1. May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers
May God bless you with discomfort
At well-designed half-truths
May God bless you with discomfort
At thin commitments
So that you may live from deep within your heart.
2. May God bless you with fires of anger
At exploitations
May God bless you with fires of anger
When money’s like a wrecking ball
May God bless you with fires of anger
At privilege grinning
So that you may join the trouble to heal this land (Ch)
Chorus:
May God bless you to be so foolish | to think you matter
May God bless you to be so foolish | to think you’ll change this world
May God bless you to be so foolish | to keep on trying
So that you may do the things that can’t be done.
3. May God bless you with tears like rainfall | for breath extinguished
May God bless you with tears like rainfall | for families torn apart
May God bless you with tears like rainfall | for trampled futures
So that you may stand with those whose lot is pain.
Text based on a prayer by Sr. Ruth Fox. Adapted and additional text Bret Hesla. Music Bret Hesla.
© 2021 Bret Hesla. All rights reserved. Use with permission, please.
Licensed via OneLicense.net. Contact: Bret.hesla@gmail.com.
Recording:
Vocals — Bret Hesla and Rebekah Fergus.
Instruments — Bret Hesla.
Based on a prayer by Sister Ruth Fox, which I first heard when our Pastor Martha Schwehn-Bardwell used it in a sermon in the spring of 2021. Here’ the original.
A Non-traditional Blessing,
by Sr. Ruth Fox, OSB
May God bless you with discontent with easy answers, half truths, superficial relationships,
so that you live from deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, abuse, and exploitation of people,
so that you will work for justice, equity and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, staarvation and war,
so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them and to change their pain to joy.
May God bless you with the foolishness to think you can make a difference in this world,
so you will do the things which others tell you cannot be done.
Sr. Ruth Fox is a Benedictine Sister of Sacred Heart Monastery, Dickinson, ND (formerly Richardton, ND). She has been a leader in Benedictine life at home, on the national and international stage. She has also authored books and articles as well as provided many retreat across the country.
And thanks to Rebekah Fergus for the fantastic vocals on the recording.