This is a guest post from Food Matters, a project of the diocese of Oxford.
It is part of a series of blog posts on the issue of food poverty, which we’re gathering as part of a Church Action on Poverty project titled ‘Food, Fuel, Finance’, working with people in poverty to tackle the Poverty Premium.
Food Matters have kindly given permission for us to reproduce this prayer from their launch materials:
Father, Your Son taught us to pray “Our Father,give us today our daily bread”. We praise and thank you for this gift of bread which you give us in and through your creation.
From the very stuff of your creation you created a partner to till and work the earth. We praise and thank you for human toil which brings forth food from your creation, and distributes and shapes it forour use. We pray for all who grow food, and we
pray for a sustainable and caring approach to the land and all who dwell therein.
When your Son recognised the hunger of the crowds in the wilderness and broke bread for them, you gave us an example of the principle of sharing food. As we give thanks and praise for daily bread, help us to understand that taking responsibility for
sharing our bread with the hungry in a world where there is enough to feed all is a matter of justice and righteousness.
At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and shared it as a symbol of life and grace.
We praise and thank you for the bread of life which signifies the covenant which is between you and us, and which was sealed in his death and resurrection. Bread is a spiritual matter and calls us into fellowship with you and with each other. We pray that your creation everywhere will be renewed in faith and redeemed in truth.
Our prayer today and every day is that food may matter enough to us to be valued, respected, shared and understood.