Prayers before Holy Communion

I FIRMLY believe, O my divine Jesus, that thou art really present in the blessed sacrament of the altar. I believe that it contains thy body and blood, accompanied by thy very soul and divinity. I acknowledge these truths; I believe these wonders; I adore the power that has wrought them, the same power that said: “Let there be light, and light was made.” I submit my senses and reason to thy divine authority. I praise and glorify thy infinite goodness, which hath prepared this heavenly banquet for the food and nourishment of my soul. Blessed be thy name for ever. Accept my homage; accept, O my God, my most hearty thanks. But what am I, that thou shouldst work such wonders for my sake? How shall such a filthy sinner as I am, presume to approach thee, who art the inexhaustible source of infinite purity and sanctity? How shall I venture to lift up my eyes to heaven, much less to receive thee within my breast? I tremble at the sentence of thy apostle: “Whosoever shall eat this bread or drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord;” [1 Cor. ii.] for I acknowledge myself to be nothing but dust and ashes; a poor, miserable worm of the earth, subject to many vices, and void of all virtue and merit. Alas! my life has been nothing but sin and misery. I have nothing to confide in but thy boundless mercy; nor should I ever presume to approach thy sacred table, and partake of the bread of angels, were I not encouraged by thy infinite goodness, and excited by thy own most pressing invitations. It is therefore in thy mercy, which is above all thy works, that I put my whole trust; and since thou art pleased to call me to this divine banquet, behold I come to it, like Magdalen, to be happily united to thee, and to lay down all my sins at thy feet, to be cancelled by thy precious blood. I come to commemorate thy sufferings, as thou thyself hast ordained. I come, as one sick, to the Physician of Life; as one blind, to the Light of eternal Glory; as one poor, needy, and distressed, to the King of heaven and earth. To thee I expose all my wounds, that they may be healed. To thee I fly for protection, hoping that thou wilt be to me a Saviour, and that thou wilt wash away every sin that may defile me. Remove my blindness, relieve my necessities, and clothe me with grace, that I may receive the adorable sacrament of thy body and blood with such reverence and humility, such contrition and devotion, such purity and faith, as may be for thy honour and glory, and the salvation of my soul. I am not worthy, O Lord, to receive thee; alas, I am not! but thou canst, if thou wilt, make me worthy: say but the word, then, and my soul shall be healed. Thou hast heretofore said to the leper in the gospel, “I am willing; be thou healed;” and he was immediately cured of his disease. My soul is covered with an universal leprosy: heal me then, O my Saviour, in like manner; cleanse my soul from its stains; remove from it all guilt; extinguish in it every evil disposition; adorn it with the necessary virtues, and make it a fit abode for thy reception. May the body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul to life everlasting.

ANOTHER PRAYER.

WHO is he whom thou art about to receive? O my soul, be still and attentive. Who is he thou art going to receive? Thy God! thy Redeemer! who, for love of thee, shed torrents of blood during his agony in the garden of Gethsemani! who for love of thee, suffered his sacred head to be pierced with a crown of thorns, and his virginal flesh to be rent and torn at the pillar with whips and scourges! who, for love of thee, suffered himself to be clothed in a purple garment, and derided as a mock king, with a reed for his sceptre! who, for love of thee, suffered his sacred hands and feet to be fastened with gross nails to the wood of the cross! in fine, who, for love of thee, hung thereon, in the most ignominious manner, between two thieves, suffering for the space of three hours the most excruciating pains and tortures! and at last expired for thy redemption! After such stupendous instances of thy love for man, who can refuse a return of love to thee, Lord Jesus? I love thee, O my God! and ardently wish, that as every breath I draw is an increase of my life, so it may be of my love for thee, till at last I love thee as thou thyself requirest, “with my whole heart, with my whole soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength;” for thou art the God of my heart, and the life of my soul; thou art my treasure, my joy, my comfort, my support, my strength, my armour, my defence, my only hope and comfort in this place of banishment and vale of tears, and the supreme object of my happiness in heaven.

As the wearied stag pants after the fountains of water, so does my soul languish after thee, the ocean of all sweetness; it thirsts after thee with the most vehement desire, and longs to drink plentifully of those fountains which issue from the inexhaustible source of thy infinite goodness for my comfort and refreshment. O sweet Jesus! permit me now to experience the multitude of thy tender mercies. Have compassion on me and save me, for thou never forsakest such as place their hope in thee. Purify my heart with the fire of divine love, that it may this day become a fit abode for thy reception; O come, and make it thy dwelling-place for ever. I am sorry, and will be sorry as long as I live, for having ever offended thy infinite goodness; forgive me, dear Lord, my past trespasses, and be thou my keeper for the time to come, that I may never more offend thee.

Hail, saving victim, who for me and all mankind was offered on the cross! Hail, precious blood flowing from the wounds of my crucified Lord, and washing away the sins of the world! As I now desire to receive thee, veiled in this sacrament, so I hope hereafter to behold thee, face to face, in the kingdom of heaven.

O all ye blessed Angels and Saints of God, I humbly beg the assistance of your prayers and intercession, that I may with a clean heart and a pure conscience, approach the Holy of Holies, and receive this divine sacrament with such reverence and humility as may be for my soul's salvation.