Prayers at Meals

Our catechisms, after the daily prayers, insert a short form of prayer to be used before and after meals. The prayer before meals is known as a " blessing," for it consists in the invoking of God's blessing upon us and upon what we are about to receive; and that after meals is called a "grace," from the Latin word "gratiae," meaning "thanks," because it expresses our gratitude for our food and all other favors which God has given us.

There is no strict rule about the wording of these prayers. In convents and religious houses the blessing and grace are somewhat long, being made up of several verses, responses and prayers. For the use of the laity the brief form in our catechism is sufficient.

Such, then, is the history and the analysis of the prayers which our Holy Church recommends to us for daily use. Every Catholic should recite them at morning and night - the Our Father, to give homage to the Almighty and to invoke His protection; the Hail Mary, to honor our Blessed Mother and to obtain her intercession; the Creed, to profess our holy faith; the Confiteor, to acknowledge our unworthiness; and the Acts, to animate us with faith, hope, love and contrition.

GRACE BEFORE MEALS

BLESS us, O lord, and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty through Christ Our Lord.

R. Amen.

GRACE AFTER MEALS

WE GIVE Thee thanks, almighty God, for all Thy benefits, Who lives and reigns world without end.

R. Amen.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to reward with eternal life all those who do us good for Thy name's sake.

R. Amen.

V. Let us bless the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

V. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

R. Amen.

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