Blessing for the newly unveiled Statue of St. John the Baptist
Killone Abbey, Clarecastle-Ballyea Parish, Monday, June 24th, 2019
Prayer of Blessing
Lord,
We bless you for you alone are holy,
And because in your compassion for sinners
You sent into the world your Son, Jesus Christ,
The author and perfector of holiness.
He sent the Spirit
To sustain his newborn Church,
A voice that teaches us the secrets of holiness,
A breeze that strengthens and refreshes,
A fire that sears our hearts in live,
The seed of God that yields a harvest of grace.
Today we praise you
For the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on St. John the Baptist as we commomerate his Nativity here at his Holy Well, adjacent to Killone Abbey in whose honour we dedicate this statue.
The feast of St. John coincides more or less with the Summer Solistice and is a celebration of light. For centuries the only earthly birthday celebrated by the Church, apart from Our Lady was that of St. John. It is sometimes called the Summer Christmas. May the light of the bonefires in his honour on this feast day, be a light to guide us in faith, hope and love.
May we follow in the footsteps of the Lord,
Keeping before us the example of St. John the Baptist
And grow to a maturity
Measured not by nature, but by the fullness of Christ.
May we proclaim his Gospel by word and deed
And, shouldering our crosses daily,
Expend ourselves for others in your service.
As we carry out our earthly duties,
May we be filled with the Spirit of Christ
And keep our eyes fixed on the glories of heaven,
Where you, Father, receive thos who will reign
With your Son,
For ever and ever.
Amen.