Dear Friends in Christ,

The Aaronic Blessing (Numbers 6:24–26, NIV)

The Lord bless you
           and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you
           and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn His face toward you
           and give you peace.

Simple. Straightforward. Yearning in every person the world over.

A gift is being offered. A wish and a prayer from an outside source.

To be blessed and kept…kept safe. Blessed. Even in the midst of suffering, hardship and loss, yet blessed. Not in spite of or because of anything. Open oh my heart and receive. Yes, receive reality.

Einstein sheds light: “Only two ways to live your life; as though nothing is a miracle or, as though everything is a miracle.” Now we’re talking about blessing.

From most ancient Israel, we next hear of God’s face. The wish, the prayer, and that deep yearning to be shone upon with graciousness. The face that is never wrathful (that originates from humans), since only peace emanates from God.

This poem and prayer is what each of us desires for one another when we are at our best. The entirety of the prayer is wrapped up in the simple exchange of the peace at Eucharist. Ordinary time is transformed, and we live into the miracle.

Your fellow traveler,

—Richard