Benedict and benedictions

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Francis Gonsalves [1]

Benedict, for most people, is the name of the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church. The name stems fr­om the Latin bene-dicere, which means blessing; though the etymology implies “to speak well”. True to his na­me, Pope Benedict XVI often imparts blessings. Be­­l­ievers consider it a privilege to receive “papal blessi­n­gs”. In the Bible, blessings are given not only by holy pe­­ople: God can use anybody to shower graces on people.
Even when there is a mediator who imparts blessings to human beneficiaries, all blessings ultimately come from God. The things that make for blessedness range fr­om the physical to the spiritual, from the earthly to the he­­­avenly: long life, many children, plentiful harvests, he­althy cattle, prosperity, peace, forgiveness and happiness.
Demographers are likely to frown upon God’s blessing at creation: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28; 9:7). Mother India seems to have taken this divine decree quite seriously. Indeed, she is richly blessed not because of her billowing billion-plus progeny, but because God’s blessings make us all the Creator-God’s creative partners — and so we experience blessedness in Mother India’s breathtaking beauty and beneficence.
God’s blessing is not only meant for believers and bhaktas, it embraces everyone. Jesus teaches: “God makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust”; (Matthew 5:45) so, “bless those who curse you” (Luke 6:28). Though we might disapprove of this apparent “divine unfairness”, who are we to judge who deserves God’s blessing and who doesn’t?
In the Bible, parents bless their children as they approach death’s doors. Isaac blesses Jacob and Esau (Genesis 27) and Jacob blesses all his sons (Genesis 48-49). Such blessings were not merely wishes, but believed to be effective in causing what was intended. In an extension of the family, Moses blesses the whole nation on the eve of his death (Deuteronomy 32) and Jesus embraces little children and blesses them (Matthew 19:13-15).
In the Book of Genesis (12:3) God promises his blessing to Abraham and his descendants. Abraham here becomes the pattern and in a sense the mediator of all the fortune which all peoples and all nations of the world desire.
Religions have bequeathed beautiful blessings to humankind. In India, the words ashirvad and ashis signify blessing, meaning, concrete desired good bestowed with parental love. Expressions like khuda hafiz — “May God protect you!” — or the everyday Konkani Dev boro dis diun, meaning, “May God give you a good day!” are not just salutations but divine blessings. Indeed, when we exclaim “namaste!” or “good morning!” we impart blessings.
You are a blessing. So am I. The bhakta sings: “It was you, O God, who knit me in my mother’s womb; I bless you, for I’m wonderfully made!” (Psalm 139:13-14) S/he believes that s/he is a blessing breathed into life by God — a blessing to family and friends. Hence, it’s our sacred duty to multiply blessings by, first, being a blessing, and then breathing blessings upon everyone and everything around us.
Transcending creedal confines, believers feel privileged to be blessed by Pope Benedict, the Dalai Lama and other religious leaders. However, in an increasingly secularised society, aggressive atheists like Richard Dawkins seek cheap popularity, for instance, by demanding that Pope Benedict be chained and jailed upon arrival in Britain. Happily, it was Benedict who held captive thousands of believers and unbelievers alike, not because they accepted his authority or endorsed his views, but because he is a benediction, a blessing!
As Britain bade goodbye to Pope Benedict, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron thanked him for posing “searching qu­estions” and for “making the nation sit up and think”. Be­nedict’s benedictions silenced protesters and transfo­r­med foes into friends. This reminds us that God continues blessing humankind in surprising and wondrous ways.
The January 1st New Year Liturgy opens with a blessing: “May God bless you and keep you; May God make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; May God turn his face towards you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26). Besides imparting blessings like these, if we truly be a blessing, will not God’s graciousness shine in and through us?

— Francis Gonsalves is the principal of the Vidyajyoti College of Theology, Delhi. He is involved in interfaith dialogue and peoples’ initiatives for fostering justice, harmony and peace. He can be contacted at fragons@gmail.com [2]