Things You'll Need:
- Buddhist Prayer Books
- Siddurim (Jewish Prayer Books)
- Islamic Prayer Books
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Step 1
Figure out how you want to say grace. Do you want to sit individually and bow your head, stand up behind your chairs and hold hands, or stay seated and hold hands? Consider that those who don't share your religious beliefs may not want to engage in the activity.
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Step 2
Acknowledge different faiths present in your gathering. You might use a grace from your own faith but give additional thanks that your friends and loved ones from different backgrounds are present.
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Step 3
Decide who will lead the family and any guests in saying grace. Traditionally, the head of the family takes the lead, but it is often a nice touch to have a child take the lead. If a clergy member is present, he or she should be asked to say grace.
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Step 4
Consider how lengthy the grace should be. Are there a lot of children present? They may fidget during a very long grace.
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Step 5
Think about the ideas and events you want to address in your grace. Have family members traveled a long way to be at the meal? Have obstacles been overcome in the past year? Have joyous occasions marked the year?
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Step 6
To make it easy on yourself, begin (or begin and end) with a standard grace. For example, if you want to acknowledge the bountiful feast and profess your faith in a higher being at the same time, you might say this old Christian prayer: "Be present at our table, Lord; be here, and everywhere adored; Thy mercies bless and grant that we may feast in fellowship with Thee. Amen." Or the classic: "Bless us O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen."
Comments
Saimon said
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deanoman777 said
on 1/16/2007 Lord God we ask you to bless this food we are about to receive. Bless the hands that prepared it. Use it to nourish and strengthen our bodies, and our bodies for your kingdom work. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 Family -
Bless us dear Lord and these thy gifts, which we are about to recieve, from thy bounty through Chrish our Lord. Amen.
OR Philmont Grace: For Food, For Raiment, For Life, For Opportunity, For Friendship and Fellowship, we thank thee O Lord.
Anonymous said
on 1/2/2006 Traditional prayers are beautiful prayers to use for grace at the table. Not only are we united with other families in Christ by using this prayer, it is an all inclusive prayer that fits every meal.
In the Bible, the apostles asked Jesus to "teach us to pray" and He then gave the Lord's prayer. Traditional prayers like this one and the prayer over meals used across the world are wonderful to bring to the family table.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Say what is in your heart - not what you think that God and your family wants to hear. Grace is not a once-a-month thing or a Thanksgiving dinner thing. Grace is Prayer. Prayer is talking to God. It doesn't have to be fancy or proper. Just be sincere.