Devotions: Communion

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JMJ

PRAYERS BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION

PRAYER OF ST THOMAS OF AQUINAS

Almighty and everlasting God, behold, I come to the sacrament of Thy only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.  I come as one infirm to the physician of life, as one unclean to the fountain of mercy, as one blind to the light of everlasting brightness, as one poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth.  Therefore I implore the abundance of Thy measureless bounty to heal my infirmity, wash my uncleanness, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness, that I may receive the Bread of angels, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, with such reverence and humility, with such sorrow and devotion, with such purity and faith, with such purpose and intention as may be profitable to my soul's salvation.  Grant me, I pray, the grace of receiving not only the sacrament of Our Lord's body and blood, but also the grace and power of the sacrament.  O most gracious God, grant me so to receive the body of Thy only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, which He took from the Virgin Mary, as to merit to be incorporated into his Mystical Body, and to be numbered among his members.  O most loving Father, give me grace to behold forever Thy beloved Son with unveiled face, whom I now purpose to receive veiled in the way.  Amen.

ACT OF FAITH BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION

O my God, I firmly believe that by the words of consecration spoken during Mass, bread truly becomes the Body of Christ and wine His most Precious Blood, and that Thy Divine Son is offered to Thee upon the altar under appearances representing that separation of His Body and Blood which took place on Calvary.  Therefore, do I believe with my whole heart, that this holy Victim is the same as that of the cross, whom I am about to receive, in order to unite my sacrifices to His own, by immolating myself with Him for Thy glory.  Amen.

ACT OF HOPE BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION

O my God, I place all my hope in Jesus, my loving Saviour, truly present before me on the altar.  He, who on the cross offered to Thee the superabundant merits of His Divine Blood, shed for our sins.  Do Thou graciously accept the offering, which I now make to Thee at the hands of Thy priests, of the holy Victim who has reconciled us to Thyself, and being fully appeased by Him, grant to my soul the graces it needs in order to receive my Lord worthily and obtain through Him all the effects of Thy Fatherly goodness.  Amen.

ACT OF LOVE BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION

O my God, I love Thee with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength and with no other desire than to be inseparably united to Thee.  It is through Thy Divine Son that this union is about to be realised within me.  In Holy Communion I long to identify myself with Him, that it will no longer be myself, but Him, who lives in me; and when I have received Jesus within myself, then I shall love and be loved by Thee in that same measure, in which I am united to Him.  Hasten then, to give me Thy Divine Son, at the hands of Thy priest, that through Jesus, I may unite myself forever to Thee, O God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.

ACT OF CONTRITION BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION

O my God, at the moment of receiving within myself the Divine Victim of Calvary, I confess sincerely before Thy Divine Majesty and before the whole court of heaven, that I have offended Thee by thought, word and deed.  By my sins I have contributed to the death of Jesus on the cross; but Thou hast forgiven me, washing my soul in the Blood of Thy Son and clothing it with the wedding garment of Thy grace.  I come, therefore, contrite and repentant, but with a heart overflowing with boundless gratitude, to the holy table which Thou hast prepared for the prodigal child, who had abandoned Thee, and whom in Thy goodness Thou wouldst nourish with Heavenly Bread.  Amen.

PRAYERS AFTER HOLY COMMUNION & THANKSGIVING AFTER MASS

COMMUNION PRAYER

O my God
As Thou have given Thyself to me
Now let me give myself to Thee
I give Thou my body that may be chaste and pure
I give Thou my soul that may be free from sin
I give Thou my heart that may always love Thou
I give Thou every breath that I shall breathe
And especially my last
I give Thou myself in life and in death
That I may be Thine forever and ever
Amen.

THANKSGIVING AFTER HOLY COMMUNION

I give Thee thanks, O holy Lord, Father Almighty, Eternal God, Who, notwithstanding my lack of merit and prompted only by Thy gracious mercy, hast condescended to replenish me, a sinner and useless servant of Thine, with the Precious Body and Blood of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
And I pray that this Holy Communion may not render me liable to punishment but may rather be a means of winning life-giving pardon.  May It equip me with the armour of faith and the shield of a good will.  May It empty me of all my vices, expel from me lust and evil desires, increase in me charity and patience, humility and obedience and all the other virtues; may It defend me securely against the wiles of all my enemies, both visible and invisible; may It give me perfect control of all my inclinations of body and soul; may It attach me solidly to Thee, the one true God and bring me to the perfect happiness of my last end.
I pray Thee further graciously to bring me to that unspeakable banquet where Thou, in union with Thy Son and the Holy Ghost, art the true light, the complete satisfaction, the eternal joy, the all-embracing gladness and perfect happiness of Thy saints.  Through the same Christ Our Lord.  Amen.

ANIMA CHRISTI

Soul of Christ, sanctify me,
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds hide me.
Permit me not to be separated from Thee.
From the malicious enemy defend me.
In the hour of my death call me,
And bid me come to Thee,
That, with thy saints, I may praise Thee,
For ever and ever.
Amen.

PRAYERS OF ST THOMAS AQUINAS

Almighty and everlasting God, the preserver of souls and the redeemer of the world, look favourably upon me, Thy servant, prostrate before Thy Majesty.  Graciously accept this sacrifice at which, in honour of Thy name, I have been present, for the saving health of the faithful, living as well as departed, as also for all my sins and offences.  Take away Thy anger from me; grant me Thy grace and mercy; open unto me the gates of Paradise; deliver me by Thy power from all evils; graciously forgive whatever guilt I have of my own sinfulness incurred; and let me so persevere in Thy precepts in this world that I may be worthy to be joined to the company of Thy elect; of Thy only gift, O my God, whose blessed name, honour, and dominion endures forever and ever.  Amen.

I thank Thou, O Lord, holy Father, everlasting God, who through no merit of mine, but only out of Thy great mercy, has fed me, a sinner, Thy unworthy servant, with the precious body and blood of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ; and I pray that this Holy Communion may not be for my judgement and condemnation, but for my pardon and salvation.  Let it be for me an armour of faith and a shield of good purpose, a riddance of all vices, and a rooting out of all evil desires; an increase of love and patience, of humility and obedience, and of all virtues; a firm defence against the wiles of all my enemies, visible and invisible; a perfect quieting of all my impulses, carnal and spiritual; a cleaving unto Thou, the one true God; and a blessed consummation of my end when Thou call.  And I pray that Thou would bring me, a sinner, to that ineffable feast where Thou, with Thy Son and the Holy Ghost, are to Thy holy ones true light, fullness of blessedness, everlasting joy, and perfect happiness.  Through the same Christ Our Lord.  Amen.

 

Acts of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that thou art present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love thee above all things, and I desire to receive thee into my soul. Since I cannot now receive thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace thee as if thou wert already come and unite myself wholly to thee. Never permit me to be separated from thee. Amen. — St. Alphonsus Liguori

I believe thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament, O Jesus. I love thee and desire thee. Come into my heart; I embrace thee. O never leave me. I beseech thee, O Lord Jesus, may the burning and most sweet power of thy love absorb my mind, that I may die through love of thy love, who wast graciously pleased to die through love of my love. Amen. — St. Francis of Assisi