Vineyard Evensong Part 16
Another element of the Vineyard Evensong is the Vineyard Priestly Blessing that we pray as a benediction at the end of the service. A benediction (Latin: to speak well) is a short prayer asking for divine help, blessing and guidance.
May the Lord bless and keep you, may His face shine upon you, may He be gracious to you and give you peace. Go today in the peace, the power, and the love of God.
The Vineyard Priestly Blessing is taken from Numbers 6:22-27:
Numbers 6:22-27 (NIV)
22 The LORD said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 “‘ “The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”‘ 27 “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
In Jewish tradition, the priests blessed the people every morning after the sacrifice at the Temple. The blessing was accompanied by what is known as a “raising of the hands”, where the priest raises his hands with the palms facing downward, the thumbs of each outspread hand touching, and the four fingers on each hand split into two sets of two fingers each. It kind of looks like a double Vulcan “live long and prosper” from Spock. It was believed that the blessings of God would shine through the five spaces made by the raising of the hands and the people in the service were not allowed to look at the priests hands during the blessing.
Martin Luther is attributed with adding the Priestly Blessing as a benediction at the end of liturgies in the early protestant church.
In many liturgies the Priestly blessing is done as a versicle and response.
Celebrant (with arms extended): May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Response: Amen.
Celebrant: May His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
Response: Amen.
Celebrant: May He look upon you with kindness, and give you His peace.
Response: Amen.
Celebrant: And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you forever.
Response: Amen.
Celebrant: Go forth, the service is ended.
Response: Thanks be to God.
I think the last response from the congregation is classic. The pastor says, “OK, the service is over, you can go” and the people say “thanks be to God”. I love that!
