Prayer Time

First century Christians have different prayer habits and language from the Christians of the 21st century.  It's often hard to penetrate the prayer language of the New Testament--difficult but not impossible.  After all, Christians read the bible now--in translations to English and thousands of other world languages--and still find it relevant.
The letter to the Ephesians assumes that the hearers and readers are familiar with the prayer language of the Jewish synagogue. The standard form of prayer--in Hebrew beracot, or blessing--opens the letter-writer's body of writing in Chapter 1: "Blessed be God..." 
Why does this form of prayer sound alien to Christians of the 21st century? It's not often that Christian prayer language includes a formula to "bless God" even though this is a familiar formula for the prayers of Jews. Does it seem too presumptuous for human beings to "bless God?"  After all, God is the source of all blessings.  Why would such a God "stoop" to being blessed by humans?
Indeed!
Humility is the very characteristic of God that invites imitation. On this day, as the very humble Bishop of Rome is visiting Washington DC, may Christians everywhere remember to "bless God" for God's amazing grace at stooping to the level of humanity.