GRACE AFTER MEALS

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.

"Grace" means thanks. We saw in the explanation of the Our Father how
God provides us with all we need, and most frequently with food. It is
the least we can do, therefore, to thank Him for it, when it is just
placed before us. We should thank Him also after we have eaten it and
found it good, pleasing, and refreshing. When God provides us with food
He thereby makes a kind of promise that He will allow us to live awhile
longer and give us strength to serve Him. How shameful it is, then, to
turn God's gifts into a means of offending Him, as some do by the sin of
gluttony! Again, it is very wrong to murmur and be dissatisfied with
what God gives us. He does not owe us anything, and need not give unless
He wishes. What would you think of a beggar of this kind?
He comes to your door hungry, and you, instead of simply giving him some
bread to appease his hunger, take him into your house and give him a
good dinner, new clothing, and some money. Now, instead of being
thankful, suppose he should complain because you did not give him a
better dinner, finer clothing, and more money, and should look cross and
dissatisfied; what would you think of him? Would you not be tempted to
turn the ungrateful fellow out of your house, with an order never to
come again, telling him he deserved to starve for his ingratitude? We
are not quite as ungrateful as the beggar when we neglect grace at
meals, because in saying our daily prayers we thank God for all His
gifts, our food included, and hence it is not a sin to neglect grace at
meals. But do we not show some ingratitude when we murmur, complain, and
are dissatisfied with our food, clothing, or homes? God, even when we
are ungrateful, still gives; hence His wonderful goodness and mercy to
us.