Types of Blessings

Overview

A prayer of blessing is one that calls on God’s power to care for a person, place, thing or undertaking.

In praying a prayer of blessing, we ask for God’s presence, goodness and protection to be evident in the lives of those the prayer is intended for or those who will enter the place that is being blessed e.g. a school, church, classrooms, a library...

Every blessing acknowledges and praises God's presence and prays for God's gifts for self and others.

There are many opportunities to use prayers of blessing. It is a matter of recognising opportunities to use them.

It is also important to teach about prayers of blessing so that students are familiar with the process and come to a sense of feeling comfortable in blessing situations.

Prayers of blessing are explicitly taught in the Religion Curriculum P - 12, Archdiocese of Brisbane (Year 4, CLPS11).

Blessing prayers can be prayed:

• at the start of a new school year
• at the end of the day
• before a trip or pilgrimage or service learning activity
• on a birthday or anniversary
• before a retreat or camp
• for school student leaders
• to welcome new students
• to farewell teachers and/or students
• for the school holidays
• for a sports event
• for students preparing to celebrate a sacrament
• for fathers, mothers, grandparents, families

A blessing prayer is always included at the end of a mass and may also be included in other liturgical celebrations. They can also be used in the context of prayer assemblies and in the classroom.

A blessing during the liturgy (e.g. at the end of Mass)

The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

The priest makes the sign of the cross towards the assembly while saying:

May almighty God bless you:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

(The people make the Sign of the Cross when the priest says this.)

All: Amen.

Prayer actions while praying a blessing

There are many ways to participate in praying a blessing:

• All those doing the blessing might raise their hand over the person or group to be blessed
• A blessing might involve placing a hand on the person’s shoulder or head

How to teach about blessings

• Discuss the meaning of the greeting used at your school e.g. 'May God bless you'; 'Peace be with you'. What does this mean? Why do we say it? What should we be thinking and feeling when we use this greeting?
• Invite students to name times that they may have experienced a blessing from someone else e.g. at baptism, confirmation, mass, liturgical celebration, class or school ritual.
• Discuss with students about times that they bless themselves e.g. making the sign of the Cross, using holy water, tracing the cross on their foreheads, lips and hearts before listening to the gospel.
• Encourage students to name when they have been involved in giving someone a blessing e.g. a farewell ritual, a birthday blessing, a blessing for a new student, blessing of student leaders, blessing of people going on a pilgrimage e.g. WYD
• Discuss the concepts in blessing prayers at the end of a mass.
• Explore blessings from Scripture: leaders often blessed people, especially when getting ready to leave them e.g. Moses (Deut 33; Joshua (22:6-7); and Jesus (Luke:24:50). The First Letter from Peter 1:3-9 has several elements of a blessing prayer beginning with giving thanks and praise to God.
• Learn blessing songs which can be used at school and liturgical celebrations.
• Involve the students in writing blessing prayers for specific occasions. Use the structure of You, Who, Do, Through.

How to write a blessing

Use the You Who Do Through structure:

• YOU- begin by addressing God or naming God. e.g. God of new beginnings .
• WHO- name ‘WHO’ God is for us, e.g. You are our strength and hope.
• DO- we ask God to bless, to ‘DO’ something e.g. Be with us as we journey together this year, bless the work we undertake.
• THROUGH - We pray to God in and THROUGH Christ, so our prayer concludes with a simple Through Christ our Lord Amen

Examples of blessings