Gracious God, we thank you for the many blessings you have given us and we pray that you will be with all who are in need of your loving care. Bless this food that it may nourish our bodies and strengthen us to serve you. In Christ's name, amen.
This is the basic frame I have come to use every time I am asked to bless a meal. I guess I first heard it when I began sharing meals with the folks who have now become my in-laws. Before each meal someone would always be asked say a blessing and no matter who wound up offering the prayer it almost always followed this form. Of course things were added in special situations so the prayer mentioned any concerns or thanksgivings that might be on the minds of those gathered around the table.
I think the real beauty of this prayer is that it is not about thanking God for food just for the sake of having food. Instead it reminds us that we eat because our bodies need the nutrition and part of our returning thanks for the gifts we have been given is to serve others. And it does this in a way that is still able to name and celebrate the blessings of food, or family gathered together around the table for the first time in months, or whatever other blessings we may be celebrating.
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