Chapter 2
A Blessing for Caregivers
May you see with tender eyes
The wounds of those before you.
May you hear with well-tuned ears
The unspoken needs of those whose voices are muted.
May you hold with gentle hands
The bodies and the spirits of those you care for.
May the beauty of soul,
The strength of spirit,
The wholeness of being
Lead you, inspire you
And let you know your own
Beauty of soul,
Strength of spirit,
Wholeness of being.
May you know that,
As you care for others,
God cares for you, sees you,
Holds you tenderly.
Amen.
Chapter 3
A Blessing for All Who Serve
in the Ministry of Health Care
May rest find you
In the peaceful moments when all is still,
In the quiet times when you pause
And breathe.
May rest find you
In the chaos of the moment,
In the sorrow you seek to heal.
May rest bless you and strengthen you.
May it fill your spirit
And give you unearned joy.
May you find rest in the care of others,
In the knowledge of your worth,
The value of your service.
May the One who gives rest
Bless you and hold you close.
And may you, in your very being,
Be a place of rest for others.
Amen.
Chapter 4
A Blessing for Physicians
May you always heal and be healed.
May those who come to you find in you
One who cares deeply
Whose knowledge includes knowledge
Of the spirit's movements.
May you take pride in your gifts and use them humbly.
May the suffering and the vulnerable
Be your teachers.
May you see in others the goodness
Of a tender God.
May compassion encircle you
Carry you
Strengthen you
And give you insight.
May your presence be hope
To those in pain
May your skill ease the way
And instill trust.
May you know the Healer of all
May your own heart be held
In The compassion and tenderness
Of God.
Amen.
Chapter 5
A Blessing for Mission Leaders
May mission surround you
Hold you and carry you.
May your courage be blessed
And shared with all.
May you see what you have helped create
And know that it is good.
May others carry it forward.
May you find wisdom to speak truth.
May you find compassion
To speak with love.
May judgments leave you
And welcomes find you
In the gifts of the day.
May your spirit be raised up,
Filled and given peace.
May you always know your work
Is needed
Is valued
Is true.
Amen.
Chapter 6
A Blessing for Spiritual Care Leaders
May you recognize the
importance of your work
And be grateful for it.
May you step lightly and with
reverence
Into another’s space.
May your eyes be opened to see
Another’s pain,
May your ears be attuned
To the unspoken sufferings
Before you.
May you always know the
privilege it is
To meet another soul,
To touch another’s
Vulnerability.
May you walk gently
And confidently.
May creativity be yours,
And newness be your friend.
May you live the day
In peace,
Knowing that I live it
With you,
In you,
In the one you meet.
May you know joy
As well as sorrow
Hope as well as loss.
And may you always know
What you do is holy.
What you do is needed.
What you do is healing.
Amen.
Chapter 7
A Blessing for Health Care Leaders
May you walk among the people you serve,
May you be one with them.
May others see your care,
May they catch your gift.
May your soul be nourished by the work you do,
The service you perform.
May your heart be lifted in the struggles you endure.
May you know the mission
In your very bones.
May it challenge you and sustain you.
May you risk all that is secure for you,
That you may reach all that is central to you
And find goodness there.
May courage befriend you,
Integrity sustain you,
Hope call you forward.
May you walk on the water of faith
Toward the One who calls us all.
Amen.
Chapter 8
A Blessing for Those in Health Care Finance
May your work bless you,
May it give you meaning and help you grow.
May you learn to see
The persons behind the numbers.
May your work inspire you,
May it lead you to know the holiness of what you do.
May your work challenge you
May it ask you questions you are not prepared to answer.
May your spirit be stretched,
Your heart opened.
May your work affirm you.
May you come to know your own value as you work.
May you recognize the gifts you bring,
The service you give.
May your work be a vehicle for you,
One that takes you to places unexpected and unseen.
May your imagination be fired,
Your creativity inspired.
May your work lead you to seek
To climb trees if need be.
To welcome the One who greets you
Into the home of your heart.
Amen.
