When we practice prayerful eating, even the simplest meal can become an encounter with the miracle of life, received with deep gratefulness. Every meal can be a moment of communion with the whole of creation.
Most of the time, we eat quickly and without awareness, moving from mouthful to mouthful without noticing.
To savour a meal—to really receive it—we need to be fully present. We need to know we are eating.
Much in our culture encourages us to experience the world as something separate at a distance from us.
Prayerful eating is a simple way to become increasingly aware of both the gift of our life, and our deep interconnectedness with the world we depend upon, and to practise living with greater sensitivity, gratefulness, and care.
St. Ephrem the Syrian (4th century) sang of how everything in creation is a symbol, a revelation of the hidden presence of God: “Lord, your symbols are everywhere… yet You are hidden from everywhere. Blessed is the Hidden One shining out!”
To practise prayerful eating is to respond to this shining Presence—to receive the luminous gift of life with wonder and humility. The simplest meal can become a doorway into grateful communion.
Find a moment of stillness before your meal.
Take a few slow, deep breaths, following the flow of your breath into and out of your body.
Allow yourself to gather your attention fully into the present moment.
Let go of any worries about the future, any regrets about the past.
Greet this precious time with a short prayer, such as:
Thank you, God, for the gift of life. I receive this food with deep gratefulness. I receive You, with deep gratefulness.
Continue to follow the flow of your breath gently as you eat.
Chew each mouthful slowly and deliberately, setting your cutlery down between bites.
Allow yourself to truly encounter the textures, tastes, and sensations of the food.
Pause often and silently say, “Thank you.”
If thoughts, worries, or distractions arise, simply notice them, let them pass, and gently return to the experience of eating with gratitude.
Once you have finished, resist the urge to rush away.
Sit quietly for a few moments, offering thanks for the meal you have received, for the gift of your life, and for the presence of anyone sharing the meal with you.
Offer a simple prayer:
God, thank you for this gift. May the strength it gives me be used in compassion and loving service toward others.