Christian Mealtime Prayers

They have been taken up into the greatest of all symbolism, the Bread of Life, and Water of Life, and the Lord's Supper. If at any time of the day public thanksgiving is to be expressed to God by our Christian families, it should be at meal prayer time.

Grace before meals is also an indispensable mode of testimony to the bountiful sustenance given to us by God. But the chief argument for saying grace is the example of the Lord Himself. It is said that Jesus blessed the fishes and barley cakes before breaking and giving them to the multitude whom He miraculously fed. Saying grace was Christ's invariable habit, as it should be the invariable habit of all those who in all things wish to follow Christ's example.

Special blessings for special occasions are also included in this collection.

Buddhist Mealtime Prayer

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.

Namo Amida Buddha.