In Theory: Saying a prayer before a meal is pretty common, even in a politically divided America
In a politically divided America, saying grace before a meal is a shared experience, according to a poll by the Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation.
About half of all Americans say a prayer before a meal a few times a week, according to the poll.
“Rural and urban Americans are equally likely to say grace, the poll shows. Northerners and Southerners, Catholics and Protestants, Democrats and Republicans, all say grace to varying degrees. Even some Americans who reject organized religion still say grace,” the Post reports.
Q. What are your thoughts on the poll? If you say a prayer before a meal, can you share those words? What spiritual benefit do you derive from saying grace?
I’d say the poll gives us a bit of good news. I guess it’s not surprising, though, even though this simple, home-spun act of devotion is far from what’s promoted by pop culture.
Regardless of denominational and political dividing lines, everybody eats, most everybody has to work hard to purchase what they eat, and it’s appropriate to be thankful that we have been given what we need.
I regularly give thanks before our family meals. My prayers are simple, just thanking God for our food. Occasionally I also pray briefly for some other urgent need as well — pretty much like most other folks pray before meals, I suppose. My mealtime prayers aren’t really for the purpose of my benefit, but I know that I do benefit from them, drawing my heart and my mind closer to God and obeying his command to give thanks in all things.
The Bible specifically says that Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish to the crowds after he gave thanks to God for them. I wonder what kinds of blessings our nation would receive, what kind of healing power would be sent from heaven, if we would take a little more time each day to acknowledge God and thank him for all the blessings we have?
Pastor Jon Barta
Burbank
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Half of people praying together at meals means half are not. This to me indicates a clear divide, not a “shared experience,” but is not a negative. We are a diverse people in our spiritual beliefs, and I believe those differences must be respected.
Prayers are a quiet moment for me to affirm the nonexistence of supernatural beings, except as interesting myths invented by humans.
Nevertheless prayers are recited at times in our secular home, led by family or close friends who desire them. But my house, my rules — no praying if anyone feels offended, alienated or excluded.
I would like to see the same consideration always in public settings. Prayers at civic and government events are not appropriate. No matter what synonyms are substituted for “prayer,” invoking a deity cannot be ecumenical in its broad sense.
In this I strongly disagree with the split (5-4) decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, in Town of Greece vs. Galloway, as do many others including the Los Angeles Times (https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-prayer-public-meetings-supreme-court-20140506-story.html). Sure, we objectors to government-sanctioned prayer can exercise our rights not to be there, but why should we be excluded from our civic life?
Prayers recited at taxpayer expense by a government official rather than by a volunteer clergy or citizen not only fail the inclusion test but are constitutionally suspect, even under the Supreme Court’s unfortunate and misguided 2014 decision.
Roberta Medford
Atheist
Montrose
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“Good bread, good meat, good god, let’s eat!” I’ve heard that smart-alecky “grace” from those who don’t have any real thankfulness to offer to the one who created everything and allows them to fill their stomachs, and I almost expect a little fire from the sky when someone says it. But the reason I make sure to say a proper grace before eating is so that I am not like the barbarians who, like dogs, rush into their food as soon as it’s placed before them, acting as if there is no God to whom gratitude is owed.
As Christians, we have many rote prayers that members of certain denominations recite at mealtime, and they can be meaningful as well as helpful when our own words fail us, but the worry is that they become trite and stale and meaningless, thus canceling their value. We know that Christ said grace, as we are reminded every time we relive the last supper in our Communion services; “Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body’” (Mat 26:26 NIV). Such is the pattern Christians emulate when we eat our meals. Jesus also taught us saying, “when you pray, do not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do” (Mat 6:7 MEV) so I think it fitting to consider our thoughts before we speak them out, but we shouldn’t neglect them. Sometimes we feel odd doing such a private thing in a restaurant, but we shouldn’t, as we are witnessing for our God when we put him above the stares of graceless patrons.
When I can sit and eat, whether alone or with family, I try to be mindful of what I am doing and what makes it possible. I might pray, “Lord, we thank you for your many blessings, for the food before us, and for the one whose hands prepared this meal. May we be truly grateful.” It doesn’t have to be much, it only has to be real, remembering that it is God who gave “us this day our daily bread” (Mat 6:11 NKJ).
Rev. Bryan A. Griem
Tujunga