Blessing The Food

[mfbukowski]

Wait. I lied. We said a blessing on food about a month ago. We decided to live dangerously and eat take out from a restaurant. We are not so observant right off and by the time I realized that this wasn't the greatest restaurant we also realized there were drug deals going in around us. We had them make it take out. Then we prayed over the food, asking for confirmation that it was safe to eat and a warning and/or blessing on it if it wasn't. I didn't leave a review, though DH doesn't think this was the kind of place that would care about a review, because we didn't want retaliation.

Why did we eat the food? Well we did have peace about it, but I just got up in the adventure of doing it. I've done that now. Next time we will just dump the food at home if we are ever in a place like that again.

I once was sick for five days on some bad resturant chicken. No kidding,five days. Started about an hour after eating. Horrible. Probably should have blessed it. Edited April 24, 2015 by mfbukowski

[3DOP]

Okay, I get why we are commanded to say prayers before eating. It makes the act of eating a little more sacred and brings to remembrance God who gives us our daily bread. That's fine and I think a good idea.

 

What I don't get is why we bless the food. The food is not truly sacred. Why do we make it so?

 

And why do LDS fall into the "nourish and strengthen" bit. I have seen more then a few meals so blessed that make that request the equivalent of blessing moonshine before drinking it. There is no way the Word of Wisdom is okay with this.

 

So is there a precedent for blessing the food or is this a false tradition of our fathers? Thoughts?

 

The Nehor...hey.

 

When I was answering questions in Social Hall about my seminary son in regards to what are called "minor orders", I decided not to try to explain that only those who have advanced as far as first minor orders can "bless the food". We all give thanks, but only clerics advanced to orders are lawfully designated to make the sign of the Cross over the food, thereby imparting a form of grace attached to the partaking of a meal so blessed. 

 

There is a reason I did not talk about that. I thought it wouldn't be understood very well and still think it will be an uphill battle to explain. But since you bring it up...

 

We believe it is God's will that all of his faithful have a veneration for the holy priesthood he has established. There is no question that the faithful are always pleased for Father, or in the case of a priest's absence, a Porter/Lector, by the authority of the Church, to give God's special benediction to a meal. In the case of Catholics, I am thinking it is another of God's ways of bringing before us, His lay faithful especially, the truth that He has established an economy of salvation which binds us to those who have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

Edited April 24, 2015 by 3DOP

[3DOP]

Oh...a pertinent story.

 

When our oldest daughter was married, for some reason, the priest, a young Father who had been a seminary friend of our son-in-law was late to the reception and it was appropriate to proceed without His blessing the food. Our son-in-law suggested that our son, who was then a first year seminarian wearing suit and tie rather than cassock, should give thanks for the food as the highest ranking "prelate" (heh). Wilfred would have none of it, and declined rather adamantly. I tend to think that was within his right back then. Of course, he would now be obliged under similar circumstances. In any event, in the absence of Father, the father of the bride pronounced our thanks and asked God's blessing on the food. I can remember saying apologetically to the rather huge gathering that I was only doing it because the priest was still absent. Knowing everybody was ready to begin, I was confident my "boldness" would be well received. What a great day to remember...

Edited April 24, 2015 by 3DOP

[Rivers]

I have wondered the same thing for years.  Giving thanks is commanded/precedented, but blessing our meals has no precedent I can find.

There is that part of the Book of Mormon that talks about the Lord making raw meat sweet for the Lehi and his family.

[diamondintherough]

Okay, I get why we are commanded to say prayers before eating. It makes the act of eating a little more sacred and brings to remembrance God who gives us our daily bread. That's fine and I think a good idea.

 

What I don't get is why we bless the food. The food is not truly sacred. Why do we make it so?

 

And why do LDS fall into the "nourish and strengthen" bit. I have seen more then a few meals so blessed that make that request the equivalent of blessing moonshine before drinking it. There is no way the Word of Wisdom is okay with this.

 

So is there a precedent for blessing the food or is this a false tradition of our fathers? Thoughts?

 

I've come across the concept that a blessing on the food raises the vibration of it (everything is energy) but I would think it needs to be 'live food' to begin with.  Anyway, I also like some of the points made here:

 

THE BLESSING

Asking God to bless the food before a meal has been an accepted ritual handed down from generation to generation. It has been thought by some to promote better nutrition and healing by raising the vibration of the food. Better that we ask God to bless our proper selection of more complete foods as we go shopping for that which will advance our physical and our spiritual needs. Ask Him to bless the preparation of the food, and for temperance in eating, so as to enable our bodies to receive the utmost of value from what God has so abundantly supplied for our daily use. Ask Him to bless the animal, fish, or fowl we did NOT kill that we may better sustain our lives with the finer qualities of live fresh fruit, vegetables, and seeds. Better to ask God to give us KNOWLEDGE to keep our bodies strong and healthy so we have no need to ask Him to heal a sick and ailing body that we produced ourselves by not originally obeying His simple laws. Blame not God for the many illnesses and diseases you have created (they are not “Acts of God”!). Better that you ask God for His blessings and forgiveness— and to give strength and wisdom to properly apply the knowledge of His simple laws.

[halconero]

One might consider the Lord making the raw meat eaten by Lehi's family sweet unto them a way of nourishing the body. Why not bless it so that its physical properties are more advantageous to us?

[Calm]

And bless our bodies that they can better take advantage of the food at the same time wouldn't be a bad idea (people with my disorder have a hard time absorbing iron so that problem is kind of constantly on my mind).

[carbon dioxide]

Blessing the food is a good thing but we should be wise about it.  We should not ask the Lord to bless our brownies and Twinkies that our bodies might be stronger from it. 

[Okrahomer]

Blessing the food is a good thing but we should be wise about it.  We should not ask the Lord to bless our brownies and Twinkies that our bodies might be stronger from it. 

 

How about:  blessing our bodies so that they don't get sick from it...?

[The Nehor]

One might consider the Lord making the raw meat eaten by Lehi's family sweet unto them a way of nourishing the body. Why not bless it so that its physical properties are more advantageous to us?

Because doing it when you are eating crap is like asking the Lord to give you the power to walk on water to cross a river when you are right next to a bridge.

[Bit]

I always tell my family that the food is pre-blessed, like from a Kosher kitchen.

[Bit]

Blessing the food is a good thing but we should be wise about it.  We should not ask the Lord to bless our brownies and Twinkies that our bodies might be stronger from it. 

 

That doesn't work. Have you eaten at Taqueria El Rey de la Plata y Diamantes?

[halconero]

Because doing it when you are eating crap is like asking the Lord to give you the power to walk on water to cross a river when you are right next to a bridge.

And if you're eating good food?