SAYING GRACE
Mealtime Prayers Around The World

Azuka Nwigwe

Whether you're a Hindu, Muslim, Jew or Christian, Armenian, Scottish, African or Native American… if you believe there is a higher power in Creation that made life on this earth possible, then it's likely you have at some point in your life said or thought words of gratitude before a meal. "Grace" is the name for any prayer said before or after a meal, giving thanks to whatever higher power you believe in for the meal you are either about to eat or have just enjoyed. Reciting a prayer, either precomposed or improvised on the spot, is normally referred to as 'saying grace' and is a practice recognized the world over. Saying grace brings people together in the sharing of the gift of food, can lead to better dietary habits, and helps us realize the sacrifice of other living beings, plants and animals to sustain our lives. Many households observe the tradition of stopping before a meal to reflect and give thanks for the food and other good things in our lives and on our tables. One can be creative with a mealtime grace, but some religions have specific guidelines for mealtime prayers.

It is important to bear in mind that the Western world generally uses the word "grace" to mean any mealtime prayer. However, the word in this context is specifically Christian: Jews, for instance, would not call their mealtime prayer "grace," nor would Muslims. However, each religion considers the food put in front of us as a Grace from God, and it is in this context that we use the word.

In Christianity, grace is the loving generosity of God. It is the free, or unmerited favor or beneficence of God and a state of sanctification by God. For the followers of Krishna, the ancient spiritual classic, the Bhagavad-Gita stresses the importance of remembering where our food came from before we enjoy. Food partaken with thanks to God becomes "Prasad" (a consecrated offering), and aying grace cleanses the food of three impurities: lack of cleanliness of the vessel, of the foodstuff and of the preparation process. In the Muslim faith, a verse from the Koran, instructs Mohammed's faithful on the sacred origins of food and the requirement for food prayers: "Eat of your Lord's provision, and give thanks to Him." Muslims say a prayer at the end of the meal, as well as at the beginning.

Buddhism's history is rich with reverence for food and thankfulness for its nourishment. Buddhists have used prayers of blessing and offering in everything from the cultivation of crops to the dedication of each plate of food to the betterment of humanity. Food can be truly blessed only when the one giving thanks has lived a life of service to both the universe that has given the food and those who suffer and are without food. And in the Hebrew Scriptures, grace is loving kindness. The duty of saying grace after the meal is derived from Deut. viii. 10: "And thou shalt eat and be sated and shalt bless the Lord thy God for the goodly land which he has given thee."

For some, like Native Americans, saying grace is a way to acknowledge one's place in creation. For others, like 20th century author Abd-ru-shin, saying grace is an opportunity not just to recite words of thanks mindlessly, but to experience them inwardly so their full meaning comes to life for you.

Click one of the links below to view various mealtime graces from throughout the world.

Christian (Methodist):

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.

Jewish:

Praised are You, our God, Ruler of the universe, who in goodness, with grace, kindness, and mercy, feeds the entire world. He provides bread for all creatures, for His kindness is never-ending. And because of His magnificent greatness we have never wanted for food, nor will we ever want for food, to the end of time.

For His great name, because He is God who feeds and provides for all, and who does good to all by preparing food for all of His creatures whom He created: Praised are You, God, who feeds all.

Buddhist:

This food is the gift of the whole universe,
Each morsel is a sacrifice of life,
May I be worthy to receive it.
May the energy in this food,
Give me the strength,
To transform my unwholesome qualities
Into wholesome ones.
I am grateful for this food,
May I realize the Path of Awakening,
For the sake of all beings.

Hindu:

Aum, beloved Shakti of Siva, fullness everlasting and fully manifest as this food; O, Mother of the universe, nourish us with this gift of food so that we may attain knowledge, dispassion and spiritual perfection.

Krishna:

Oh Lord Hari, You are the food, You are the enjoyer of the food, You are the giver of food. Therefore, I offer all that I consume at Thy Lotus Feet.

Musilm:

"All praises are due to Allah who gave us sufficient food to eat and who satiated our thirst while such food is needed (by us) all the time and while we are not ungrateful (to Allah)."

Girl Guide:

For food in a world where many walk in hunger;
For faith in a world where many walk in fear;
For friends in a world where many walk alone,
We give you humble thanks, O Lord

Scottish:

No ordinary meal-a sacrament awaits us
On our table spread.
For men are risking lives on sea and land
That we may dwell in safety and be fed.

Native American: (Sioux)

I'm an Indian.
I think about the common things like this pot.
The bubbling water comes from the rain cloud.
It represents the sky.
The fire comes from the sun
Which warms us all, men, animals, trees.
The meat stands for the four-legged creatures,
Our animal brothers,
Who gave themselves so that we should live.
The steam is living breath.
It was water, now it goes up to the sky,
Becomes a cloud again.
These things are sacred.
Looking at that pot full of good soup,
I am thinking how, in this simple manner,
The Great Spirit takes care of me.

Armenian:

The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord,
And Thou givest them their food in due season.
Thou openest Thy hand and fillest all things
Living with plenteousness.

Latin American:

O God,
To those who have hunger
Give bread:
And to those who have bread
Give the hunger for justice.

Robert Burns:

The Lord be Thankit
Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.

Abd-ru-shin:

O Lord,
In the weaving of Thy Creation,
Thou hast graciously set before us an ever-prepared table;
Accept this our thanks for Thy Goodness!
Amen.