How to Say Grace before Meals

(A special thanks to Dawn Cotino for the idea of this article. she shared with me a clipping form Real Simple magazine entitled "How to Say Grace" by Kate Bruestrup, which inspired me to write this. i am indebted both to her, and to the author of that article for some of these thoughts, which I have also included in my workbook on prayer and on my blog  on prayer.)

One way of bringing prayer into our days is to “saying grace" before meals. 

For many, mealtime prayer is just a perfunctory blessing "Good bread, good meat, good God, let's eat!"

This doesn’t mean such prayers are useless. To the contrary, it is a useful reminder of our dependence on Him.  Saying grace keeps God before us and reminds us of our priorities. 

What should we say in mealtime prayers?   Perhaps the best thing is nothing at all! Prayer isn't about what we say, but experiencing divinity in the ordinary.  Maybe that is why we call it "saying grace" instead of "saying a prayer." 

Grace is an experience that comes without strings or obligation. It is a gift lavished upon us from a generous God.  Grace at the table is a way of reminding ourselves of His generosity and care. 

The first and most important part of a proper grace should be silence.  Silence is one of God's greatest gift to us. Take a moment before meals and savor the goodness of the gift of life. Smell the food, listen to the breathing of loved ones around the table, then look into their faces (nobody said you always have to close your eyes!) Breathe slowly and completely, feeling the air go in and out. This moment--the eternal "now"--is a continual gift from a Maker, and the moment before us comes sponsored by His generosity and care. Take in the texture of the scene.   Think of the family and friends gathered, and in our hearts, give thanks for God who gave them.

The next part of a proper grace should be thanks. A simple "thank you" spoken in quietness is all that is needed.  Leave off the flowery--it is better to experience God's generosity than to wax poetical.  Our experience of God’s grace should  be like a kiss laid on a child’s forehead or a pat on the head of a dog--a simple, wordless blessing given in love and appreciation to be enjoyed in silence for all that we have received.

The final part of grace should be a simple recognition that what we receive is in Jesus' Name.  For a Christian, it is impossible to imagine grace without Jesus.  His sacrifice is the ultimate gift of grace, which makes all other gifts possible. Without Him we would not know the depth of God's love, or the pleasure of God’s company.  He is the door that connects the ordinary experience of Life with the Divine.

Don't rush through your life. Savor it. Let the saying of grace set the tone for a graceful way of living, so that every experience will be blessed and every pleasure Divine.