A Blessing for Tables
by Cari Jenkins
God of Welcome,
I dedicate my table to You.
You are kind.
You are good.
You are beautiful.
I ask that I would receive You
In the generosity of kinship gathered around my table.
Bless my table to be a place of warmth,
Where stories, hearts, and lives are shared and received.
Bless the food and conversation at my table,
That they might nourish the whole of each human life.
Bless those who gather here
With laughter that echoes loudly and joy that restores.
Bless the stories told around my table,
That they may remind us of who we are,
Where we belong, and that we are not alone.
Grant each of us peace as we are together.
Calm anxious minds and hearts;
Breathe life into weary souls.
May my table be a haven—
A place of clarity in the midst of a chaotic world.
And when the meal has ended,
The candles extinguished, and the plates put away,
Send us out with the generosity of
Your Kindness, Your Goodness, and Your Beauty
That we have experienced together.
May we carry Your welcome
Into the places we live, work, and play,
Reproducing and multiplying it in the lives of others.
Amen.
Cari is a gatherer, speaker, shepherd, and guide. She is the founder of The Host and the Guest, providing products and services for a hospitable life. Cari lives and works within an intentional community focusing on hospitality at The Downing House in Cherry Hills Village.
