Prayer Before Meals

Here are some common prayers that can be used to thank God before mealtimes (there's five here and two further down the page -that's seven in total, one for each day of the week!):-

Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts, which we are about to receive from your bounty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

God is great, and God is good, And we thank him for our food; By his hand we all are fed; Give us, Lord, our daily bread.

God, we thank you for this food. For rest and home and all things good. For wind and rain and sun above. But most of all for those we love.

O Lord, we thank you for the gifts of your bounty which we enjoy at this table. As you have provided for us in the past, so may you sustain us throughout our lives. While we enjoy your gifts, may we never forget the needy and those in want.

Bless this food to our use, and us to thy service. Fill our hearts with grateful praise. Amen.

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Prayer Before Dinner

Jesus is recorded giving thanks to God on at least two ocassions for providing food. For example, at the feeding of the five thousand, he presented the loaves and fishes before heaven, gave thanks, and the rest, as they say, is history. At the last supper, when he was aware of his coming suffering, he remember to give thanks for food:

"While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it..."

- (Matthew Chapter 26, Verse 26 from the NIV)

Also, it was common practise for St Paul to give thanks before eating. In the Acts of the Apostles, during a terrible storm at sea, he gave thanks for food:

"After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat".

(Acts Chapter 27, Verse 35, from the NIV)

The practise of giving thanks before mealtimes is common amongst all major world religions. Buddhism, Hindism, Islam, Judiasm and Christianity all have long traditions of praying before eating.

Catholic Graces

Father of us all,
This meal is a sign of Your love for us:
Bless us and bless our food,
And help us to give you glory each day
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen!

Bless us,
O Lord,
and these your gifts,
which we are about to receive
from your bounty.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Here's a prayer used by the Jewish faith for giving thanks:-

Blessed art Thou, O Lord our G-d,
King of the Universe,
Who creates many living
beings and the things they need.
For all that Thou hast
created to sustain
the life of every living being,
blessed be Thou,
the Life of the universe.