ORDINARIVM

BENEDICTIO MENSAE

Grace Before Meals

The blessing before meals (Benedictio Mensae) sanctifies the act of eating, acknowledging God as the source of all sustenance. The practice follows Jewish custom and St. Paul's instruction that food should be 'received with thanksgiving' (1 Timothy 4:4). Source: Rituale Romanum, Title IX.

LATINE
Benedic, Domine, nos et haec tua dona
quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
Amen.
ENGLISH
Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts,
which we are about to receive from Thy bounty,
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
NOTA
FONS
Rituale Romanum
USUS
Before meals
CONTEXT
The practice of blessing meals dates to the earliest Christian communities, following Jewish custom. St. Paul instructs that food should be 'received with thanksgiving' (1 Tim 4:4).