13 Ideas of What to Say for Grace
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At that wonderful moment when the food is on the table and all your loved ones have taken a seat, you realize you don't quite have the words to express how grateful you all are to come together. When your heart is full but your mind is blank, consider one of the ideas below to guide your grace this Thanksgiving and beyond.
When you’re grateful for much more than the food
Prayer from Miraculous Silence, by Mitra Rahbar
Blessed are we, for we have faith which nourishes our souls.
Blessed is each day, for we can rejoice in the wonders of the word.
Blessed are we, for we have loved.
When your favorite time of the year has arrived
Prayer by Nancy Byrd Turner, from Bless This Food, by Adrian Butash
Thank God for home,
and crisp, fair weather,
and loving hearts
That meet together—
And red, ripe fruit
And golden grain–
And dear Thanksgiving
Come again!
When your heart explodes at the thought of cooking and eating with family and friends
From Living Buddha, Living Christ, by Thich Nhat Hanh
This food is the gift of the whole universe—the earth, the sky, and much hard work...May we accept this food for the realization of the way of understanding and love.
When you need a quiet invitation to reflect
Prayer by Ralph Waldo Emerson
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
When you're trying to shed fear, anger, or uncertainty
From A Book of Blessings, by Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
May we be strong in virtue, firm in time of trouble, and always ready to help others in time of need. May we be blessed by God as we share this food and as we work and live together for the good of all. Amen.
When you want to remember all the small things you’re fortunate to have
From The Sayings of Hazrat Inayat Khan, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
O Thou, the Sustainer of our bodies, hearts, and souls,
Bless all that we receive in thankfulness. Amen.
When your family has had a difficult year
From "Earth Prayer," by Mark Nepo
Let us have the courage to hold each other when we break and worship what unfolds.
When you want to give thanks for the opportunity to move forward toward your dreams
Prayer by Barrie Shepherd, from Alive Now, May/June 1974
We look back, and we acknowledge that our life has been a gift, a gift to be accepted—savored, a gift to be lived out, fully lived out.
...
And in all this grant us grace: that elusive tenderness that blesses all it touches that lightens every load that sings in every song and dances in every step; that grace which is the flame of love, leaping up in our hearts, and setting our lives afire. Amen.
When all you have to do (right now) is enjoy your seat at the table
From Grateful Table: Blessings, Prayers and Graces, edited by Brenda Knight
For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped, for the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped, For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb, For the rose and the song, and the harvest brought home—Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
When you feel disheartened by senseless events
From The Complete Poetry, by Dr. Maya Angelou
Dear Creator, You, the borderless sea of substance, we ask You to give all the world that which we need most—Peace.
When you want to appreciate the sun and golden leaves while you can
"Thanksgiving Day Praye,r" by Walter Rauschenbusch
For the wide sky and the blessed sun,
For the salt sea and the running water,
For the everlasting hills
And the never-resting winds,
For trees and the common grass underfoot.
We thank you for our senses
By which we hear the songs of birds,
And see the splendor of the summer fields,
And taste of the autumn fruits,
And rejoice in the feel of the snow,
And smell the breath of the spring.
Grant us a heart wide open to all this beauty;
And save our souls from being so blind
That we pass unseeing
When even the common thornbush
Is aflame with your glory,
O God our creator,
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
When you’re looking for an all-encompassing way to give thanks
By Lauren Imparato, author of Retox: Healthy Solutions for Real Life
Thank you to this world that gives us and sustains us, to this family that supports us and inspires us. Thank you life.
For the support, inspiration, caring and love, thank you to this world, family, and life.
When you want to bless those who seek peace and solace
From Illuminata: A Return to Prayer, by Marianne Williamson
Please send a miracle.
Every country and every home, into every mind and every heart, may the power of Your spirit now trigger the light, activate our holiness, remind us of the truth within. May a great love now encompass us, a deep eace gives us solace. Praise and thanksgiving, as You use it to save us, to help us, to life us from the past. And we accept. Thank you very much. Amen.
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