Grace and "grace"

By Vernita Kennen, co-chair of the Saint Paul Area Synod Hunger Work Group

Do you and your family begin your meals by "saying grace?" Many of us do and most of us learned to do so in our families as we grew up. Perhaps you learned some new ways to thank God before meals while you were at a church camp. Or maybe you learned that there are additional verses to "Come Lord Jesus" when you used an ELCA World Hunger resource.

I have been wondering about the term "saying grace." It seems sort of an unusual way to describe what is most often thought of as giving thanks to God for the food before us and sometimes for those involved in growing, processing, distributing, and preparing it for us. The definition I learned in confirmation for grace is "unmerited love." How do you understand that thoroughly Lutheran concept?

"Saying grace" has had new meaning for me when I began considering why I should deserve the food on the table before me when others around the world are hungry? No, I don’t deserve or merit the food; it is total gift from God. It’s all grace, isn’t it? And then what does that gift compel me to do about those others who are hungry?