The other day my brother was trying to be funny, I think, or just being ignorant. But whatever, right? He had made a comment about praying over food. My mother made a comment too, not really defensively but saying something to the effect of “it would be to an Egyptian god.”
I quote “Blessing Before Meals” in Following The Sun: A Practical Guide to Egyptian Religion by Sharon LaBorde:
“Osiris, Great God, the Beautified; You are Lord of Grain and Lord of Ma’at. We thank You for Your gifts of bread, civilization and justice. We ask for Your blessing as we share this food and fellowship, and may we always build positively upon the gifts which You have given us.”
Here is my “Anubified” version of this prayer:
Anubis, Great God, the Beloved; You are He of the Grain Products and Lord of Ma’at. We thank You for Your gifts of bread, civilization and justice. We ask for Your blessing as we share this food and fellowship, and may we always build positively upon the gifts which You have given us.
Here is something closer to what I say when I offer a blessing over a meal: Anubis, thank You for this food and Your many blessings that You have given us. Please bless it/this food/this meal that it/this food/this meal nourishes and strengthens me/us.
Now I know that most Kemetics and Egyptian pagans, and by extension other pagans of various beliefs and practices, have a shrine or altar where they give offerings to their deity or deities, but at this time not having the feasible space for a shrine or altar I see my meal time prayers as a form of offering the meal to the god or gods.
Jackals in the Mountains 