Blessing
for the sanctification of the Day:
“Praise
to You, Adonai (Lord) our God, Sovereign of the universe, Creator of the fruit
of the vine.
Praise to You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who
has chosen us from all the peoples, hallowing us with mitzvot (commandment). In
Your love, Adonai our God, You have given us this Day of Remembrance, to hear
the sound of the Shofar, to unite in worship, and to recall the Exodus from
Egypt. For You have chosen us from all the peoples, consecrating us to Your
service, and Your word is truth eternal. Praised is the Sovereign God,
Sovereign of all the world, who hallows the House of Israel and the Day of
Remembrance.”
Rosh
Hashana begins at sundown this evening (Wednesday the 24th) to
signify not only the New Year in the month in which Israel was called out of
Egypt but to also begin the ten-day preparation period of prayer,
self-examination, and repentance leading to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement
(Oct 3). For most of us, it will be just another day. Perhaps a day
of blessing, perhaps a day of extreme spiritual challenges, or maybe a day in
which our lives will be profoundly affected and radically changed.
This
is the essence of the High Holy Days for Israel. The periods of fasting
and praying and inward reflection and repentance are precisely because those
who have fallen short of The Lord’s expectations earnestly seek to make one
simple resolution: to draw closer to God by drawing closer to one
another. Faithfulness is much more than simply believing something;
faithfulness is a determination to more actively and purposefully pursue
holiness of heart and mind and soul through faithful living and obedient faith.
Whether
we can connect in a real way to Jewish heritage and history (their story IS our
story because it is Christ’s story!), it is always a good practice to reflect
inwardly, keep a prayer journal, think about all those we have encountered
throughout the day, and evaluate those encounters according to how Jesus would
direct our day – and then decide whether those we met actually met Christ
through us … or not.
It’s
a pretty high standard, of course, but it is no less than Christ gave of
Himself for us. To give fully of ourselves is to hold nothing back from
our Lord and our neighbor, and it is truly the greatest gift we can offer back
to the One who gave us life.
Shanah
Tovah, ya’ll! (Have a good year)
Michael
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