Chapter 9
A Blessing for Sponsors
May your hands be open
To receive what is given.
May you carry beauty and
wisdom,
Compassion and strength
In your hands.
May you treasure the ministry
In which you serve.
May you honor its heritage,
Proclaim its goodness,
Vision its future.
May your heart be open, too.
May it welcome gifts,
Hold love lightly.
May you cherish others and be
kind to yourself.
May your eyes be open
To see what is needed,
To celebrate what is worthy,
To recognize that all
Is worthy.
May the God who loves you
Be with you, stay with you,
Encourage you
And delight you.
May you be blessed
And know you are blessed,
Be blessing
And know you are blessing.
For so you are.
Amen.
Chapter 10
A Blessing for Board Members
May you see wonderful things
And hear beautiful words.
May your eyes be blessed with
holy sight
And fearless vision.
May your ears echo with the
sounds of the kingdom,
The call to serve.
May ministry transform you
Comfort you
Teach you your worth
Invite you to grace.
May your questions rise from
your heart
And be answered in your soul.
May they be holy questions
asked for others
Who cannot, dare not speak.
May your time be spent with
abandon
On what matters most.
May you be extravagant in care
For need, for justice.
May joy and celebration abound
For you.
May you delight in others’
goodness
And see the good in you.
And
May you know the worth of all
you do
And all you are.
May you know you belong,
You are among God’s blessed.
For you saw, you heard,
You listened, you learned
You were transformed
Graced
Loved
Blessed.
Amen.
Chapter 11
A Blessing for Mothers
May you know tenderness
In the midst of your fear.
May you love your child with ferocity and constancy.
May you be blessed with hope.
May those who meet you see your suffering,
Hear your cry,
And act to heal.
May your child know of your love
Even when lost in heart and mind.
May this beloved one be held and healed.
May the grace of God carry you into a blessed future.
May the love of God comfort you
May the compassion of God surround you
Give you strength, give you hope.
May help come to you from unexpected sources,
May belonging extend beyond accepted boundaries.
May you see the grace of the Holy One
In the eyes of those who will help you
In the eyes of your child
In your own eyes.
Amen.
Chapter 12
A Blessing for the Sick
May you be held in love.
May tenderness carry you.
May the pain you know
Too well
Be lifted from you.
May your heart’s heaviness
Be lightened by grace,
May hope abound for you.
May those who serve you
Care for you.
May their expertise help you,
Their compassion sustain
you.
May you know you are not
alone
But always loved by God.
May you see miracles
And know you are one.
May your courage give us
courage.
May your love hold us
tenderly.
And may you dwell in peace
In the midst
The depth
The breadth of
Your being.
Amen.
Chapter 13
The Healer
You may not know my name,
I have known yours in the
womb.
I am Healer
Spirit
Compassion
Wisdom
Love.
I am Creator
Companion
Forgiver
Whole-maker.
You may not call out to me,
I have called you all your life.
I have called you here
To this moment
To serve
The ones before you.
You may not feel at ease with
me,
I am at home with you.
I am with you
In the office
In the clinic
In the neighborhood
In the surgery.
I am here
Now
I am with you
As you speak
As you dream
As you weep.
You may never see me.
I see your heart
Your soul
Your often wounded spirit
Your tender longing.
I see you
When you care
When you do not care
When you heal
When you fail.
I see you
And I love you
Beyond your understanding
Before your undertaking
Between your lifetime’s
moments.
I see you
And I delight in you,
For you are my creation,
You do my work.
I see you in this sacred place of
caring,
I see what you have done,
What you seek to do.
I see those you have healed
Hearts as well as bodies.
Eased,
Made whole.
I see your joy in serving,
Your fatigue in serving so many.
I know your energy,
Your desire to care, console,
comfort
And I see the limits of your
heart.
In all these places,
In all these times,
I am here.
I am with you,
I hold you in my
Unfathomable, forgiving
Love.
That is who I am.
The one who calls
The one who goes with
The one who forgives
The one who loves
The one who blesses.
Beloved and blessed are you.
Amen.