Scripps Sunday #100- Nashville Edition

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a blessing for the body

Blessed is the body that offers soft hugs on hard days. Whose curves fit our pets and our kids and our partners.

Whose hands hold another alongside hospital beds and in nursing homes and at the altar and on the first day of school.

Whose breasts nurse and legs run to chase littles and whose toes balance us on the earth. Whose wrinkles tell stories of laughs and tears and worries.

Blessed are these imperfect, fragile bodies. This flesh and bone.

These cells that sometimes duplicate for no reason whatsoever. This skin that is stitched together with scars and stretch marks and fine lines.

Blessed is the body because it is a home. Not just for us, but for those who love us.

And sometimes you just need to stand in front of the mirror and take off all your clothes, and remember that this body, your body, is God’s home address. 

p.s. That last line is inspired by Barbara Brown Taylor, who always says it best.

- Kate Bowler 

  • And might I also remind you of this blessing I shared with you your freshman year: https://scrippssundays.blogspot.com/2021/10/scripps-sunday-6.html
  • And this one too from your sophomore year: https://scrippssundays.blogspot.com/2022/09/scripps-sunday-35.html These lines in particular popped out to me: "When insecurity, shame, comparison, disappointment, and failure knock on your door, may you know this is part of being human. May these be the very things that bring you back to God’s love. May you breathe and then notice & return to your true self. May you experience contentment and a light heart....As you learn to radically love your body, may you see her as a gift who gives you the strength to do what you love and may you nourish her, respect her, and honor her." 

And I ran across this one today too: 

Body Blessing

[Touch hands to your own forehead, if it feels natural] May you be blessed with wisdom, knowledge and understanding. May your intellect take you far on your journey. You have been blessed with reason and free will, it is your call every day to use these gifts.

[Throat] May you be blessed with voice. May you learn the complex nature of truth-telling. The ability to speak the truth in love is something that requires honesty, empathy and care. You are challenged every day to seek the joy that comes with sharing your truth compassionately, as well as listening to others.

[Heart] May your heart be full and blessed with love. May you know the agony of heartbreak, as it is intertwined with the elation of true love. Your heart is a strong and resilient organ, one that will be with you until the end of your time on earth. May you heed the wisdom of your heart and always trust the truth it tells.

[Abdomen] You are blessed with the gift of sexuality. May you always remember that you are a beloved child of god. Your body is sacred and belongs to you alone. May you live into the full expression of your identity as a human being, embracing your true sexual and gender identity. The gift of sexuality brings with it many rewards as well as great responsibility. May you always retain power over your own being, striving toward mutually fulfilling and just relationship.

[Hands] When you were a baby, your tiny hands were your first contact with the world. Before you could see more than a few feet in front of your face, you grasped the finger of your loved ones. You catch yourself with your hands when you fall, and you express love and comfort to others with them too. May your hands be gentle and strong. May you use them to carry light into the darkness and rest to the weary. May your hands always find the place of greatest need, beginning with your own, and may the creator of all things hold you in the palm of her hand wherever you go.

[Wrap arms around whole body] May you be blessed on your journey. May you remember that growth happens on the journey and that you are never alone. May you always remember that you are a whole person, that each of these parts work together. We offer our blessings upon you, body, mind and spirit. May you be guided by compassion and truth, justice and love. May you find rest on the journey, always remembering where you came from, being mindful that your ancestors stand behind you, whether we are present on earth or have gone back to the Soul of the World. May you be blessed in all things and carry blessings with you wherever you go.   https://www.uua.org/worship/words/blessing/body-blessing


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