"And from the day on which you bring [the omer], the sheaf of the elevation offering- the day after the Sabbath-you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete: you must count until the day after the seventh week-fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the Lord." Leviticus 23:15-16, NJPS This 7-week prayer journey will take you from thanksgiving for the past, to intercession for the future, to a final expression of worship as we contemplate the fulfillment of God’s purposes in Messiah.

Here's how to count the omer:

1. Recite the blessing,

Baruch atah Adonai Elohenu melech ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al sefirat ha-Omer.

Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us concerning the count of the Omer.

2. Recite the count of the omer, saying:

"Today is six weeks and 1 day of the omer."

Week 7 June 1-7 (alternate 6/7-6/13): Embracing the Future: Return of Messiah

Scripture for Day 43:

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet. Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers… (Mal. 3:23-24 [4:5-6])

Elijah the prophet is a familiar figure in Jewish tradition, as well as in the Bible itself. We even include him at our Passover tables every year, with a cup set out especially for him, just in case this year is the one in which he appears to announce the great and dreadful day of the Lord. In this way, we keep alive the promise that Elijah will come to prepare the way for Messiah's return, but we may not think as much about the second part of the promise: He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. The great day of cosmic renewal will include reconciliation of the most intimate sort. The glorious return of Messiah Yeshua will be signaled not only by earth-shaking changes, but also by the touch of a father's hand upon his son's shoulder.

This week, as we embrace the future by looking forward to Messiah's return, we can also prepare the way for Him by opening our hearts to those nearest to us.

Rabbi Russ Resnik