Every church service has an ending...

sometimes it feels like it will never come other times you wish it wouldn't. Here are a couple of the better endings I've seen this week...

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers...

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy. And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

(From a Franciscan Benediction)

HT to Anne Jackson

The task is ended go in pieces

The task is ended
go in pieces

†

Our concluding faith
is being rear-ended
certainty's being amended
and something's getting mended
that we didn’t know
was torn

†

We're unravelling
and are traveling to a place
of new-formed-patterns,
with delusion as a fusion of
loss, and hope, and pain and beauty.

†

So,

†

The task is ended
go in pieces
to see and feel
your world.

(Written by Padraig Twomney and performed by Jayne McConkey)

HT to Jonny Baker

As you go out from gathering as a faith community what endings/benedictions/blessings have inspired you..?

Comments

[brad brisco]

Paul, thanks for these, especially the first one, very good stuff!

[Kamsin]

That second poem is awesome, really like it, especially the last line about going to see and feel the world.

[lyn]

I actually like the way the Anglican church end their services:

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you.
May the Lord turn His face toward you, and give you peace.
(Numbers 6:24-26).

BTW I just got Phyllis Tickles book!

[Paul]

You're welcome Brad.

[Paul]

You're welcome, Brad!

[Paul]

Thanks Kamsin, yes that's a great last line, it reminds me of how i need to connect and am part of the world, not some seperated individual. How about you?

[Paul]

Thanks Lyn, yes that is a great blessing/benediction.

What do you think of the divine hours???

[James G]

Benedictions that have inspired me?

This is more of a dismissal (literally, to "end Mass"); in the solemn high Traditional Latin Mass during Eastertide, when the deacon sings "Ite, missa est, alleluia, alleluia", and the people sing in response, "Deo gratias, alleluia, alleluia". It sounds something like this: http://www.christusrex.org/www2/cantgreg/cantus/ite_missa_est.mp3

The benediction given at the end of the "Anglican use" Catholic Mass is also prety nifty:

P. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.

P. The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father +, the Son +, and the Holy Ghost +, be amongst you and remain with you always.
R. Amen.

[Paul]

Thanks James, your very inspiring contributions are much appreciated!

[James G]

You're welcome. I ran into your blog quite randomly during a Google search for something I can't even remember. Because of your warm and charitable reception, I think I'll leave a few more comments elsewhere on your blog!

[Paul]

Thanks James, great to hear your thougths and comments :)