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<h1>Saying Grace Around the World</h1>

<h4 style="text-align: center; ">LATIN AMERICAN</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">To those who have hunger <br> Give bread. <br> And to those who have bread <br> Give the hunger for justice.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center; ">BUDDHIST</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">This food is the gift <br> of the whole universe. <br> Each morsel is a sacrifice of life, <br> May I be worthy to receive it. <br> May the energy in this food <br> Give me the strength <br> To transform my unwholesome qualities <br> Into wholesome ones. <br> I am grateful for this food. <br> May I realize the Path of Awakening, <br> For the sake of all beings.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center; ">MUSLIM</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">All praises are due to Allah who gave us sufficient food to eat and who satiated our thirst while such food is needed by us all the time and while we are not ungrateful to Allah.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center; ">ASHANTI, GHANA</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">Earth, when I am about to die <br> I lean upon you. <br> Earth, while I am alive <br> I depend upon you.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center; ">SELKIRK GRACE, SCOTTISH</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">Some hae meat and canna eat, <br> And some wad eat that want it. <br> But we hae meat, and we can eat, <br> Sae let the Lord be thankit.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center; ">CHRISTIAN CHILDREN'S PRAYER</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">Thank you God for the world so sweet, <br> Thank you God for the food we eat. <br> Thank you God for the birds that sing, <br> Thank you God for everything.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center; ">APOSTOLIC, ARMENIA</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord, <br> And Thou givest them their food in due season. <br> Thou openest Thy hand and fillest all things <br> Living with plenteousness.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center; ">HINDU, INDIA</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">Before grasping this grain, <br> let us consider in our minds <br> the reasons why <br> we should care for and safeguard this body. <br> This is my prayer, oh God: <br> May I be forever devoted at your feet, <br> offering body, mind, and wealth <br> to the service of truth in the world.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center; ">COPTIC, EGYPT</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">Bless, O Lord, the plants, the vegetation, <br> and the herbs of the field, <br> that they may grow <br> and increase to fullness <br> and bear much fruit. <br> And may the fruit of the land <br> remind us of the spiritual fruit <br> we should bear.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center; ">MOTHER TERESA, CATHOLIC, CALCUTTA</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">Make us worthy, Lord, <br> To serve those people <br> Throughout the world who live and die <br> In poverty and hunger. <br> Give them, through our hands <br> This day their daily bread, <br> And by our understanding love, <br> Give peace and joy.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center; ">SIOUX, NATIVE AMERICAN</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">I&rsquo;m an Indian. <br> I think about the common things like this pot. <br> The bubbling water comes from the rain cloud. <br> It represents the sky. <br> The fire comes from the sun, <br> Which warms us all, men, animals, trees. <br> The meat stands for the four-legged creatures, <br> Our animal brothers, <br> Who gave themselves so that we should live. <br> The steam is living breath. <br> It was water, now it goes up to the sky, <br> Becomes a cloud again. <br> These things are sacred. <br> Looking at that pot full of good soup, <br> I am thinking how, in this simple manner, <br> The Great Spirit takes care of me.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center; ">JEWISH</h4>
<p style="text-align: center; ">Praised are You, our God, Ruler of the universe, who in goodness, with grace, kindness, and mercy, feeds the entire world. He provides bread for all creatures, for His kindness is never-ending. And because of His magnificent greatness we have never wanted for food, nor will we ever want for food, to the end of time.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; ">For His great name, because He is God who feeds and provides for all, and who does good to all by preparing food for all of His creatures whom He created: Praised are You, God, who feeds all.</p>
<hr style="width: 50%;" width="50%"><p><em><span>Sources:</span></em></p>
<p><em><span>VARIOUS: </span></em><br><em><span> Compilation of graces by Azuka Nwigwe, Grail World Magazine </span></em><br><br><em><span> ASHANTI, COPTIC, MOTHER TERESA: </span></em><br><em><span> From the book "Bless This Food." Copyright &copy; 1993, 2007 by Adrian Butash. Reprinted with permission of New World Library, Novato, CA. </span></em><br><br><em><span> HINDU: </span></em><br><em><span> Translated by Linda Hess at Stanford University</span></em></p>
<hr style="width: 50%;" width="50%"><p><a href="http://nikkimcclure.com/" target="_self" title="" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nikki McClure</a> of Olympia, Washington is known for her painstakingly intricate and beautiful papercuts. Armed with an X-acto knife, she cuts out her images from a single sheet of paper and creates a bold language that translates the complex poetry of motherhood, nature, and activism into a simple and endearing picture.</p>
<p>Download the A World of Grace poster.</p>
<p><a href="resolveuid/8cc4b721b06549d9bd5f7cb84fe04bb6" target="_self" title="" rel="noopener noreferrer">11x17 Poster</a></p>

