Litany for Holy Communion

(Before or After)

This litany from Mother Loyola's Confession and Communion is intended for private devotion. The approved and indulgenced Litanies of the Holy Name of Jesus and of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, when recited slowly after holy communion, are apt to excite happy inspirations and devout reflections.

God the Father of Heaven,
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Ghost,
Holy Trinity one God,
Jesus, living Bread which came down from Heaven, ¹
Jesus, Bread from Heaven giving life to the world, ²
Hidden God and Saviour, ³
My Lord and my God, ⁴
Who hast loved us with an everlasting love, ⁵
Whose delights are to be with the children of men, ⁶
Who hast given Thy flesh for the life of the world, ⁷
Who dost invite all to come to Thee, ⁸
Who dost promise eternal life to those who receive Thee, ⁹
Who with desire dost desire to eat this Pasch with us, ¹⁰
Who art ever ready to receive and welcome us,
Who dost stand at our door knocking, ¹¹
Who hast said that if we will open to Thee the door, Thou wilt come in and sup with us, ¹²
Who dost receive us into Thy arms and bless us with the little children,
Who dost suffer us to sit at Thy feet with Magdalen,
Who dost invite us to lean on Thy bosom with the beloved disciple,
Who hast not left us orphans, ¹³
Most dear Sacrament,
Sacrament of love,
Sacrament of sweetness,
Life-giving Sacrament,
Have mercy on us

Sacrament of strength, Have mercy on us.
My God and my all, Have mercy on us.
That our hearts may pant after Thee as the hart after the fountains of water, ¹⁴
That Thou wouldst manifest Thyself to us as to the two disciples in the breaking of bread, ¹⁵
That we may know Thy voice like Magdalen,
That with a lively faith we may confess with the beloved disciple — “It is the Lord,” ¹⁶
That Thou wouldst bless us who have not seen and have believed, ¹⁷
That we may love Thee in the Blessed Sacrament with our whole heart, with our whole soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength, ¹⁸
That the fruit of each communion may be fresh love,
That our one desire may be to love Thee and to do Thy will,
That we may ever remain in Thy love, ¹⁹
That Thou wouldst teach us how to receive and welcome Thee,
That Thou wouldst teach us to pray, and Thyself pray within us, ²⁰
That with Thee every virtue may come into our souls,
That through this day Thou wouldst keep us closely united to Thee,
That Thou wouldst give us grace to persevere to the end, ²¹
That Thou wouldst then be our support and Viaticum,
That with Thee and leaning on Thee we may safely pass through all dangers,
That our last act may be one of perfect love, and our last breath a long deep sigh to be in Our Father's house,
That Thy sweet face may smile upon us when we appear before Thee, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That our banishment from Thee, dearest Lord, may not be very long, We beseech Thee, hear us.
That when the time is come, we may fly up from our prison to Thee and in Thy sacred Heart find our rest forever, We beseech Thee, hear us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

V. Stay with us, Lord, because it is toward evening.

R. And the day is now far spent.

Let us pray

WE COME to Thee, dear Lord, with the apostles, saying, Increase our faith. ²² Give us a strong and lively faith in the mystery of Thy real presence in the midst of us. Give us the splendid faith of the centurion, which drew from Thee such praise. Give us the faith of the beloved disciple to know Thee in the dark and say, It is the Lord! ²³ Give us the faith of Martha to confess, Thou art Christ the Son of the living God. ²⁴ Give us the faith of Magdalen to fall at Thy feet crying, Rabboni, Master. ²⁵ Give us the faith of all Thy saints, to whom the Blessed Sacrament has been heaven begun on earth. In every communion increase our faith; for with faith, love and humility, and reverence and all good, will come into our souls.

Dearest Lord, increase our faith.

1. John vi.
2. John vi.
3. Is. xlv.
4. John xx.
5. Jer. xxxi.
6. Prov. viii.
7. John vi.
8. Matt. xi.
9. John vi.
10. Luke xxii.
11. Apoc. iii.
12. Apoc. iii.
13. John xiv.
14. Ps. xli.
15. Luke xxiv.
16. John xxi.
17. John xx.
18. Mark xii.
19. John xv.
20. Luke xi.
21. Matt. x.
22. Luke xvii.
23. John xxi.
24. John xi.
25. John xx.