Greetings,

A Franciscan blessing came across my emails this week.  It’s a beautiful but challenging prayer that invites us to recognise the cost of following Jesus to Jerusalem.  Jesus’ donkey ride cost him everything.  I wonder what the journey might cost us?

The blessing reads … May God bless us with discomfort – discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that we may live deep within our hearts.  May God bless us with anger – anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that we may work for justice, freedom and peace.  May God bless us with tears – tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.  And may God bless us with foolishness – enough to believe that we can make a difference in this world, so that we can do, with God, what others claim cannot be done.

Blessings – Heather Hon (she/her)