# For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 18, 2019, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751 "2019-02-18T04:53:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/21 "2019-02-18T16:09:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Yes. Why does someone pray to God to make him (the supplicant) grateful to God? If someone is praying to God, then he’s probably grateful in general. ‘For what we are about to receive, we are truly thankful’, which I’ve never heard, makes more sense than the way the prayer is usually worded. It makes total sense to me to say “Lord, I know intellectually that I should be grateful, but I don’t always feel that way. Help me to be truly thankful.” But the other thing that may be going on is that sometimes, when one person is praying on behalf of a group, I suspect they’re addressing God but really talking to the other people present. “Lord, help us to remember to wipe our feet when we come in out of the rain, so that we don’t muddy up the carpet.” ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/22 "2019-02-18T16:29:22Z")
> [@Sangahyando](#): > > I’ve encountered a highly ironic and “upside-down” use of “For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful”: in historical-military fiction set centuries ago (most likely, Bernard Cornwell and _Sharpe_). Said sometimes by soldiers about to be on the receiving end of a devastating volley of enemy fire. Yep, it shows up in a lot of military fiction - historical, sci-fi, fantasy, etc. Basically “Please let me be around afterwards so I’m capable of being thankful.” ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/23 "2019-02-18T17:00:20Z")
It’s in many (all?) of the Patrick O’Brian Aubrey/Maturin novels, said as the sailors await the beginning of a battle. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/24 "2019-02-18T18:18:43Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > (I’m assuming those praying this believe God is the provider of food, etc., or they wouldn’t be saying the prayer.) As a small child, I’d say “Let us thank \*us \*for our food”. It was clear to \*me \*where it came from. That said, “Bless the meat, damn the skin, open wide and cram it in.” ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/25 "2019-02-18T18:30:38Z")
I’m not a Christian, but I think the thing that you’re not recognizing is that gratitude is often very difficult. You’re thinking that someone with food in front of them is going to automatically be thankful for it, but that’s rarely the case. The word “truly” in the grace is especially important. It’s about taking time to recognize and feel gratitude for the things we have in our lives, even if they are small, imperfect things like lunch. Gratitude is an important part of many philosophies and psychological practices, but it takes effort. A reminder to be truly thankful and a prayer to God to make it so is a valuable tool when you’re trying to have an [attitude of gratitude](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-have-an-attitude-of-gratitude_n_8644102). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/26 "2019-02-18T18:36:19Z")
Actually, in my family it was usually “Father, we thank the for the blessings of this day and for this food, and bless it to its intended us and us to Thy service. Amen.” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/27 "2019-02-18T18:40:11Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Yes. Why does someone pray to God to make him (the supplicant) grateful to God? If someone is praying to God, then he’s probably grateful in general. ‘For what we are about to receive, we are truly thankful’, which I’ve never heard, makes more sense than the way the prayer is usually worded. I’m not Anglican. However, my interpretation is that there’s likely a difference between being “thankful” and being “truly thankful.” It would be similar to how there is love, and then truly loving as defined in 1 Corinthians 13. In other words, we can’t on our own be “truly thankful.” Because we are imperfect beings, there will always be some resentment, some taking for granted, etc. Only with can make us truly thankful. Also, I note that the prayer is not said in direct address to “the Lord.” So I’m not sure if it actually is being said to Him. Maybe it is, but is just indirect by custom. But it could also be more an invocation. In that case, it would be more like saying “I hope that the Lord will make me truly thankful.” But I don’t know. Like I said, I’m not Anglican. But that’s just my immediate read. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/28 "2019-02-18T19:52:13Z")
Prayer is seeking God’s perfect will … in the old days in the Holy Land of Israel wayward inn’s would poison people with the food and then bury them in the back yard and wait for the next inn’s visitors. So therefore praying and giving thanks for the food not to kill them also became necessary. I like to think of all of the people that are worse off than me when I give grace for my food … it feels better. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/29 "2019-02-18T22:21:19Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > Prayer is seeking God’s perfect will … in the old days in the Holy Land of Israel wayward inn’s would poison people with the food and then bury them in the back yard and wait for the next inn’s visitors. Do you have a cite for that? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/30 "2019-02-18T22:24:42Z")
“God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for this food.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/31 "2019-02-18T22:39:11Z")
It’s sort of like when Jesus was asked how many times we had to forgive someone, as many as seven times? And Jesus said that we must forgive others seven times seventy times. He didn’t literally mean to say “I forgive you” 490 times. He meant that no matter how hard we as mere mortals try to forgive, we always need to try harder, because true forgiveness is beyond what our human limitations are capable of. So too is true thankfulness. [An essay on thankfulness](https://howardtayler.com/2015/11/be-thankful-for-thread/) that I’m fond of, from the writer of a webcomic I follow: Basically, to be truly thankful for something means to be thankful for _all_ of the things that preceded that thing to make it possible. And that’s an endless quest, even to be thankful for one thing, and we’re finite beings. So we can’t be truly, completely thankful for anything, and so we ask God to help us. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/32 "2019-02-19T00:49:20Z")
