Grace Before and After Meals.

Only recently has the word "grace before meals" been brought up so frequently amongst my peers and fellow family members. In relating to the fact that I take ages to say my grace before meals, a topic on what grace before meal is exactly, was struck.

So, I decided to look it up and this is what I found:-

The word grace, as applied to prayer over food, which always in pre-Elizabethan English took the plural form graces, means nothing but thanksgiving.

"Grace before and after meals" commonly found in the catechisms for children and used by the laity consists substantially of a translation of two items, the blessing spoken before the meal and the thanksgiving afterwards.

"Without Thy presence, nought, O Lord, is sweet,
No pleasure to our lips can aught supply.
Whether 'tis wine we drink or food we eat,
Till Grace divine and Faith shall sanctify."

Grace before meals often appears as something of no particular importance. Something we merely utter under our breath due to routine or what we have been taught to do in the church. But true understanding towards this Christian culture, I feel, must be emphasized upon.

As it is stated above, grace before and after meals is a form of blessing and thanksgiving. We pray before meals to ask God to bless the food that He has so graciously laid on the table for us. We pray after meals as a form of saying "Thank You" to God for the food that we have just consumed.

Now, many of us are aware of this but just don't know how to start. To be perfectly honest, I too, only after reading these particular articles on grace at meals, have just found out about grace after meals. I, personally, feel motivated to take on this new challenge in practicing age old culture and giving thanks to Our Lord every chance that we get. Food does not come easy for all. Cherish it and be thankful for it. =))

I encourage you all to take up saying grace before and after meals. Just a short one will do. And just in case you experience a little difficulty in finding the right words to say at grace or end up saying a half-hour long one as yours truly, here are some examples of grace before and after meals that might be able to help you all.


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We started one of our nieces out at a very young age with this short little table grace that would be easy to remember and allow her to participate.

Thank you Jesus for this food. Amen

This soon spread for use with all the children in the family. As they got older, more would be added. The standard has become

Thank you Jesus for this food and for this time together.
with more added as a person or situation dictated (child or adult)

Contributed by David and Jackie Parker <dandjparker@neo.rr.com>
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My little son made this prayer and prays it everyday at dinner, sometimes he extends it with things that happened that day.

Thank you Lord Jesus for this food,
and for Your love and mercy.
Thank You that you were with us today.
We love You very much and are happy because You are so close. Amen.

Contributed by Sam Mulock Houwer <sam@mulock.myweb.nl>
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A simple childrens prayer before all meals, even the youngest will get involved:

Now I fold my hands and say

Thank you God for my supper today

(Insert meal of choice in place of supper)

Contributed by zeb <jsm1@buffnet.net>
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The Edmondson family has a search on for the shortest grace:

Good food,

Good meat,

Good Lord,

Let's eat. Amen.

OR

Lord, Bless this bunch

As they munch

Their lunch.

Amen.

Contributed by Rick Edmondson <rick@hunter.co.uk>
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Simple, right? ^^

All the best.

* Words in green and prayers were adapted from http://home.pcisys.net/~tbc/mealpryr.htm#prayer10_1 and http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14554c.htm