Happy Thanksgiving!
In honor of today’s celebration in the United States, I thought I would share something simple yet profound. As you probably know, I love the poetry of the late Irish mystic John O’Donohue. He has a lovely book called To Bless the Space Between Us, full of prayers of blessing for all occasions.
Today I would like to share his prayers to bless a meal, both before and after. I love these poems, and I think they capture just a hint of what a truly lovely meal can represent: goodness, love, awareness, togetherness, and gratitude.
I hope these prayers bless your day, whether you’re feasting today or no, and blessings be upon you wherever they find you!
Grace Before Meals
by John O’Donohue
As we begin this meal with grace, Let us be aware of the memory Carried inside the food before us: The quiver of the seed Awakening in the earth, Unfolding in a trust of roots And slender stems of growth, On its voyage toward harvest, The kiss of rain and surge of sun; The innocence of animal soul That never spoke a word, Nourished by the earth To become today our food; The work of all the strangers Whose hands prepared it, The privilege of wealth and health That enables us to feast and celebrate.
Grace After Meals
by John O’Donohue
We end this meal with grace For the joy and nourishment of food, The slowed time away from the world To come into presence with each other And sense the subtle lives behind our faces, The different colors of our voices, The edges of hungers we keep private, The circle of love that unites us. We pray the wise spirit who keeps us To change the structures that make others hunger And that after such grace we might now go forth And impart dignity wherever we partake.
Thank you for reading!
Moved by this piece (or simply feel like supporting my coffee habit) and want to contribute a one-time donation? Click the Tip Jar button below!
Did this piece resonate with you? Take a moment to share it!
If you enjoy this piece, please let me know by tapping the heart to like, comment with your thoughts, share with someone you think will enjoy it, and subscribe to get instant access to my future work right to your inbox. Blessings!
Happy Thanksgiving!
These are beautiful! Thank you for sharing. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!