“Father, Son and the Holy Ghost, The one who eats fastest gets the most”. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/33 "2019-02-19T01:03:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It’s sort of like when Jesus was asked how many times we had to forgive someone, as many as seven times? And Jesus said that we must forgive others seven times seventy times. He didn’t literally mean to say “I forgive you” 490 times. The priest at my childhood parish made the same point, only for comic effect he introduced an “Italian engineer” who interpreted the point of the parable as very literally meaning we must forgive 490 times. My family was not amused. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/34 "2019-02-19T01:08:52Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > ‘For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful’ is a prayer said before meals. I’m not sure I quite get it. Is the pray-er not thankful for the food, and praying to God to _make_ him thankful? Since the food is there, shouldn’t he be thankful already, and pray something like ‘For what we are about to receive, we are truly thankful’? As traditionally recited, it sounds a bit like, ‘Dear God, please make us worship you.’ > > Can someone explain to this heathen, the reason why the prayer is worded that way? The gist of the prayer is something like “Our natural state of happiness is to be grateful every moment for your gifts, for all things come from You. But most of the time, we forget to be. Please, God, help us to remember.” it is useful to bear in mind that most traditional prayers are old, old enough for the language to have slightly changed in meaning and tone. Here is a translation of a Soto Zen Buddhist monastic prayer before meals. Buddhists don’t believe in a God, the way theists do. Yet there are a lot of similarities. First, let us reflect on our own work and the effort of those who brought us this food. Second, let us be aware of the quality of our deeds as we receive this meal. Third, what is most essential is the practice of mindfulness, which helps us to transcend greed, anger and delusion. Fourth, we appreciate this food which sustains the good health of our body and mind. Fifth, in order to continue our practice for all beings we accept this offering. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/35 "2019-02-19T02:42:17Z")
There were plenty of meals I had growing up which would have taken divine intervention for me to be grateful for. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/36 "2019-02-19T02:50:19Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > I was certainly brought up on “For what we are about to receive…” I have no idea where it came from, but it is certainly redolent of a certain having-it-both-ways aspect to the Protestant approach to life: it might be disgusting, or it might not, but let’s try to be grateful for what we’ve got. (As in my parents’ response to “I don’t like [whatever]…”: “You’ll eat what you’re given _and you’ll like it_”) > > One well-known Scottish grace is > > \*Some hae meat and cannae eat, some nae meat but want it. > But we hae meat and we can eat, sae the Lord be thankit. \* > > My brother the priest once caused a bit of a stir at a church social by saying “Lord, bless this bunch as they munch their lunch”. Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it, But we hae meat and we can eat, Sae let the Lord be Thankit! ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/37 "2019-02-19T16:55:21Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > “2,4,6,8. Dig in, don’t wait.” > [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Good bread, good meat, > Good God, let’s eat. > Praise the Lord and pass the sauce. > [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#): > > Rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub, Yay God. > [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Dear God: We paid for all of this stuff ourselves, so thanks for nothing. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > As a small child, I’d say “Let us thank \*us \*for our food”. It was clear to \*me \*where it came from. > > That said, “Bless the meat, damn the skin, open wide and cram it in.” > [@mixdenny](#): > > “Father, Son and the Holy Ghost, The one who eats fastest gets the most”. My wife had warned me not to tell other people’s children, or her strictly religious grandparents, to say the short grace: “Jesus Christ this is good food!” ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/38 "2019-02-20T00:26:15Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > … As traditionally recited, it sounds a bit like, ‘Dear God, please make us worship you.’ > > Can someone explain to this heathen, the reason why the prayer is worded that way? Yes, that is what it sounds like. Or like this > [@Mark 9:24](#): > > Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” or this: > [@Luke 17:5](#): > > The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” I’m not an expert, but I think that this is a particularly Christian theology, not something you would necessarily see in other faiths. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/39 "2019-02-20T01:27:03Z")
Bart Simpson: Dear God, we paid for all this, so thanks for nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Pithily\_Effusive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pithily_effusive/32/252_2.png) [@Pithily\_Effusive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pithily_Effusive)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751/40 "2019-02-20T01:31:06Z")
Another one I like is “God bless you.” Since when do humans give a divinity orders? Oh, yes. The original was, “May God bless you,” but they don’t \*say \*that anymore, \*do \*they. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-what-we-are-about-to-receive-may-the-lord-make-us-truly-thankful/829751.md?page=1)