Blessing food

aidan

I recently discovered that Ethiopians bless their food before eating ( I think I'm right here), whereas people in my tradition ask the Lord's blessing upon it.

(This is not such a trivial question as may first appear.)

How do any of the posters or readers on this site approach what I used to call 'saying grace' when I was small? Can you explain what you do, when you do it, what you say etc and what is the reasoning behind it.

Bless you(can I say that if I am not a priest?)

Aidan

LifeLightWayTruth

A prayer that we usually say before meals:

PRAYER BEFORE MEALS
Blessed are you O’ Lord who supports us from
our youth: grants us Your blessings, and provides
food for all; for our eyes are focused upon you. You
give us our food in due course. You open your hands
and fill every living creature. To you is the glory,
praise, blessing and thanksgiving for the food that
you have prepared for us. Stretch your hand and
bless the food set before us for the nourishment of our
bodies. Let it be strength and health to our lives.
Grant salvation, grace, blessing and purity to all
those who partake of it. Lift our minds to you at all
times to seek our spiritual and eternal food. Give us
to labour for the food which endures to everlasting
life. Grant us to be partakers in your heavenly feast.
Give us the bread of blessing, the cup of salvation and
fill our hearts with joy and gladness. Grant us a quiet
peaceful life, a joyful soul and a healthy body. Teach
us to seek your acceptance in everything so that if we
eat, drink or make anything, we do it for the glory of
Your Holy Name. For thine is the glory forever.
Amen.

This prayer is found in the Agpia, in the "Selected Prayers" section.

coptic youth

Personally, and more genrally we say a small prayer. "Thank you God for everything you have given us. Thank you God for this food placed infront of us, bless it as u have blessed the 5 loaves and 2 fish. Reward those who prepared the meal. Thru the intercession of st mary and all the saints, here us when we pray thankfully, our father..

ilovesaintmark

I say all different prayers when I eat.

I say longer prayers when I am hungry, and shorter prayers when I am not.

When I am hungry, I spend more time, because the hunger makes me think even more
about the majesty of the grace that was put before me to satiate my appetite.

I guess, relative to the general human scope, it would be counter-intuitive.

geomike

ilovesaintmark, i have read most of your posts on this website and i gotta say that you are an amazing person.LOL
GBU

ilovesaintmark

The Lord Blesses always.  There is no moment that He does not bless us.  The point is acknowledging the blessings that are upon us.

Geomike,  I thank you for the blessing you have placed upon me.  Your words are too kind.  The blessing returns to you because of your kindness.  The God that made us both, and everyone else on this site, is generous to us for allowing this fellowship and forum.

Food is too precious.  It just does not have the fullness of taste until the blessing.

In my brother's dining room, he has the Last Supper (as most people have), however, he also has an icon representing the multiplication of the fish and the loaves of bread.  It reminds you of so many facets of food and blessing.

joeg

[quote author=aidan link=topic=9173.msg113883#msg113883 date=1272438952]
I recently discovered that Ethiopians bless their food before eating ( I think I'm right here), whereas people in my tradition ask the Lord's blessing upon it.

(This is not such a trivial question as may first appear.)

How do any of the posters or readers on this site approach what I used to call 'saying grace' when I was small? Can you explain what you do, when you do it, what you say etc and what is the reasoning behind it.

Bless you(can I say that if I am not a priest?)

Aidan


We ask God's blessing on the food. A member of the laity doesn't bless the food. Even the priest does not bless the food, but God does. He is the source of blessing.

pray for me

joe