Grace Before Meals is the short prayer Catholics say before eating, asking God to bless the food and those who share it.
Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
How to Pray It
- Make the Sign of the Cross.
- Pray "Bless us, O Lord..."
- End with the Sign of the Cross.
In many families, one person leads and everyone joins in. Some families also add a short intention, for the cook, for those who have no food, or for someone who is sick.
What It Means
Grace Before Meals is a prayer of gratitude and blessing:
- "Bless us, O Lord": we ask God's blessing on ourselves, not just the food.
- "These Thy gifts": everything on the table is a gift from God, even when we worked to earn it.
- "From Thy bounty": God's generosity is the true source of all we have.
- "Through Christ our Lord": like all Christian prayer, it is offered through Jesus.
Jesus Himself gave thanks before meals, when He fed the five thousand and at the Last Supper (Matthew 14:19; Luke 22:19).
In Latin (Benedic, Domine)
Benedic, Domine, nos et haec tua dona, quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
After the Meal
The tradition is to give thanks after eating as well. See Grace After Meals.