Article: How We Can Give Thanks After Holy Communion (catholicexchange.com) by Fr. John Kane
“The minutes that follow Communion are the most precious we have in our lives.”
– St. Magdalena de Pazzi
Click here for a one page flyer of prayers for Thanksgiving after Communion and Mass
If your parish has not done so yet, you are invited to join thousands of other parishes by reviving the praying of the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel out loud together immediately after every Mass. This important tradition of the Church, originally mandated Pope Leo XIII, is vital for the times we are living in:
PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in this day of battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humble pray and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, cast into hell satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
THANKSGIVING AFTER HOLY COMMUNION AND MASS
“The period of thanksgiving should be for us, hushed in the bosom of the hidden Christ, one of rapt recollectedness, of wondering contemplation that marvels at the infinite perfections of Him whom we have received, of faith that renders these perfections visible, and of speechless amazement at the greatness of the gift. Our every faculty should be under the absolute control of the awe-inspiring Presence, the ears of our soul attentive to the voice of God, the eyes of our soul enamored of divine fascination, feasting upon our best Benefactor.” – Fr. John Kane
“The most solemn moments of your life are those you spend in thanksgiving, when the King of heaven and earth, your Savior and your Judge, is yours, fully inclined to grant all you ask of Him. Devote half an hour, if possible, to this thanksgiving… Thanksgiving is absolutely necessary if the act of Communion, so holy, is not to degenerate into mere pious habit…. enjoy the Savior… pay homage to Him for His love… taste at the same time the comforting sweetness of this happy possession… rest in silent adoration, prostrate yourself in the spirit… contemplate Him, filled with wonder… Proclaim Him King of your heart, Spouse of your soul, and hearken to His voice…. then begin your thanksgiving… Adore Jesus… Thank Him… Be sorry again for all your sins… Entreat of Him the grace to never offend Him again… Ask whatever you will… Pray for the reign of His sanctity… for the conversion of sinners… that Jesus may be known, loved and served by all mankind… Give an offering of love, some sacrifice that you will make for Him during the day” – St. Peter Julian Eymard, The Eymard Library, Volume 2, Directions for Thanksgiving After Holy Communion
The custom of staying after Mass for a time of silent thanksgiving is based on the fact that the sacramental reality of the Eucharistic presence of Jesus Christ remains in us for ten to fifteen minutes after we receive Him. In effect, we are like living tabernacles for that time period.
There are many beautiful prayers of thanksgiving for after Holy Communion and Mass, some composed by saints like Thomas Aquinas or Bonaventure.
After receiving Communion and resting in silent adoration, one may want to silently pray three times the
Angel’s Prayer given at Fatima
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
I adore Thee profoundly.
I offer Thee the Most Precious
Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ,
present in all the tabernacles of the world,
in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference
by which He is offended.
Through the infinite merits
of His Most Sacred Heart,
and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners
[and the deliverance of the souls in purgatory].
Amen.
The following are some of the prayers recited daily immediately following Mass by St. Teresa of Calcutta and her Missionaries of Charity.
They are best memorized (or carried until learnt by heart).
RADIATING CHRIST
by St. John Henry Cardinal Newman
Dear Jesus, help us to spread Thy fragrance everywhere we go.
Flood our souls with Thy spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly, that our lives may only be a radiance of Thine.
Shine through us, and be so in us that every soul we come in contact with may feel Thy presence in our soul.
Let them look up and see no longer us, but only Jesus!
Stay with us and then we shall begin to shine as Thou dost shine, so to shine as to be a light to others.
The light, O Jesus, will be all from Thee; none of it will be ours; it will be Thee, shining on others through us.
Let us thus praise Thee in the way Thou dost love best, by shining on those around us.
Let us preach Thee without preaching, not by words but by our example, by the catching force, the sympathetic influence of what we do, the evident fullness of the love our hearts bear to Thee.
Amen.
PRAYER FOR PEACE
Lord make me a channel of Your peace;
where there is hatred, may I bring love;
where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
where there is error, I may bring truth;
where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
where there is despair, I may bring hope;
where there are shadows, I may bring light;
where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Lord, grant that I may seek rather
to comfort than to be comforted;
to understand than to be understood;
to love than to be loved;
for it is by forgetting self that one finds,
it is by forgiving that one is forgiven,
and it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.
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.
Suffer 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
forever and ever.
Amen.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, cause of our joy, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Holy guardian angels and saints, watch over and protect us!
Amen.
