
25:33,
26:25,
2 Samuel 2:5,
6:11-12, 18, 20,
7:29,
13:25,
14:22,
19:39,
21:3,
1 Kings 2:45,
8:14, 55, 66,
1 Chronicles 4:10,
13:14,
16:2, 43,
17:27,
23:13,
26:5,
2 Chronicles 6:3,
30:27,
31:8, 10,
Nehemiah 9:5,
13:2,
Job 1:10,
5:17,
29:4, 13,
31:20,
42:12,
Psalm 1:1,
2:12,
3:8,
5:12,
10:3,
21:3, 6,
24:5,
28:9,
29:11,
32:1, 2,
33:12,
34:8,
37:22, 26,
40:4,
41:1-2,
45:2,
49:18,
62:4,
65:4, 10,
67:1, 6-7,
72:15, 17,
84:4-5, 12,
89:15,
94:12,
106:3,
107:38,
109:17, 28,
112:1-2,
115:12-13, 15,
118:26,
119:1-2,
127:5,
128:1-2, 4-5,
129:8,
132:15,
133:3,
134:3,
144:15,
146:5,
147:13,
Proverbs 3:13, 18, 33,
5:18,
8:32, 34,
10:6-7, 22,
11:11, 26,
14:21,
16:20,
20:7, 21,
22:9,
24:25,
27:14,
28:14, 20,
29:18,
30:11,
31:28,
Ecclesiastes 10:17,
Song of Solomon 6:9,
Isaiah 19:24, 25,
30:18,
32:20,
44:3,
51:2,
56:2,
61:9,
65:16, 23,
Jeremiah 4:2,
16:5,
17:7,
20:14,
31:23,
Ezekiel 34:26,
44:30,
Daniel 12:12,
Hosea 3:5,
14:1,
Joel 2:14,
3:17,
Micah 2:9,
Haggai 2:10, 19,
Zechariah 4:7,
8:1, 13,
Malachi 2:2,
3:10, 12, 15,
Matthew 5:3-11,
11:6,
13:16,
16:17,
21:9,
23:39,
25:34,
Mark 10:16,
11:9-10,
14:61,
Luke 1:42, 45, 48,
2:34,
6:17, 20-22, 28,
7:23,
10:23,
11:27-28,
13:35,
14:14-15,
19:38,
23:29,
24:50-51,
John 1:16,
12:13,
13:17,
20:29,
Acts 3:25-26,
13:34,
15:33,
20:35,
Romans 4:6-9,
10:12,
12:14,
14:22,
15:27, 29,
1 Corinthians 4:12,
9:23,
Galatians 3:8-9, 14,
Ephesians 1:3,
1 Timothy 1:11,
6:15,
Titus 2:13,
Hebrews 6:7, 14,
7:1, 6-7,
11:20-21,
12:17,
James 1:12, 25,
5:11,
1 Peter 3:9, 14,
4:14,
Revelation 1:3,
14:13,
16:15,
19:9,
20:6,
22:7, 14
