DAY 15: LOVE 3rd Sunday in Advent #25WordAdventPrayers Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me. — Matthew 11:16 Whenever I see folks blast “#blessed” I silently mock. Okay fine, often it’s out loud. Honestly, too often that proclamation is about flexing and flaunting privilege as if we can measure God’s favor by accolade or accumulation. To avoid this we must understand “blessedness” as not only God’s generous expression of love, but also being part of God’s cloud of witnesses, ancestors, and saints who also collectively experience this love. A true blessing is to know that God is with each and every one of us no matter where we are or what we have. To be deeply blessed this day is to know God loves you, loves me, loves us. To fully believe and boldly live this knowledge is indeed a blessing for which we can give thanks. So if this communal experience of the love of God is what #blessed means, my bad. #blessed. God with us – Your love is not a reward, but a b...