The Prayer to Eat, or blessing of food and of the table is very important for all people. Many families do not know what this importance lies in, that is why in this brief article we are going to teach it to you, so that you can start doing it every time the family sits down at the table to eat.
Prayer to eat
Every time you go to receive food or sit down to eat, when you do it you will know that you have had an action that God wants and can continue not only eating your food but also sharing with others the product of your work.
Holy and Beloved Father! On this day we ask you to be present at this table so that you bless it, so that each piece of bread that we taste at each moment is the means to see the fruit of our health.
Never forsake us right now, nor those who are waiting for a bite to reach their mouths. That is why we praise you, because this grace is small and we are fortunate to be what we are and to have these foods, invade us with your love and illuminate our paths. Amen.
Why should we bless food?
Although it is a very old tradition within the Christian Church, few people perform a blessing of food before eating. However, it is important for all of us who are Christians to learn to be faithful believers and devotees of this tradition. This custom is deeply rooted among Catholics, but its value is very important to understand. It is also advisable to know specific prayers to bless food.
First, you should know that you should thank God for everything He has provided us with so we can eat. We should also pray so that the food you are about to eat provides you with the necessary energy your body requires. Finally, we should thank not only the person who provided the food but also the person who prepared it for consumption. It is also essential to remember the God's blessings that allow us to enjoy every meal.
What does the Bible say about it?
Many verses in the Bible speak about giving thanks for food in a general way. Exodus 16:1-16 speaks of how manna fell from heaven so the Israelites could eat, with the condition that they only gather what they needed to eat that day, hence the expression "Our Daily Bread," which we pray in the Lord's Prayer. At many moments during their journey through the desert, it was God who provided them with everything they needed for their subsistence. Likewise, it is essential to know prayers to give thanks for food.
In Ephesians 5:20 it says that we should pray to God for everything and in Corinthians 10:31 it tells us that it is important to bless food and drink in the name of God. Matthew clarifies it better in 14: 19-21, since it says that Jesus gave orders to the people to lie down on the grass and took five loaves and two fish, raised them to heaven and blessed them, began to break the loaves and passed them to the disciples and they to the people who were around, since they had multiplied, hence the importance of the blessing of food, so that they multiply in our lives. It is also advisable to know the biblical promises who accompany us in daily prayer.
In Mark 14:22-25, Jesus is at the Last Supper, surrounded by his disciples. He also blessed the bread, breaking it in two and giving it to his disciples. He also blessed the wine. In both cases, he told them to eat and drink, because it was his body. That's why we celebrate the Eucharist to remember our covenant with Jesus and with God.
This last supper was the first cult of Christianity, which instead of being as it had been until then taking sacrifices to the temple would now be the most important moment of the new church the fraternal meal where Jesus becomes the bread of life, also clarifies that he will not drink or eat again until he makes the banquet in the Kingdom of Heaven with all humanity at his side. It is important that we remember the family blessings that we can offer on our tables.
Prayer to Give Thanks for Food
This prayer is said to bless the food. Many people do it for the main meal, i.e., lunch, but ideally, it should be said every time you eat something during the day. It can also be used prayers to thank for your food.
Dear and holy Father! I ask you to first bless this day, bless all those who are sitting around this table today, bless the person who prepared the food, bless all those who made it possible for you to be here, bless the people who grew them and the person who could provide them.
Holy and beloved Father!, we thank you for the fortune you have given us today, that is why we are fervent to you, we thank you for every moment of love and tenderness that you have had with us, that is why we adore and praise you, and We thank you for the bread that you have placed on this table today, and we ask for those who are in a bad situation, be the one who provides them with the necessary food to survive.
Do not forsake the needy, distressed or sick, provide them with what is necessary so that they can continue forward and can find the path of love towards you, at every moment give them the encouragement to stay alive and cover all the people who are faithful to you with your mantle. . Amen.
Other links that you can read are the ones we recommend below:
Powerful Prayers
Prayer of Protection for the Home
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