<p>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org">Yes! Magazine</a> at <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/food-everyone/2009/02/14/saying-grace-around-the-world">https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/food-everyone/2009/02/14/saying-grace-around-the-world</a>.</p><link href="https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/food-everyone/2009/02/14/saying-grace-around-the-world" rel="canonical"/><p>Yes! Magazine is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of ... . Learn more at <a href="https://www.yesmagazine.org">Yes! Magazine</a></p><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://www.yesmagazine.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=15852&ga4=G-74QJNNY44Z" style="width:1px;height:1px;">

Saying Grace Around the World

LATIN AMERICAN
To those who have hunger  Give bread.  And to those who have bread  Give the hunger for justice.
 
BUDDHIST
This food is the gift  of the whole universe.  Each morsel is a sacrifice of life,  May I be worthy to receive it.  May the energy in this food  Give me the strength  To transform my unwholesome qualities  Into wholesome ones.  I am grateful for this food.  May I realize the Path of Awakening,  For the sake of all beings.
 
MUSLIM
All praises are due to Allah who gave us sufficient food to eat and who satiated our thirst while such food is needed by us all the time and while we are not ungrateful to Allah.
 
ASHANTI, GHANA
Earth, when I am about to die  I lean upon you.  Earth, while I am alive  I depend upon you.
 
SELKIRK GRACE, SCOTTISH
Some hae meat and canna eat,  And some wad eat that want it.  But we hae meat, and we can eat,  Sae let the Lord be thankit.
 
CHRISTIAN CHILDREN'S PRAYER
Thank you God for the world so sweet,  Thank you God for the food we eat.  Thank you God for the birds that sing,  Thank you God for everything.
 
APOSTOLIC, ARMENIA
The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord,  And Thou givest them their food in due season.  Thou openest Thy hand and fillest all things  Living with plenteousness.
 
HINDU, INDIA
Before grasping this grain,  let us consider in our minds  the reasons why  we should care for and safeguard this body.  This is my prayer, oh God:  May I be forever devoted at your feet,  offering body, mind, and wealth  to the service of truth in the world.
 
COPTIC, EGYPT
Bless, O Lord, the plants, the vegetation,  and the herbs of the field,  that they may grow  and increase to fullness  and bear much fruit.  And may the fruit of the land  remind us of the spiritual fruit  we should bear.
 
MOTHER TERESA, CATHOLIC, CALCUTTA
Make us worthy, Lord,  To serve those people  Throughout the world who live and die  In poverty and hunger.  Give them, through our hands  This day their daily bread,  And by our understanding love,  Give peace and joy.
 
SIOUX, NATIVE AMERICAN
I’m an Indian.  I think about the common things like this pot.  The bubbling water comes from the rain cloud.  It represents the sky.  The fire comes from the sun,  Which warms us all, men, animals, trees.  The meat stands for the four-legged creatures,  Our animal brothers,  Who gave themselves so that we should live.  The steam is living breath.  It was water, now it goes up to the sky,  Becomes a cloud again.  These things are sacred.  Looking at that pot full of good soup,  I am thinking how, in this simple manner,  The Great Spirit takes care of me.
 
JEWISH
Praised are You, our God, Ruler of the universe, who in goodness, with grace, kindness, and mercy, feeds the entire world. He provides bread for all creatures, for His kindness is never-ending. And because of His magnificent greatness we have never wanted for food, nor will we ever want for food, to the end of time.
For His great name, because He is God who feeds and provides for all, and who does good to all by preparing food for all of His creatures whom He created: Praised are You, God, who feeds all.
Sources:
VARIOUS:  Compilation of graces by Azuka Nwigwe, Grail World Magazine  ASHANTI, COPTIC, MOTHER TERESA:  From the book "Bless This Food." Copyright © 1993, 2007 by Adrian Butash. Reprinted with permission of New World Library, Novato, CA.  HINDU:  Translated by Linda Hess at Stanford University
Nikki McClure of Olympia, Washington is known for her painstakingly intricate and beautiful papercuts. Armed with an X-acto knife, she cuts out her images from a single sheet of paper and creates a bold language that translates the complex poetry of motherhood, nature, and activism into a simple and endearing picture.
Download the A World of Grace poster.
11x17 Poster

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