[caption id="attachment_4810" align="alignright" width="296"] Blog by Sr. Amy McFrederick, OP[/caption] This morning in our Dominican Praise Morning Prayer  I read: “Listen to the prayer of your servants,   The people who know your blessing” –Sirach 36:21 This latter phrase stayed with me long after I closed my prayer book. Yes, I thought, I certainly do know God’s blessing, permeating every moment of my life--the gift of restful sleep, life-giving air, waking up to another day of  life on this planet, the light that makes Earth’s wonders visible, food and drink, warmth and shelter, health, friends, family and community, shared faith in Christ... As I first began listing for myself the countless ways I know and feel God’s blessings, I was simultaneously aware that millions of my brothers and sisters throughout the world and here in our own country do not experience many of these things that first came to my mind as blessings. Then my eyes fell on these words from Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blesses us with every spiritual blessing in Christ...”  I was reminded of the way Jesus poured out blessing upon blessings throughout his life: healing the sick, freeing those imprisoned by demons of all kinds, preaching and teaching the Good News of the Reign of God, his Abba—fully aware that his words and actions would cause his suffering and death.  When he taught the BEATITUDES he named some of the spiritual blessings that he knew as blessings, but that we may not experience or consider as “blessings” –but they are blessings that enable us not only to receive and know God’s blessings, but to BE a blessing to others. Blessed are the poor in spirit... Blessed are the pure of heart... Blessed are the merciful... Blessed are the sorrowing... Blessed are the peacemakers... Blessed are those thirsting for justice... Blessed are those persecuted... Think about it. How might these “spiritual blessings” free you to BE A BLESSING?