PRAYERS BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION
Let the receiving of Thy Body, O Lord Jesus Christ, which 1, though unworthy, do presume to receive, turn not to me for judgment and condemnation, but according to Thy mercy let it be profitable to me for the receiving of protection and the healing both of soul and body. Who live and reign forever and ever. Amen. —Roman Missal; partial indulgence
Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof; but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
You, O Lord, call me and I come to You, not through my merits, but through Your mercy alone which I ask of You in virtue of Your Blood. I confess to my Creator that my life has indeed been passed in darkness, but I will hide myself in the Wounds of Christ Crucified and bathe myself in His Blood and so shall all my inquiries be consumed, and with desire will I rejoice in my Creator. —St. Catherine of Siena
Almighty and everlasting God, behold, I come to the Sacrament of Your 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 Your measureless bounty that You would vouchsafe 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 unto 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 Your 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 Your beloved Son with unveiled face, Whom now I propose to receive veiled in the way. Amen. —St. Thomas Aquinas
PRAYERS AFTER COMMUNION
I give You thanks, Eternal Father, for having out of Your pure mercy, without any deserts of mine, been pleased to feed my soul with the Body and Blood of Your only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. I beseech You that this Holy Communion may not be to my condemnation, but prove an effectual remission of all my sins. May it strengthen my faith, encourage in me all that is good, deliver me from sinful habits, remove all concupiscence, perfect me in charity, patience, humility and obedience, and in all other virtues. May it secure me against all the snares of my enemies, both visible and invisible, perfectly moderate all my inclinations, closely unite me to You, the true and only Good, and happily settle me in unchangeable bliss. I now make it my earnest request that You will one day admit me, though an unworthy sinner, to be a guest at that Divine Banquet where You, with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, are the true light, eternal fullness, everlasting joy and perfect happiness of all the Saints, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen. --- St. Thomas Aquinas
Most tender Jesus, may Your most sacred Body and Blood be my soul's sweetness and delight, salvation and sanctity in every temptation, joy and peace in every sorrow, light and strength in every word and work, and my last safeguard in death. Amen. —St. Thomas Aquinas
May we receive into a pure heart, O Lord, what we have taken into our mouth, so that from the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ there may come to us everlasting healing. Amen. —The Old Dominican Missal
ANIMA CHRISTI
Soul of Christ, be my sanctification,
Body of Christ, be my salvation;
Blood of Christ's side, fill all my veins,
Water of Christ's side, wash out my stains;
Passion of Christ, my comfort be,
O good Jesus, listen to me. In
Thy wounds I fain would hide,
Never to be parted from Thy side.
Guard me should the foe assail me,
Call me when my life shall fail me.
Bid me come to Thee above
With Thy saints to sing Thy love,
World without end. Amen.
PRAYER FOR THE MYSTICAL BODY
Eternal Majesty! Most mighty God! I cry to You, my God and my Love, praying You in Your great pity to show mercy unto the world. Grant unto it light to acknowledge him who is Your Vicar, in the purity of faith, and do You also shed Your light on him, O my God that all the world may follow him. And since You have chosen him to be Your Vicar, give him wisdom and a courageous heart and fill him with holy humility. Never, O-my God, will I cease to knock at the door of Your mercy, praying You to exalt him and protect him and to manifest in him Your strength. Let his heart be filled with undaunted courage, that he may burn with pure and holy desires and let Your charity, Your purity, and Your sovereign wisdom shine forth in all his acts, that thus he may draw after him the entire world. And enlighten his enemies, also, who now so wickedly resist Your Holy Spirit and oppose Your designs; touch their hearts that they may be converted and saved. O inestimable Love! Constrain them by Your charity in this day of grace, that they die not in their hardness of heart. Let all souls be subject to You, that they may not perish. Take from us all pride and self-love, and let us one and all humble ourselves before You and obey Your Vicar, the Pope, as our common Lord and Father. Wherefore, we pray that both he and we, Your children, may find grace with You that all our actions may be directed to Your good pleasure, and that You will graciously deign to hear our prayers. To You and to Your Eternal Majesty be honor, praise and blessing, now and forever. Amen. —St. Catherine of Siena