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Karakia mō mua i te kai — Grace Before Meals

Giving Thanks

Grace is the name given to the prayer of thanks we say before eating.
Short statements of gratitude they might also include thanks for what has happened during the day.
There are many forms of grace.  There is no correct one.  The following are just a few ideas.

The Familiar

Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts, which we are about to receive from your bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
or
Bless us O Lord,  bless this food, bless those who prepared it and give food to the hungry. Amen

Karakia Before Meal Expand

E te Atua
kia whakapaingia matou
me enei kai,
kua homai e koe
kia ora ai matou.
Ma to matou Ariki,
ma Hehu Karaititi
Amene

Time to Pray and Eat Expand

Time to Pray and Eat

Recite with the same rhythm as the nursery rhyme, Pop Goes the Weasel.

Every day around this time,
We gather at the table,
But before we take a bite,
We STOP and say thank you.

Thanks to those who bought the food,
Thanks to those who cooked it,
Most of all we thank You, Lord,

Now GO ahead and eat it!

(Shout or clap on the words "stop" and "go" if you wish.)

Source: Focus on the Family Canada, 2013

Blessing Hymn Expand

Tune: Edelweiss

Come dear Lord, be our guest
As we gather together
May our hearts glow with love
Keep us close to you forever.

Love and joy, may they bloom and grow,
Bloom and grow forever.

Bless our homes, bless our friends,
Bless our family forever.

A Simple Grace Expand

God is great and God is Good,
And we thank God for our food;
By God's hand we must be fed,
Give us Lord, our daily bread. Amen.

Prayer of Joy Expand

Full of joy and thankfulness, we say 'Thank you Lord' from the bottom of our hearts.

We look at the food that has been prepared by loving hands, we look into the faces of those that love us and whom we love.

And we say thank you Lord, thank you.

Amen

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