Friday February 26
“Give us this day our daily bread”
This summer, Open Spirit offered an iftar, a Muslim breaking of the fast during the month of Ramadan. About forty people–Christian, Jewish, Muslim and unaffiliated–gathered to offer a meal to our Muslim friends who had been fasting all day. Before the sun set, several Muslim women shared their experiences of fasting. They talked about how it focused their attention on their relationship with God. They shared the way it gave them an opportunity to understand what it was like for people who do not have enough to eat. They described the strengthening of the community as people gather to share in breaking the fast.
Finally, the sun was about to set. Rabbi Katy Allen, who had organized the meal, suggested that we bless the meal using traditional Muslim, Jewish and Christian blessings. Shaheen Akhtar offered a beautiful Muslim blessing, and Katy offered a Jewish prayer. Then it was my turn.
I was puzzled for a moment. In our Protestant tradition, we don’t have a particular blessing to use before a meal. We have many choices. So I picked one of my favorites, and invited those who knew it to sing along.
Oh God is good to me, and so I thank my God for giving me the things I need the sun and the rain and the apple seed; my God is good to me.
We even did the fun camp-style Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen.
Like this line from the Lord’s Prayer, the Johnny Appleseed grace reminds us that we are not independent, self-sufficient creatures. We need God and we need each other.
I am drawn to this grace because it prompts me to think about my needs in a new way. I need sunshine–because it gives me hope and also because it is enables photosynthesis that is the basis for our food. I need rain–to slow the busyness of my life and also to allow the plants to grow. I need apple seed–the possibility for new life, and a way for me to make a difference.
The Johnny Appleseed grace reminds me both of how much I need God and of how much God needs me–to plant the seeds that will ultimately grow into apple trees, to bake the bread to share with my neighbor.
Oh God, you are so good to us. We thank you for the things we need: sun and rain and apple seed. May we plant seeds. May we share bread. Amen.
–Debbie Clark