From Rev. Jasper Peters, Associate Pastor
Growing up, my family would always say grace before a meal.
My father would say the same thing before each meal. Every so often, the
children would be invited to say a rudimentary prayer, but often we would just
be there to listen. I never understood why it was called grace.
My first week away at college, I realized I could now begin
to figure out who I would be, independent of family traditions. I considered
whether it was necessary to continue saying a formulaic prayer before I ate. It
was honestly difficult to make this decision in the middle of a college dining
hall. While sitting at a table of 18 and 19-year-olds, I stopped talking,
closed my eyes, and I took a moment to think.
I thought about all the things that had happened in my life
that had brought me to that moment at that table. I acknowledged all the things
that might have gone differently in my life, preventing me from sitting at that
table. Then I thought about the sacrifices of plants and animals that made the
meal possible at all. Something had to die so that I might live. How could all
this even be possible? All of a sudden, the word “grace” made a lot more sense.
I decided then and there that praying before a meal would be
something I did going forward, not because I had been taught to do so, but
rather because I decided to do so on my own. I don’t always say the same words,
but rather I sit there quietly, calming down enough to realize that I didn’t
earn what I have, but rather it is a massive and meaningful gift. After a few
days, several of my new friends took notice of my 10-15 second pre-meal silent
ritual. Some of them stared as if they were confused. A few others complimented
me, thinking I must be some sort of monk-in-training. In reality, I simply had
a lot for which I was thankful.
