Blessed?

Have you been blessed? In America it’s most likely you have, after sneezing. Several origins are given, though none go back to 77 AD when it was already in practice. Currently, it is "a socially recommended response," according to Wikipedia.

Or, perhaps you prepared the meal and when grace was given, “Bless the hands that prepared this food,” was included. Southerners often use a form of the word, “Bless my soul,” or “Bless his heart,” when nothing else comes to mind.

It has a specific meaning, and we should understand why and where it is used in the Bible. I like this paragraph from an article written by Jim Forest:

"'Happy' isn't good enough," Rabbi Steven Schwarzschild once told me. "The biblical translator who uses such a word should change jobs, maybe write TV comedies with nice happy endings. The problem is that, if you decide you don't like 'blessed,' there isn't a single English word that can take its place. You might use a phrase like 'on the right track' or 'going in the right direction.' Sin, by the way, means being off the track, missing the target. Being 'blessed' means you aren't lost -- you're on the path the Creator intends you to be on. But what you recognize as a blessing may look like an affliction to an outsider. Exchanging 'blessed' for 'happy' trivializes the biblical word. You might as well sum up the Bible with a slogan like, 'Have a nice day'."

The root of 'happy' refers to luck, as in happenstance, haphazard, hapless -- a far cry from the holiness imparted in the Greek word makarios or the Hebrew baruk. Or the Hebrew ashre used in the first Psalm:

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (Psalms 1:1 KJV)

When Christ said in Matthew 5:3-11:
(3) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(4) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
(5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
(6) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
(7) Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
(8) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
(9) Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
(10) Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(11) Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

He could not have meant that we would be happy when we were reviled and persecuted. We would however, be blessed as we grew in Christian understanding and remained on the path God intends for us.

As Jesus said: … blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. (Luke 11:28b KJV)