Gracious God,
giver of all good gifts
great and small,
this day we offer our thanks
for them all.
Awaken in us that gratitude
which is the heart of all prayer;
in recognizing the good
we turn to You the giver.
As our ancestors did before us
we give you thanks
for the bounty of this table
to share with family and friends.
May we always be hospitable
to those outside our tribe
as the Native Americans
sustained the Pilgrims.
We give You thanks
for the blessings we enjoy
and pray for a generous heart
willing to share with others.
We give You thanks
for the people who love us;
and for those who don't,
may we live with them in peace.
We thank You for good health
and the endurance you give us
when we are sick.
We thank You for hope
when we are in troubled times.
Give us the grace to find the best
in each other, forgive past hurts
and speak our truth with charity.
As Jesus shared the loaves and fishes,
as Jesus shared his very self,
may we mirror his generosity
and be life-giving to each other.
Loving God,
You created us
and continue to sustain us.
You call us to live in harmony with creation
and to be at peace with each other.
We pray all this in the name of the law:
God's law,
which is the law of love.
Amen.
Prayer written by Father Frank Desiderio
