7 Hebrew Words - Barauch (Part 2 of 7)

BARAUCH
THE ACT OF KNEELING
 
 
 
If you are just now tuning in, this is the second entry in a series about the 7 Hebrew words for praise. For those of you who read my first entry, you will remember that we have now become familiar with the Hebrew word Todah.
To give a quick recap, Todah is a form of praise that helps us to remember to give God thanks for His great kindness and mercy in our lives. We also heard that the Todah Sacrifice in the Hebrew tradition was considered one of the highest forms of worship, and would outlast all other prayers. Now I would like to share another form of praise with you, one that you may already be participating in.
If you have ever been to a Catholic Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, or done any kind of reverent prayer, chances are you have expressed Barauch (The Act of Kneeling). This form of praise is probably the most reverent of the 7 words, as it means to kneel or bow in veneration. In my mind, Barauch always arouses thoughts of knights honoring kings in medieval times. Knights would kneel or bow before their king to show love, submission, trust and loyalty. They had faith in their king and would follow him to the death, much like the apostles of Jesus. As Christians, we believe that Jesus is our High King and that He has our best interest in mind. If we have faith in God’s promises and trust in His love, we should want to submit to His will in our lives. Barauch is a powerful way of expressing this.
 
 
 
TAKE TIME TO SHOW REVERENCEFOR THE ONE WHO DIED FOR YOU
 
 
 
When we enter the pew in a Catholic Church or Adoration Chapel, we genuflect to the Tabernacle. Have you ever wondered why we do this? Hopefully, it’s not just because your grandma said so. As Catholics, we know that Jesus is truly present there in our midst in the Tabernacle. By genuflecting or kneeling (Barauch), we show reverence to Jesus our King and humble ourselves before the one who gave everything for us. It pains me to see people who walk into a Catholic Church or Adoration Chapel and do not even give a thought to who it is they’re coming to see. So to those of you who do a halfway squat and limp sign of the cross before you take your seat - You’re coming to see the Lover of your soul!! I encourage you, the next time you enter the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, truly take time to show reverence to the one who died for you.
At the end of the first book of Chronicles, David and his assembly give us a good example of this form of praise. David makes preparations for his coming death and gives his son Solomon instructions for building the Lord’s temple, which would later be known as Solomon’s Temple. Then, after gathering an assembly, David offers thanks and praise to God for all the blessings in his life. When he finishes his own prayer, David invites the whole assembly to join him in praise, “Then David told the whole assembly, ‘Now bless - barauch - the LORD your God!’ And the whole assembly blessed - barauch - the LORD, the God of their ancestors, bowing down in homage before the LORD and before the king” (1 Chronicles 29:20).
Just like David and his people, we should take time to glorify the Lord by lowering ourselves before him. Your body makes visible the reality of what your soul is saying. Jesus came down from Heaven to Earth for you, you can let your knees hit the Earth for Him.
 
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