Prayer Before and After Meals

This prayer before the meals is called a blessing because it calls down God's blessing upon us and upon what we are about to eat.

Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Grace After Meals

The prayer after meals is called grace. Here we thank God for having provided for our bodily needs and for all His benefits.

We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, O almighty God who livest and reignest forever; and may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.