Saying Grace

Journal

10/14/25, 07:46:15 AM

To Chloe & Eleanor:

Why do we say grace at supper? Read Luke 11: 37-41:

37 While [Jesus] was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the tale. 38 The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you.

When we say grace it is like blessing the alms we give, and are given ─ that is the food itself. 'God bless this food and those who eat it,' not God bless these cups and dishes'. It of course, goes back much further than that in scripture, with the origins in the Old Testament, but this is what Jesus said, in many ways, in the New Testament. God is not as concerned with the “cup” (meaning the ritual of sacrifice) as with what is in the cup (the spirit, in this case the spirit of mercy).

So saying grace,” is like cleaning the food you are about to consume ─ spiritually. Saying grace is, then, also an act of cleansing yourself to receive the food. because the food is about to become part of you. And this is God's design for sustaining you: for keeping you alive & in good health.

Also at evening supper, a candle is traditionally lit, both in Judaic practice and in that of many other traditions. It too reflects grace, God's grace, as reflected in Isaiah 9:2, and in Matthew 4:16,which is a reminder of the Isaiah scripture. This is also reflected in the Evening Prayer, in the Phos Hilaron, an ancient 3rd or 4th century hymn that is now2 a part of every Evening Prayer: see An Order of Worship for the Evening,

Please keep in mind that these types of “memorized Prayers” have long existed, since ancient times. Some people condemn memorized prayer, but it is no different from what  you say at supper as "grace". It is one type of prayer. Even Jesus taught it when he tuahgt his disciples "The Lord's Prayer" aka as "The Our Father" by Catholics:

• Luke 11: 2-4 KJV

• Luke 11: 2-4 NRSVA

• Luke 11: 2-4 GNV
  Luke - Jerusalem Bible (Find chapter 11, verse 2)