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

[57Bill]

I like to give thanks to our Father before a meal. Whether at home or out in public I will end the prayer with the Sign of the Cross. Now what do you non-catholics think when you see us do that? And Catholics, do you feel out of place when you do the Sign of the Cross? I think it would be funny to hear your responses. But please, be kind

I was asked to say grace yesterday for a 60th wedding anniversary. It was a mixed crowd so i did the “Catholic version” with the sign of the cross and ‘Bless us oh Lord’…and then an ad lib prayer of thanks to God…in Jesus’ Name we pray… and closed as I started with the Sign of the Cross. I have heard (in the presence of) Catholic priests do something similar in a fully Catholic setting so I had to made some minor changes…

Some will not make the Sign of the Cross others will. For me, I get kinda ticked when some REFUSE unless they are of non-Christian faith. These folks need some work IMHO.

 

[batman1973]

Actually, not really. In the Lord’s Prayer / Our Father, we petition our Heveanly Father to, “give us this day our daily bread…” Threfore, the food before me at a meal is, in a real sense, an answered prayer . For which I give thanks. “Bless, oh Lord, these gifts of thy bountiful kindness…”. etc

Jon

+“Come Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed”

 

[teresa_lamb]

Personally I think of those in our world who do not have the benefit of enough food to eat, remember them in my prayer, and thank God that I am fortunate enough to have been given food to eat.

This is exactly how I think.

I will add…we usually don’t dine with other catholics, however all that are at our table get to hear a blessing some cross themselves, mimicking us, others close their eyes and bow their heads…I think we’ve had a few that just stare straight ahead.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Well, I don’t pray aloud in public, especially if my husband is present, because he thinks it is merely done for others’ approval, or is like the Pharisees. We never have said the blessing before meals when we are out in a restaurant. We always say it at home though.

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

Yet another problem in a mixed marriage. (Both Catholics, but he’s still very lapsed.)

If I am by myself, I will make the sign of the cross and say the blessing aloud but quietly to myself.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

It makes no difference to me. I am a former Catholic, the product of twelve years of parochial school, and I choose not to make the sign of the cross. I have a number of friends at my church who are also former Catholics, who continue to make the sign of the cross at prayer time and when taking Communion. It is meaningful to them and I have heard of no one in our congregation who has a problem with it.

With all due respect, if you were baptized as a Catholic, you are still a Catholic, just a lapsed Catholic. “Former Catholic” is not possible. Sorry you left Jesus at the altar…

 

[Josh_RP]

Personally I think of those in our world who do not have the benefit of enough food to eat, remember them in my prayer, and thank God that I am fortunate enough to have been given food to eat.

You thank God that you have been fortunate enough to have been given food. Any one with any comments as to assigning *a price *to the food we get to eat? How valid is any price (number) placed on the food we need to live? How about others who cannot access food because they have no numbers? Whether they be here at home or abroad someplace? Why are such ones deprived?

 

[cat3gs]

I like to give thanks to our Father before a meal. Whether at home or out in public I will end the prayer with the Sign of the Cross. Now what do you non-catholics think when you see us do that? And Catholics, do you feel out of place when you do the Sign of the Cross? I think it would be funny to hear your responses. But please, be kind

I always make the sign of the cross. Once when I was eating out( in the capital building in Austin) a lady next to us prayed and made the sign of the cross. My daughter(-then about 8 or 9-) noticed. She was so awed and happy. I made sure to let the lady know she made an impact that day

 

[Reuben_J]

I don’t do it to show anyone anything - my prayer is not for the observation of others, but it is to God. I don’t care where I am or who I’m with, I will always cross myself and pray before meals.

As for reactions - I’ve only had people say to us “oh, it’s so nice that you do that!”

~Liza

Used to be quite conscious about it those days but yes, it was never to show to the world that I am Catholic, I am proud to be one though, but rather it is a determined longing to acknowledge the God of providence and that all that I have come from his good pleasure. That being the disposition there is no compromise on not saying the grace no matter where or what or how small or informal the meal is.

I have not recalled if anyone commenting on me saying the prayer, I guess none. Probably I have become very clever about it not to draw any attention but nevertheless the sign of the cross is very valid not just like scratching the chest or the face.

The flip side, perhaps age is catching up though I am not too old, oh, it must be the habit, there are times that I said it twice. My wife would say, “How many times do you say your grace?” I have now come out with suitable ammunition for defense with something like, "the first is an obligation and the second is for assurance in case the first was invalid.” Or one can never be wrong with more; it’s with less that can be a problem.

 

[Reuben_J]

I would usually turn to my daughter who is always a close ally, “Girl, have I said my grace already?” There is no compassion for this one and she would say, “No, dad you haven’t,” and how they would have their fun to see me doing it twice.

 

[Agape_Thom]

With all due respect, if you were baptized as a Catholic, you are still a Catholic, just a lapsed Catholic. “Former Catholic” is not possible. Sorry you left Jesus at the altar…

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.