O most pure and loving heart, of my Mother and my Queen, grant that I may love thee, love thee daily more and more.
Another comprehensive prayer you may want to recite:
UNIVERSAL PRAYER
attributed to Pope Clement XI
Lord, I believe in You: increase my faith.
I trust in You: strengthen my trust.
I love You: let me love You more and more.
I am sorry for my sins: deepen my sorrow.
I worship You as my first beginning. I long for You as my last end.
I praise You as my constant helper; and call on You as my loving protector.
Guide me by Your wisdom, correct me with Your justice, comfort me with Your mercy, protect me with Your power.
I offer You, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on You; My words: to have You for their theme; My actions: to reflect my love for You; My sufferings: to be endured for Your greater glory.
I want to do what You ask of me: in the way You ask, for as long as You ask, because You ask it.
Lord, enlighten my understanding, strengthen my will, purify my heart, and make me holy.
Help me to repent of my past sins and to resist temptation in the future.
Help me to rise above my human weaknesses and to grow stronger as a Christian.
Let me love You, my Lord and my God, and see myself as I really am: a pilgrim in this world, a Christian called to respect and love all whose lives I touch, those under my authority, my friends and my enemies.
Help me to conquer anger with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy by fervor.
Help me to forget myself and reach out toward others.
Make me prudent in planning, courageous in taking risks.
Make me patient in suffering, unassuming in prosperity.
Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer, temperate in food and drink, diligent in my work, firm in my good intentions.
Let my conscience be clear, my conduct without fault, my speech blameless, my life well-ordered.
Put me on guard against my human weaknesses.
Let me cherish Your love for me, keep Your law, and come at last to Your salvation.
Teach me to realize that this world is passing, that my true future is the happiness of heaven, that life on earth is short, and the life to come eternal.
Help me to prepare for death with a proper fear of judgment, but a greater trust in Your goodness.
Lead me safely through death to the endless joy of heaven.
Amen.
THANKSGIVING AFTER MASS
by St. Thomas Aquinas
Lord, Father all-powerful and ever-living God, I thank Thee, for
even though I am a sinner, Thy unprofitable servant, not
because of my worth but in the kindness of Thy mercy,
You have fed me with the Precious Body & Blood of Your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray that this Holy Communion may not bring me
condemnation and punishment but forgiveness and salvation.
May it be a helmet of faith and a shield of good will.
May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions.
May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience,
and growth in the power to do good.
May it be my strong defense against all my enemies, visible and invisible,
and the perfect calming of all my evil impulses,
bodily and spiritual.
May it unite me more closely to Thee, the One true God, and lead me
safely through death to everlasting happiness with Thee.
And I pray that You will lead me, a sinner, to the banquet where You,
with Your Son and Holy Spirit, are true and perfect light,
total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end, and perfect
happiness to Your saints. Grant this through Christ our Lord,
Amen.
A Prayer After Mass
by Saint Bonaventure
O sweetest Lord Jesus Christ, I implore Thee, pierce the very marrow of my soul with the delightful, health-giving dart of Thy love, with true, tranquil, holy, apostolic charity, so that my whole soul may ever languish and faint for love of Thee and for desire of Thee alone. May it long and pine for Thy courts; may it ever desire to be dissolved and to be with Thee. Grant that my soul may hunger for Thee, Who art the bread of angels, the comforting nourishment of all holy souls, our daily and most delectable bread, our supersubstantial bread, in which is found every sweet delight. May my heart ever hunger for Thee, on whom the angels lovingly gaze; may it feed on Thee; and may the innermost depths of my being be filled with the sweetness which comes from having tasted Thee. May my soul ever thirst for Thee, Who art the source of life, the fount of wisdom and knowledge, the brightness of everlasting light, the flood of all true happiness, the riches of the house of God. May I at all times think of Thee; may I ever seek Thee and ever find Thee; may I always follow thee and reach Thee; may Thy holy name be in my heart and on my lips; and to Thy praise and glory may every work of mine be done. Humble and discreet, loving and happy, ever ready and cheerful in Thy service, may I persevere, by Thy grace, even unto the end. Be Thou alone and evermore my hope; be Thou all my trust; be Thou my wealth, my delight, my joy, my consolation, my rest, my endless peace. Be Thou to me as a goodly taste, as a pleasant perfume, as a soothing sweetness. Be Thou my food and my refreshment; my refuge and my help; my wisdom; my portion, mine own possession and my treasure. In Thee, O Lord, may my mind and my heart remain fixed and firm, and rooted immovably for evermore.
Amen.
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