a blessing for around the table

God, awaken us to the everyday miracle of a simple meal.
Whether it is take-out that took a phone call,
a recipe that took an entire afternoon,
or the cereal-for-dinner again feeling this meal creates,
bless it all.

So blessed are we, sharing a meal today.
May we recognize God’s goodness
in the thoughtful preparation,
in the delivering,
in the eating together,
savoring something that tastes like love.

May our time around the table be a gift.

May we be present to one another
engaging all our senses
as an act of thankful worship
to the nourishment that’s before us
with the people we love. Or are trying to.

God, bless the hands that prepared this,
those with us now,
and the ones we wish were.
Bless us, oh God.
in all of our eating and cooking and gathering and sharing,
our jokes, talking-with-our-mouths full,
and elbows on the table,
may we taste and see the love that multiplies.

Amen.

From my forthcoming book, The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days. Click here to Pre-Order.