 

[hn160]

My wife and I always say a prayer at meals and cross our selves whether we are in private or public.

 

[SteveVH]

What are some of your thoughts which move you to pray before a meal? Do you feel the need to recognize God in connection with the food you have before you? How about the food and other things in the supermarkets and stores, available to you? How about the people who handle and organize the food to make it easily available to you in the stores and other places? Could you expand on what you think about which moves you to pray, and on what you think about during your prayer over food, in particular?

I pray in gratitude and it doesn’t have to be a full meal. If I just have a glass of orange juice in the morning I pray because I know somewhere, someone, many actually, would give anything to have such a simple, wonderful thing as a glass of orange juice. How many children will wake up with empty stomachs in the morning and try to find something to eat at the local dump? There is no need for us to walk around feeling guilty, but we should feel great gratitude for God’s blessings. Praying before eating is a good way to remind ourselves of some of those blessings and an opportunity to show gratitude to God.

As for praying before meals in public, I think it is a great testimony and tool for evangelization to show authentic gratitude to our Creator. So its good for a lot of reasons. Any time people can be reminded of God’s presence in our world its a good thing.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

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.

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.

 

[peace2u2]

I am a former Catholic.

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

 

[aidanbradypop]

Yes family and I pray before meals. It does not matter if we are at home or Red Lobster, we stop to give thanks to God. We do the sign of the cross. People look but I am not ashamed in doing so.

Saturday we were at a birthday party for my youngest son. Our food was brought to the table and we began to pray. A little girl next to my oldest son was not praying. He tells her to stop eating and thank God. It was cute but also a blessing as well to see him point out the need for others to thank God for what they have.

 

[Josh_RP]

I pray in gratitude and it doesn’t have to be a full meal. If I just have a glass of orange juice in the morning I pray because I know somewhere, someone, many actually, would give anything to have such a simple, wonderful thing as a glass of orange juice. How many children will wake up with empty stomachs in the morning and try to find something to eat at the local dump? There is no need for us to walk around feeling guilty, but we should feel great gratitude for God’s blessings. Praying before eating is a good way to remind ourselves of some of those blessings and an opportunity to show gratitude to God.

As for praying before meals in public, I think it is a great testimony and tool for evangelization to show authentic gratitude to our Creator. So its good for a lot of reasons. Any time people can be reminded of God’s presence in our world its a good thing.

Yes, my own experience knowing what it is **to not have **and to have been without for oh so long, and now to be supplied with everything I need, moves me in line with your thoughts with regard to a simple glass of orange juice, or even a glass of clean fresh water. In the matter of water, just think of the constant flow of hot and cold water at our finger tips. In my view, prayer has to be an ever present condition of the mind “…when you lie down, when you get up, and when you walk about…” and “…tie these commands around your neck, and bind them to your heart and teach them to your children…” (paraphrased).

As to public testimony, I believe people need to understand why the vastness of suffering without exists, and whether our own needs filled today, will be so tomorrow. In consideration of these matters our thoughts reverberate to existence of evil, in the first place. What is evil? Why do we find ourselves alive amid this predicament of uncertainty and insecurity? The public is best served to be made basically aware. Stimulated to think. Is that not the message of Christianity? Is Christianity the only message of a remedy?

 

[andrewstx]

My wife and I always say a prayer at meals and cross our selves whether we are in private or public.

Do many Lutherans cross themselves? In the Lutheran churches I have visited the Pastor will bless the congregation with the sign of the cross, but none of the people sign themselves.

Has this changed?

 

[JonNC]

Do many Lutherans cross themselves? In the Lutheran churches I have visited the Pastor will bless the congregation with the sign of the cross, but none of the people sign themselves.

Has this changed?

Dramatically since I was a kid. In the day I can remember almost no one in our parish crossing themselves. when I was in college (a Lutheran one), there were a few. A couple of years ago I went to my daughter’s commencement at her Lutheran college. The event, held in their rather good-sized gymnasium (probably 3,000 in attendence), started with the invocation, and it was a sea of hands making the sign of the cross, a moving sight to be sure. In my little parish, it is a mix.

Jon

 

[Jade17]

Despite lacking religion for a couple years now, I still notice when people don’t make the sign of the cross after a meal, which I think is an interesting remnant of my Roman Catholic upbringing! I’ve moved about the country quite a bit, and have dined with people of all different faiths. I find all the different pre-meal spiritual rituals to be really neat. I can honestly say that in mixed groups, I’ve never seen anyone react impolitely to the sign of the cross, although the non-catholic kids are usually pretty curious about it.**

 

[Hascard]

As a “protesting Catholic” - i.e. a Christian who believes in the episcopate, sacraments, etc., but not in Roman supremacy - I follow the common witness of the Fathers in this matter, especially Tertullian in the third chapter of his De corona militis, and Cyril of Jerusalem in the fourth of his Catechetical Lectures.

All the early Christians did, in every daily action, involved the sign of the Cross made upon their foreheads. Who are we to deny so beautiful a remembrance to ourselves?