# Thanksgiving Table Prayer
*2017-11-23*

> Bill Young shares a traditional Thanksgiving prayer from AmericanCatholic.org and reflects on its meaning, especially as non‑Catholics join the family dinner.

## Welcome and Context

Hi, I’m Bill Young, and welcome to Prayer & Lunch. This episode is our Thanksgiving prayer. My wife found a beautiful prayer on AmericanCatholic.org called the Thanksgiving Table Prayer. This year we’ll have non‑Catholics and non‑believers at our dinner, so I hope this prayer helps everyone draw nearer to God.

## The Thanksgiving Table Prayer

O Gracious God, we give You thanks for Your overflowing generosity to us. Thank You for the blessing of the food we eat, especially for the feast today. Thank You for our home, our family, and our friends, and especially for the presence of those gathered here. Thank You for our health, our work, and our play. Please send help to those who are hungry, alone, sick, or suffering from war and violence. Open our hearts to Your love. We ask Your blessing through Christ, Your Son.

## Reflection

I pray that this prayer opens our hearts to the needs of others and reminds us that every blessing is a gift from God. May the gratitude we express at the table extend beyond the meal, reaching those who are far from the table.

*A prayer of thanks becomes a prayer for love and solidarity with all God’s children.*