From Listening to Blessing
This past Sunday we brought to a close our sermon series on Sacred Listening. Over these last weeks, we have explored what it means not just to hear with our ears, but to listen with our hearts: to one another, to our neighbors, and most importantly, to God. Sacred listening is more than a spiritual exercise; it is a way of life that reflects the center of our baptismal calling. When we listen deeply, we acknowledge the dignity of others, and we open ourselves to be changed by the presence of Jesus in our midst.
That posture of listening naturally leads us into this coming Sunday, when we will turn our attention to a yearly moment in our common life, the blessing of backpacks for students and teachers as the school year begins. In many ways, this embodies what we have been practicing together. To bless the beginning of a school year is to say: we hear you, we see you, and we stand with you. It is our way of affirming that God’s presence goes with our young people and educators into the classrooms, hallways, and playgrounds of daily life.
The Scriptures appointed for this week invite us to see God’s steady presence in moments of new beginning. They remind us that even when we feel uncertain or unprepared, God equips us for the path ahead. They speak of the One who has been our refuge since childhood, and who continues to sustain us as we step into the unknown. They show us a Christ who restores and lifts up, offering healing and dignity to those burdened by the weight of the world. And they point us to a kingdom that cannot be shaken, grounded not in fear but in grace.
These are good reminders for students setting out with new pencils and blank notebooks, perhaps with a little nervousness about what lies ahead. They are also reminders for teachers, who carry both the privilege and the burden of guiding young minds and hearts. And they are reminders for all of us, because none of us outgrows the need to trust that God equips us for the journey we are called to walk.
When we bless students and teachers this Sunday, we are doing more than offering a prayer over backpacks. We are proclaiming as a community that education is holy work. We are promising to listen to the needs of our young people and those who teach them. We are standing together as the Body of Christ, committed to lifting one another up, so that every student and every teacher may know that they do not walk alone.
As we move from listening to blessing, may we carry forward what we have learned. May our ears remain open to the Holy Spirit, our eyes attentive to the needs around us, and our hearts ready to speak blessing into the lives of those God has entrusted to our care. In doing so, we become the Church not only on Sunday morning, but in the classrooms, workplaces, homes, and neighborhoods where God’s love is needed most.
Kevin+
