For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with Thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:4-5
And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you
shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the
Lord your God has blessed you. Deuteronomy 12:7
My daughter's in-laws include me in their family
celebrations, and this year we had not one but two Thanksgiving feasts. It was
delightful to share food with others, since most of my meals are spent with my
cats by my side. My daughter's father-in-law always has a prayer at the ready,
and I enjoyed two different graces from him this year. It made our time together even more special.
When I was little, my family did not say grace except at
holiday meals. I never understood grace, or many other prayers for that matter.
We were taught to be grateful for our food, and for our mother's valiant
efforts to make it something a child might actually want to eat. I figured we
should be blessing her, as well as congratulating ourselves for taking the
three required bites of each item. But I was careful to wait for grace to be
said when I was visiting other people for meals, since I realized it had
meaning for them.
It is so easy to clink glasses with someone before drinking,
especially when celebrating something. It should feel just that easy to thank
the source of all our nourishment in body and spirit. I like to think of
different ways of expressing gratitude now. I recently watched a cooking show
where the chef demonstrated how to turn humble vegetables and grains into
special dishes by cooking them thoughtfully. It made so much sense, because we
often take for granted the foods most easily available to us regardless of
season or finances. I like to think of being creative and resourceful with
simple ingredients. Sometimes I will come home late from work, and all I really
want is a hot potato to nibble on. It completely satisfies a need.
I am a vegetarian, and after I stopped eating meat a few
years ago I realized I had always wanted
to be a vegetarian. It is fun to explore
new foods, but limiting the diet is also gratifying. My friend who is trying to
cut out sugar has discovered she feels better and has more energy. I am trying
to make some substitutions in that area, but I am not ready to give up all
sugar.
We spent a fair amount of time in the car when my kids were
growing up. Quite often we would end up having Car Picnics because we didn't
have time to go home for meals.
I like to think that those meals brought a little of home to
our car, and the conversation was more free because we weren't facing each
other.
Wherever and whatever I eat, I now understand the reason for
stopping to give thanks for everything that brings food to my body. It is a way of beginning again. Our food is a
gift, and the work that provides it is a gift. I love that there are many ways
to be mindful of that gratefulness.
We can ask that our food fuel us to do God's work; we can
remember someone missing from us who used to pour that cup of tea for us; we
can bless an old family recipe that reminds us of the people who used to share
it with us; we can ask for others to enjoy the same privilege of being fed; we
can ask for the food to nourish and heal us and others who aren't well; we can
ask that the meal bring us together as family; and we can ask that the
transforming power of Communion be present in our meal.
This a grace from jesuitresource.org: May this food restore
our strength, giving new energy to tired limbs, new thoughts to weary minds.
May this drink restore our souls, giving new vision to dry spirits, new warmth
to cold hearts. And once refreshed, may we give new pleasure to you, who gives
us all. Amen.
Mollie Manner (reprinted from 2018)
No comments:
Post a Comment