Blessing

What is ‘blessing’?

Commentaries

usually discuss the various words which are translated as ‘bless’, ‘blessing’, etc

the most common NT word (80%) fundamentally means ‘to speak well of’ (in both Greek and Latin)

eg, Elizabeth’s greeting to Mary: you are well spoken of among women.

the other NT word, the one used in Matthew’s account of the Beatitudes has a more material meaning, usually translated as ‘happy’.

prosperity, well-being, good reputation, etc.

Jesus

Both Matthew and Luke agree in using the word ‘happy’ for the beatitudes.

why?

what Jesus actually said/meant, we may never know.

so, let’s move on the what we/the Church mean by it;

not as a theological/philosophical definition,

but, more personally, to you and me.

For Me

Nebulous is my first thought, vague, unformulated

‘good’, but how

‘spiritual’ but what is it?

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary Bless/Blessing

Bless/blessing has been most frequently understood in terms of benefits conveyed—prosperity, power, and especially fertility.

When ‘blessing’ God, it usually means ‘praise’.

Otherwise, how could anyone confer a benefit on God?

Augustine

City of God

A sets out to distinguish the hopes of the philosophers from Christian hope:

I must first explain

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 1.2: St. Augustin’s City of God and Christian Doctrine (Catholic Edition) Chapter 1

in order that it may be evident, not only from divine authority, but also from such reasons as can be adduced to unbelievers, how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope which God gives to us, and from the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness.

This, at least, points us to the the scriptures and the content of catholic teaching, where we can learn the substance of that hope, the substance of blessing.

The best description

Blessing is that which prepares and makes us worthy to be in God’s presence.

God bless us, everyone.