A Liturgy for: A Family Meal

Liturgies for the little years

With these weekly “Liturgies for the Little Years,” I seek to give words to the unique experiences of raising young kids in prayer form. My hope is that these liturgies would bring a sense of sacredness and meaning into the ordinary moments of daily life as a parent.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving with our families this week, my hope is that this liturgy would remind us of what’s truly important! Let’s be honest, meals with littles can fall short of the expectations we might have for a beautiful and peaceful experience, to say the least… But whether we get to eat five bites of our own food or a spilled drink ruins the table setting, what really counts is our presence together and the presence of Jesus among us. Happy Thanksgiving Mamas!

A Liturgy for: A Family Meal

Perhaps words exchanged in
conversation will be sparse
as I attend to little mouths, big spills,
and everything in between. 
Perhaps the food and the setting
will not be as I’d hoped,
cooked and curated while doing
too many things at once. 
But let me not forget that presence 
far exceeds perfection,
for it was not the
bread that was broken
but the hands that broke it
and later stretched out upon a cross
that nourished hungry souls. 

God, as we gather around this meal,
let me shine with the radiance
of one who has been with you,
and let me see and receive
the glow of your presence
from those around me. 
Your light illuminates far more than 
an elegant spread of
dinner candles ever could,
and your presence satisfies 
once and for all. 
O Light of the World,
O Bread of Life,
be among us now.