Br. Luke Ditewig

Ephesians 4:14-21

When I was a young child, my parents began a sabbath tradition adapting Jewish practice with special prayers and bread at the Saturday evening meal. It is a way to make Sunday special first at home before church the next day.

This includes Dad blessing me and any visiting children, which soon expanded to my parents’ chosen children. Saturday evening is special, all the more when I am home visiting. Dad stands behind, puts his hands on shoulders, and says something simple like: “May you be strengthened. May you know and rest in God’s deep love for you. May you have peace and joy.”

In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul gives a blessing. At its heart are these four lines: May you be strengthened in your inner being. May Christ dwell in your hearts. May you have power to comprehend [the expanse] so that may be filled with all the fullness of God. There are other great evocative images: “as you are being rooted and grounded in love” and “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”

Imagine a grandparent or favorite teacher or good friend or partner saying: May you be strong remembering whose you are. May you stand firm knowing you belong. May you rest in Jesus who holds the universe and loves you dearly. May you see there is more than you can imagine.

To bless is to pray. It can be to praise as in “Blessed be God” and “I will bless your name.” Blessing is also to pray for others. Intercession, prayer for others, is not to inform God of a need—this person is sick—but rather as we Brothers speak of in our Rule of Life, to join in loving solidarity with the one we pray for which God uses “for healing and transformation.”[i] One we both love is sick. God is not dependent on us. God invites our loving action including blessing.

Similarly, blessing is not asking to make God present but evident. Blessings invite a gift of prayer, awareness of God. The Celtic understanding of a “thin place” is where heaven and earth seem close. For many, monasteries are such places. It is not that God is more present here. “Instead,” Jan Richardson wrote, “a thin place enables us to open our eyes and hearts to the presence of God that goes with us always. A blessing” Richardson continues “invites us to this same opening that we might recognize and receive the help of the One who created us in love … .”[ii]

Just as blessing invites recognizing God, it is not about us. Blessing is about who God is for us. May you be strengthened in your inner being. May Christ dwell in your hearts. May you have power to comprehend. So that may be filled with all the fullness of God.

With loving solidarity, we pray for people in need. We have compassion and share suffering tenderly. That is not what Paul does here. Rather, like much of this letter, Paul describes who God is for and with us. God empowers, lives in, sticks it out with, steadies, and nourishes. God is expansive, abundant, all-encompassing, and overflowing. “… the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. “… comprehend … what is the breadth and length and height and depth.” “… know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

There’s more. “Now to God who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever. Amen.”

Paul knows the people to whom he writes and their needs. Paul prays blessing, awareness of God’s abundant, powerful love. Powerful like Jesus walking on water in storm. Abundant like providing food for thousands from a few loaves and fish. Not just a little but expansive and overflowing. Thousands had as much as they wanted. There’s more. After all were satisfied, they filled twelve baskets with more food.

How do you come today? With what pain and loss, stress, or grief, joy and wonder? How do we come as a community of families, neighbors, citizens? God knows, feels, and sees you.

This blessing for the church is still for us and for you.

“… may [you] be strengthened in your inner being with power through the Spirit … may Christ dwell in your hearts through faith as you are being rooted and grounded in love.” May “you have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to God who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.”

[i] SSJE Rule, Chapter 24: The Mystery of Intercession

[ii] Jan Richardson (2016) The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief. Orlando, FL: Wanton Gospeller Press, pxv.