Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May
they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your
towers.” For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.
Psalm 122:6-9
One of the most
holy moments of this past year was our blessing of the hands ceremony for the employees
at Paul’s Run Retirement Community. We stood together, sometimes amid the hustle
and bustle of busy nurses’ stations, kitchens, laundry rooms or front desk
areas. The circle of employees would grow and expand as, one by one, staff members
took a few minutes to join the circle.
For a moment,
we were quiet and listened as Pastor Stephen Weisser, Chaplain, talked about
the ancient Biblical tradition of anointing with oil. After his explanation, we
bowed our heads as he blessed the circle. Some residents of Paul’s Run were moved
to join the silent circle of staff. Then we anointed the palms of each individual
with olive oil scented with peppermint. As we put oil on each person’s outstretched
palms, we uttered a blessing over each pair of gentle hands.
There were many
silent tears of joy and humble gratitude for that moment of appreciation and inner
peace. Here is the blessing we said to each person that I think applies to everyone:
May God bless the sacred work you do.
Remember, God
loves you.
Loving God, bless us with hearts of
gratitude and generosity. Remind us of your love. Amen.
Rabbi Anne Feibelman
serves as an Associate Chaplain at Paul’s Run Retirement Community.
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