Blessing Baby Ella, Heart of Compassion International Faith Community, Windsor, Ontario, Canada by Rev. Dr. Barbara Billey (06 Oct 2016)

Dr. Barbara Billey ARCWP and Heart of Compassion Community Blesses Baby Elly in Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Anointing  of mother and baby with chrism by Dr. Michele Birch-Conery ARCWP

We remember our lives as a blessing when we bless another. During our liturgy on Sun, Oct 2, 2016, Lynda Todon of our Heart of Compassion International Faith Community led us in blessing Ella, 8-month old daughter of Jackie Kennedy. At my ordination as a priest over a year ago, this small wonder nested in the comfort of her mother’s womb, a presence with us as Jackie stood by my side at the table of worship.

Lynda’s blessing begins with calling in “I am” to remind us of the Divine Essence manifest through Ella and each of us. With arms and hands extended, we bless Ella as Lynda reads this Omaha Native American blessing.

Sun, Moon, Stars, all you that move in the heavens, hear us!
Into your midst has come a new life.
Make her path smooth,
that she may reach the brow of the first hill!

Winds, Clouds, Rain, Mist, all you that move in the air, hear us!
Into your midst has come a new life.
Make her path smooth, that she may reach
the brow of the second hill!

Hills, Valleys, Rivers, Lakes, Trees, Grasses,
all you of the earth, hear us!
Into your midst has come a new life.
Make her path smooth, that she
may reach the brow of the third hill!

Birds, great and small, that fly in the air,
Animals, great and small, that dwell in the forest,
Insects that creep among the grasses and burrow
in the ground, hear us!
Into your midst has come a new life.
Make her path smooth, that she
may reach the brow of the fourth hill!

All you of the heavens, all you of the air,
all you of the earth, hear us!
Into your midst has come a new life.
Make her path smooth, then shall she
travel beyond the four hills!

“Ella, I bless you with obedience.”  We end with each person giving Ella a personal blessing while sharing with her an attribute of Divine Love - devotion, courage, power, wisdom,  joy, to name a few. Bishop Michele Birch-Conery anoints her.

In a note of gratitude that followed the next day, Jackie wrote: “Ella has a wish jar that I plan to put all of those wonderful attribute cards into so she can open it up later on and know what she was blessed with.”

The light of Jesus Christ Sophia comes again and again! Thank you, Ella for reminding us who we are.