“Bless you!” is an oft-repeated phrase in today’s world. When someone sneezes in public, others use this exclamation to wish him well. When Christians in various communions greet one another, they often repeat the phrase as a gesture of good will and good wishes. Very few, however, actually think that a blessing is conveyed, for such language and actions are merely social convention and expressions of concern and support. In the ancient world, however, people routinely blessed one another. They shared mutual blessings over homes, children, land, labors, travels, and resources of every sort. Blessings were almost commonplace however, they were certainly not meaningless. The ancients actually believed that something occurred when they blessed.
