By Barb Arland-Fye
Editor
Months ago, after reading news stories about people suffering from hunger and malnourishment in countries around the world and even in the U.S., I began to add special intentions to grace before meals. These intentions add a couple of minutes of prayer time before I consume my first bite but the intentions enhance my appreciation for what I am blessed to eat while keeping hungry children, women and men in my thoughts.
Initially, my husband and sons were a captive audience in this ritual when we gathered at home for a meal. They waited patiently for me to finish before diving into their steaks, burgers, pasta or sandwiches. Gradually, they have begun to add their own intentions, inspired by our older son, Colin, who is autistic and loves traditions and rituals.
This past Sunday night, my husband Steve was about to give thanks for the “Four Fyes” being together for dinner but Colin spoke first. Eager to share his gratitude for our togetherness, he also wanted to offer contrition for a negative choice he made at Empowering Abilities, which provides programs for individuals with special needs. He promised in his prayer intention not to repeat that choice. That is the power of prayer!
Our younger son, Patrick, is a bit more reserved about praying spontaneous prayer but on occasion has offered his own intention, for which I am grateful. Our ritual, at least, provides him with the opportunity to reflect in a deeper way about gratitude.
Steve was baptized Catholic, his dad’s religion, but Steve did not grow up practicing the Catholic faith or saying grace before meals. In his adulthood, he embraced this prayer. “It’s not something you should pass over. I am thankful for the food I eat,” he said. As a locomotive engineer, he made sure to say grace at his stopovers, he added.
Grace before meals brings back fond memories for me of breakfasts and dinners shared with my parents and siblings. No matter what might have happened during the day, our prayer before meals bonded us as a family and kept us mindful of God’s presence in our home.
As much as I cherish saying grace before meals, sometimes, I took it for granted, praying automatically without focusing on what I was praying. Adding intentions keeps the prayer fresh for me and grateful to God while also remembering to ask God that everyone on this planet have access to the food they need to sustain themselves.
At this point, our family reserves prayer intentions before meals to our family home. Even though we have prayed before meals in public for years, it still takes us a bit out of our comfort zone. Intentional prayer remains a work in progress!
(Contact Editor Barb Arland-Fye at arland-fye@davenportdiocese.org)
