Sabbath Meal

Written by Kristin DeKay

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The Best Meal of the Week

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Just as we have rituals around special holidays, a weekly ritual of beginning the Sabbath with a special meal can help us set apart the day as holy and put everyone around the table in the mindset of rest, delight, and worship. Historically, the Sabbath has started with lighting candles and reciting blessings over wine and bread. Doesn’t this sound like a great way to usher in the best day of the week?

Maybe you don’t drink wine, and you’re trying to cut carbs. The goal isn’t having certain foods, but to set the day apart – unlike all the other days of the week. Maybe one week it’s ribeyes and a fancy dessert, and the next it’s takeout. Whatever it is, serve it on a plate, at a table, with people you love around you. Light a candle or two. Say a prayer to begin. Breath….relax…eat…savor…give thanks.

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Scripture

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Before beginning this practice, take a moment to read the scripture below.

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He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate, bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.
Psalm 104:14-15

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Tips on Making Your Sabbath Meal Delightful

• Get some special Sabbath-only candles and matches to light them.
• Pray a Sabbath prayer before the meal, such as the one below. It might be helpful to print or write it out on a little notecard and keep it with your Sabbath candles.
  “Father, we thank you for the gift of the Sabbath. As we set apart the next twenty-four hours as holy, help us to rest our bodies, minds, and souls in you. Shield us from distractions and allow us to fully rest, delight, and worship you.

• Invite friends or extended family members to your Sabbath meal.  
• As you’re eating the meal, go around the table and have each person share their highlights of the week.

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