Irish Blessings

There are any number of lovely things we can attribute to the Irish, but chief among them is their ability to liberally give out blessings. It is such a wonderful thing to bless someone. It brings joy both to the one who gives the blessing and the one who receives it. In honor of one of the most celebrated of Irish holidays, St. Patricks Day, we would like to share some of those wonderful blessings the Irish have given to all of us. These are just a few of our favorites:

Words are important. They hold within them the power of life and death. Every kind word, every blessing to give to someone brings life to you both. Be lavish in your kindness and blessings of others, those you love and even people you’ve just met or spoken to on the phone for the first time. You never know what that blessing may mean to someone struggling right now… a man who just lost his job, a single mom trying to work at her regular job and be a teacher and cook at the same time, someone who just learned they have a child using drugs, a woman desperate to be a mother who just lost a baby, person whose marriage is falling apart, someone who just heard the doctor give that dreaded diagnosis….cancer. You never know what another person is facing and your kindness and blessing may be what they need to keep going in a very difficult time. That person may also be someone living in your house, a member of your family.

So while you may think these blessings a little corny, to someone who is hurting, a kind word may be just the thing for cheering them up and cheering them on. St. Patrick brought goodness and God to a largely pagan Ireland of the 5th century. The Irish took in the good news of Christianity and God’s love from St. Patrick, and they must have felt blessed by it and by St. Patrick, as joy and blessing have come to be such a big part of the celebration of his life. Today is St. Patricks Day celebrated coast to coast in America and in may other countries besides Ireland. Honor him and pass joy and blessing on. You’ll be glad you did!