Mealtime - Prayers for Every Occasion

JESUS, on busy days, preparing a meal for my family seems challenging. Figuring out how to feed a multitude of five thousand hungry people would be totally overwhelming. You did it, though, with only five loaves of bread and a couple of fish. Your miracle of multiplying one person’s lunch into a bountiful feast was amazing. Maybe even more amazing was that you—the Bread of Life—took time to thank God the Father for the food.

I realize that some of us grew up in homes where a blessing was said before every meal; praying came naturally and even became somewhat routine as we used the same words over and over. Others of us have rarely prayed; we are uncomfortable talking to you or struggle to find appropriate words. But you, Jesus, have demonstrated that our prayers don’t need to be eloquent. We can simply offer thanks for the food set before us, the people around us, and the ways you care for us. You are more concerned about our being grateful than about our finding the “perfect” words. What matters to you is what’s in our hearts.

Your example of giving thanks encourages us to do it too. Thank you for providing for us, day after day. Amen.