Prayer before a meal? A question for Catholic and Non- Catholic

[Miriam1947]

I did not leave Jesus at the altar, or anywhere else. He is in my heart. Let’s make a deal: I wont judge you, you don’t judge me.

I am so sorry you feel that that was a judgement. I remember a Mormon I was speaking with (on a thread) and he was a former practicing Cahtolic.

I was amazed that he gave up the Eucharist for bread and water (otherwise known as a prisoners’ meal)

Giving up the Eucharist is amazing to me. I could never do that. There is no sect, no other religion, no other belief system that could EVER make me give up Jesus himself in the Eucharist.

 

[DaveBj]

When I pray it is merely thanking God that the food in front of me is available for my consumption. A little confused about you question, I guess asking for blessings for those involved in the process of growing, cooking, etc is not a bad idea.

God Bless

I live in the Baptist Bible Belt (altho our county could be considered its Catholic buckle ), and it is not at all uncommon to see a family or a large group sit down in a restaurant, bow their heads, and “say grace.”

With specific regard to your comment, when I was a Protestant it was a frequent occurrence that “grace” in a family gathering would end with “. . . and bless the hands that prepared it.” Then at subsequent meals, when we were eating the leftovers, I started ending the “grace” with “. . . and bless the hands that repaired it.”

I find it interesting that when I am in gatherings with my Baptist cousins, who know that I am Catholic and that I start and end prayers with the Sign of the Cross, still ask me to bless the food before we eat.

 

[Brendan_64]

Sorry, but I will pray for you. As a formerly lapsed Catholic, now happily in communion with the Church, I know what you have left behind. And I’m not going to say “it’s all good,” because it really isn’t.

Me too.

I’ll second that.

 

[Publisher]

I pray before I eat…but silently. If I am with a group of Friends, we may sit in silence for a moment before we eat.

Graditude needs no words nor “signs” as it is God we are being thankful to…and He sees the “inward parts” of our hearts. He knows if our asking a blessing on the food we eat is heartfelt or just “something” we do out of habit and rote.

A amusing…well at least to me it’s amusing…anecdote Friends have told…"A Baptist family invited some Friends to have dinner with them. The Baptist father asked the Quaker father to offer grace at the meal. So everyone bowed their heads and silence followed…eventually the Friend said “Amen” and began eating. The Baptist said “I didn’t hear anything you said.” The Friend smiled and said “I wasn’t speaking with thee.”

As far as observing public prayer by Catholics or non-Catholics in restaurants…“to each his own” is my motto.

 

[benjohnson]

I try to say it to myself before I start eating, without drawing too much attention from him. No sign of the cross, ever.

If I find myself feeling uncomfortable crossing myself, I’ll do a cross on my forehead - it’s a little bit more discrete.

 

[sojo]

As adult converts, saying grace felt uncomfortable the first 2 or 3 times. Many years later with a son, it only feels weird to NOT say grace with the sign of the cross. Even a hot dog purchased at the county fair eaten standing up gets a family grace.

Don’t know if anyone has ever made fun of us. I suppose they have. We have been commended by many, including non-Christians for doing so at fast food restaurants and other places where it is less common. None of it matters. We thank God for his gifts - that’s all that’s important.

Now – another question… when in a non-denom. setting and a prayer before meal is offered by a non-Catholic. Do you start and finish with a sign of the cross? We do. No one has ever remarked about it, but I suppose it does set us apart.

 

[Agape_Thom]

I’m curious…Why did you leave the Catholic church? And do you think you will re-enter the doors of the Catholic church?

My reasons for leaving the Catholic Church were several. Keep in mind that it was the Catholic Church I left, not Christ. I know in my heart that through the years I have grown closer to Christ than I ever could have done if I had remained a Catholic.

That said, without going into any detail, several of the reasons I am not catholic:

1. At the age of 18 (admittedly young) after 12 years of parochial school, I seldom saw what was taught to me being practiced.
2. After much prayer and thought I was not able to believe in such doctrines as Peterine primacy, the “real presence”, the need to confess to another human being in order to receive God’s forgiveness, and several other things.

Will I ever return to the Catholic Church? Most doubtful. I am happy and content in my faith in God, my trust in His divine providence and the fellowship of my local church. I hold no animosity toward the Catholic Church nor those who are loyal to her.