A Blessing of Letters

When our committee planned the blessing of the letters written at St. John XXIII Catholic Community on protecting and expanding child nutrition programs, we simply picked the Sunday after the Offering of Letters. We had not looked at the readings for this particular Sunday. By the grace of God, the reading from the Old Testament and from the Gospel, 2 Kings 4:42-44 and John 6: 1-5, were perfect for this occasion. They were all about finding enough food to feed everyone. We brought 182 letters and 88 paper plates written at Vacation Bible School for Father Ark Biczak to bless.  

This is the prayer provided by Bread for the World for the blessing of letters.

O God, our creator, we give thanks that you preserve and sustain all life through good government and other public and private institutions. We ask you to bless our letters to Congress. May this expression of our democratic rights be part of your work of ending hunger. We pray also for our nation’s decision makers. Grant them compassion and wisdom so that all children in this nation receive the nutrition their young bodies and minds need to learn and grow. We ask these things in the name of the Risen Christ, who teaches us to pray that your will be done on earth and that all may have the daily bread you provide. Amen.