The Franciscan monk Mario Attard in his analysis in The Malta Independent on Sunday of 11th December gave the impression that it was only his indefeasible and unquestionable right as a priest to bestow God’s blessing at random, according to his inclination. His article was entitled “Ask him for it!”, meaning the priestly blessing. I think it is more appropriate to alter it to the above title. It is a privilege, a peculiarity attested only to Almighty God. The meaning of the noun blessing is a gift of divine nature. No one, other than God is Divine and only HE has that prerogative. It is of a spiritual nature not perceived by any of the senses. HE alone can bestow His blessings. It is synonymous with meriting God’s gift of grace. Our salvation depends on God’s grace for “by grace you are saved”.
He wrote nostalgically about the times, decades ago, of the habit of asking a priest for his blessing imparted by God through the priest’s intervention and the loss of such a practice. With hindsight, in my opinion it was very offensive as I remember well how resentful I felt when I had to genuflect and ask for the priest’s blessing.
In his article the priest cites an episode in the bible of the Book of Numbers (Num. 6:23) in which he mistakenly attributes God’s blessing to be imparted by the clergy. There is not the slightest indication of such a supposition; on the contrary, it states unequivocally that God and He alone is manifesting His blessings to Moses and on the people of Israel. “The Lord bless you and keep you: The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you: The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Num 6:23-27)
Fr Attard quoted an article entitled “The priestly power to bless” by the priest Ernest Graf. Throughout his excerpt not once did the writer mention God let alone the power of God or His blessings. He writes mainly of the divine power exercised by the Church throughout her ministerial priesthood. With regard to the other extract mentioned in his article about the mystic, stigmatic Therese Neumann in which Jesus offers her, through His revelation, a thorough reflection of what actually happens when a priest blesses, that I leave to anyone’s discretion.
Francesco Simon Mercieca
Fgura