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Praying at Meals & Cultivating Gratitude

Praying at Meals & Cultivating Gratitude:

With Thanksgiving drawing near, I started thinking, how many times does my family take the food we have to eat for granted? Do we stop to think how blessed we are to have the food in front of us? To have the availability of so many foods at grocery stores nearby, and the financial means, to not just buy healthy food for our bodies, but often cookies and other treats because we can? Growing up, my family prayed before eating dinner, and my husband and I are teaching our children to pray at breakfast and lunch as well. It’s good to be thankful and express gratitude, and helping our children appreciate and be grateful for what they have is something we see as a valuable lesson. I know, as a busy mom, eating breakfast often takes place in rounds at my home, and by the time I finally get to eat, I sometimes start eating and then with the bite in my mouth realize I’ve forgotten to pray. So, if you haven’t prayed before meals in a while or, like me, sometimes forget to when you get caught up preparing food for others, don’t worry, just try again. If you’ve never payed before a meal, here is a traditional Catholic dinner prayer to help get you started:

“Bless us, oh Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from Thy bounty through Christ, our Lord, Amen.”

This is the prayer I remember saying as a kid and the one my husband and I pray together with our children before meals. I’m so used to hearing the words of the prayer, however, that I often forget to take in the meaning of what I’m saying. “Bless us our Lord...” Lord, please bless my family. “And these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from Thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen...” Lord also bless the food before us, which are gifts and blessings from you, that we humbly have been given and now receive from the abundance of your goodness, through Jesus, your son, and our Lord and Savior, Amen—it is so.” Reflect upon the gift you have been given in the food before you and your family. 

When I read the book, Divine Mercy for Moms, by Emily Jaminet and Michele Faehnle, one of the things the authors suggested to do as an act of mercy, was to pray while cooking for your family and for those who do not have food to eat. What a wonderful opportunity to pray before eating and reflect on being thankful! I’m not always good at remembering to do this every time I cook dinner, but I’ve been trying to add this as part of my daily prayer life and have found it to be a beautiful addition and blessing. 

Today, as you cook and prepare meals and eat together with your family, reflect upon the blessings you have before you and pray before your meal with a heart of gratitude!

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