Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 484.

YOUCAT Question n. 484 - What is a prayer of blessing?

(Youcat answer) A prayer of blessing is a prayer that calls down God’s blessing upon us. From God alone all blessings flow. His goodness, his closeness, his mercy - that is blessing. “May the Lord bless you” is the shortest prayer of blessing.

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 2626) Blessing expresses the basic movement of Christian prayer: it is an encounter between God and man. In blessing, God's gift and man's acceptance of it are united in dialogue with each other. The prayer of blessing is man's response to God's gifts: because God blesses, the human heart can in return bless the One who is the source of every blessing.    

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) Every Christian should call down God’s blessing upon himself and upon other people. Parents can trace the Sign of the Cross on their child’s forehead. People who love each other can bless one another. Furthermore a priest, by virtue of his office, blesses explicitly in the name of Jesus and on behalf of the Church. His request for blessings is made especially effective through Holy Orders and the prayer power of the whole Church.

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 2627) Two fundamental forms express this movement: our prayer ascends in the Holy Spirit through Christ to the Father - we bless him for having blessed us (Cf. Eph 1:3-14; 2 Cor 1:3 7; 1 Pet 1:3-9); it implores the grace of the Holy Spirit that descends through Christ from the Father - he blesses us (Cf. 2 Cor 13:14; Rom 15:5-6, 13; Eph 6:23-24).

(The next question is: Why should we adore God?)