A Four-fold Blessing

Presentation Day holds particular significance for Presentation people everywhere.  It is more than just a day, a feast, a celebration. It holds the resonance and inspiration for the call and response  by Nano Nagle, who gave of herself to make a difference to the lives  of those kept poor.  But more than that, her passion was to enable those she met to make and be the difference in their own lives, and in the lives of others.

We give thanks daily for the call and response of Nano, and pray that we today can continue her response in a world where we are deeply conscious of the suffering, pain and vulnerability felt by all peoples struggling with the daily uncertainty of life.  We are very conscious too of the destruction of this beautiful Earth, ‘Our Common Home’.

This ‘Fourfold’ Blessing then, which Srs. Mary Kealy, Lois Greene, Prema Antony and Sheila Reen wove into this year’s Presentation Day Novena Prayer is a very fitting one.  More than ever we each need the blessing of these days shared together on our #presday2022 Novena.

Thank you for being with us!

Four-fold Blessing

May God bless you with a restless discomfort
about easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
so that you may seek truth boldly and love
deep within your heart.

May God bless you with holy anger at injustice,
oppression and exploitation of people,
so that you may tirelessly work for justice,
freedom and peace among all people.

May God bless you with the gift of tears
to shed with those who suffer from pain, rejection,
starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish,
so that you may reach out your hand
to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe that you really can make a difference in this world,
so that you are able with God’s grace,
to do what others claim cannot be done.

And the blessing of God, the Supreme Majesty
and our Creator, Jesus Christ,
the Incarnate Word who is our brother and Saviour,
and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Guide,
be with you and remain with you this day and forevermore.

Amen.

Sister Rose Marlene Fox, OSB, Four-fold Benedictine Blessing, 1985
(Praying Our Journey, p.100 – PBVM Union 2017)

See https://presentationsistersne.ie/presentation-day-novena-2022/

And also https://presentationsistersne.ie/the-presentation-of-mary/