Blog Blessing

I got tagged today by Fran--tagged with a blessing. (You are a total sweetie, Fran, but I'll try not to ruin your reputation by saying that too loudly; I want you to stay scary to warmongers and workers of injustice.) [I lifted the following paragraph from Fran.]

This is a blessing meme. The point is to tag in order to know that someone has blessed you and to let them know you hold them in thought and prayer. And what better thought than that at Christmas time, right? You can read about the origin of this blog blessing here.

So, on this night of Advent 4, I bless... Padre Mickey, JN1034, and my canine friend Rowan.

I bless el Padrecito (and the lovely Mona and the entire Dance Party gang) for the wonderful, positively magical, blend of incarnate love of people, whimsy and irreverence, scholarship, and fervor. Nice to return an earlier favor. If you have not been to any Christmas pageants yet this year, may I recommend one? [It's best if you followed the drama leading up to it, so you may want to read this and this first.]

I bless JN1034 for their fervent witness among the Orthodox and all of us, championing the fullness of the Orthodox faith and LGBT folks as children of God, holding out the reminder that God became human that humans might become lil'gods, to use their term. We are part of the transfiguration of all creation and these folks, with passion and humor and deep spirituality maintain the prophetic prodding lest we sleep in unawareness. [Gotta tell ya, when I saw their photo of an orthodox cleric waving a rainbow flag I wept, much as I did hearing Archbishop Tutu uttering the words of apology.]

I bless Rowan the Dog for his bravery and his wisdom and his intrinsic goodness. He knows how to cut through all our human silliness and take us right back to what is real. Thats one of the many things dogs are good at. A few licks and a few woofs and the world shifts back into place, or at least we get shifted back into place again.

These three, among so many others, worthies all, remind me who I am and Whose I am; they enlarge my world and help me to see in fresh ways; they challenge me and help me laugh. They are prophets and priests and healers and clowns; they are good companions on the journey.

I don't like tagging folks but I don't mind blessing them and telling them they are blessings in my life. (And if you do pass the blessing, note that I replaced the original graphic because it was too light for me to read--getting old here.)

Blessings to all my blog companions--spiritual, political, whimsical, or other (specify). I am grateful for sharing the journey with y'all.
--the BB