15 August – Assumption – Blessing of herbs, flowers and fruit

It’s the Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. On 15 August, Feast of the Assumption, in the traditional Rituale Romanum there is a prayer for the blessing of herbs, flowers and fruits.  HERE

These occasional blessings, attached to feasts, help us to experience more fully the rhythm of our marvelous sacred liturgical year.  God gives us gifts in seasonal rhythms.  The Church, the greatest expert in humanity there has ever been, helps us to accept them and use them with gratitude for the good of both body and soul.

Here are a sample of the blessing prayers:

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, who by your word alone brought into being the heavens, earth, sea, things seen and things unseen, and garnished the earth with plants and trees for the use of man and beast; who appointed each species to bring forth fruit in its kind, not only for the food of living creatures, but for the healing of sick bodies as well; with mind and word we urgently call on you in your great kindness to bless these various herbs and fruits, thus increasing their natural powers with the newly given grace of your blessing. May they keep away disease and adversity from men and beasts who use them in your name; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

Let us pray.
God, who through Moses, your servant, directed the children of Israel to carry their sheaves of new grain to the priests for a blessing, to pluck the finest fruits of the orchard, and to make merry before you, the Lord their God; hear our supplications, and shower blessings in abundance upon us and upon these bundles of new grain, new herbs, and this assortment of produce which we gratefully present to you on this festival, blessing them in your name. Grant that men, cattle, flocks, and beasts of burden find in them a remedy against sickness, pestilence, sores, injuries, spells, against the fangs of serpents or poisonous creatures. May these blessed objects be a protection against diabolical mockery, cunning, and deception wherever they are kept, carried, or otherwise used. Lastly, through the merits of the blessed Virgin Mary, whose Assumption we are celebrating, may we all, laden with the sheaves of good works, deserve to be taken up to heaven; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

Let us pray.
God, who on this day raised up to highest heaven the rod of Jesse, the Mother of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that by her prayers and patronage you might communicate to our mortal nature the fruit of her womb, your very Son; we humbly implore you to help us use these fruits of the soil for our temporal and everlasting welfare, aided by the power of your Son and the prayers of His glorious Mother; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

And may the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon these creatures and remain always.
All: Amen.

They are sprinkled with holy water and incensed.

Take lots of herbs, flowers and fruits to your parish priest for blessing!  You might have to explain what’s going on.