Devotions After Holy Communion (aftercom.htm)







    These prayers are from the St. Andrew Daily Missal for the reader's edification and assistance in making a proper Thanksgiving after receiving Holy Communion.

    The following Prayer carries with it a plenary indulgence when prayed before the figure of Christ crucified and followed with an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
    Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus, I cast myself upon my knees in Thy sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul, I pray and beseech Thee that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, with true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment; while with deep affection and grief of soul I ponder within myself and mentally contemplate Thy five wounds, having before my eyes the words which David, Thy prophet put on Thy lips concerning Thee: 'They have pierced My hands and My feet, they have numbered all My bones' (Psalm 21: 17,18).


    The following prayer carries an indulgence of 300 days each time this prayer is said and an indulgence of seven years for each time it is said after worthily receiving Holy Communion. If said every day for a month, a plenary indulgence subject to the usual conditions applies on any day chosen. (Pius IX, 1854).
          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 never to be separated from Thee.
          From the malicious enemy defend me.
          In the hour of my death call me,
          And with Thy angels and saints I may praise Thee.
          For ever and ever. Amen.


    The following acts, which correspond to the four ends of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, may also be said after Mass by way of thanksgiving.


    O Lord Jesus, I have received Thee within myself, and from within the sanctuary of my heart into which Thou hast deigned to descend, do Thou give to Almighty God, in my name, all the glory that is His due. I unite myself to Thee, O sacred humanity, who in Heaven and in the Holy Eucharist, dost never cease offering to the most Holy Trinity an infinite worship, that which alone is truly worthy of the three divine Persons. Through Thee, O divine Priest, I wish to render glory to the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, even in proportion to the immensity of their divine Majesty, because I know that by Thee, with Thee and in Thee all honor and glory are given to them. In union, therefore with Thee, I prostrate myself in adoration before God, acknowledging His sovereign dominion over me and over all creatures.



    What shall I render to the Lord for all the favors and graces He has bestowed upon me? What great blessings, both known and unknown have I not received, and to all this have I replied only with ingratitude. But having Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, in my heart, I can at this very moment, pay my whole debt of gratitude to almighty God. For this purpose I unite myself to that infinite act of thanksgiving rising continually from Thy Sacred Heart. Thou knowest well all the gifts I have received from Thy divine goodness ever since I was placed in the world and born again to the life of grace. Do Thou, O Lord, render for me due thanks to the most Holy Trinity, since to unite with Thine Own giving of thanks do I desire to make my thanksgiving consist.



    "The whole reason for our glory," says our holy Mother the Church, "in in Thee, O Christ, in Whom we live, in Whom we merit, in Whom we make satisfaction by worthy fruits of penance which, deriving their value from Thee, are offered to the Father by Thee, and accepted by Him through Thee" (Council of Trent).

    When I communicate I share truly in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass which with that of the cross, makes but one true propitiatory sacrifice, since by that offering of Thy precious Blood, O Lord, it obtains the favor of Thy heavenly Father. Therefore, do I beseech that this Holy Communion may appease the divine justice, obtain deliverance of souls from Purgatory, cleanse away venial sins and remit whatever temporal punishment may still remain due. May this intimate union of my heart with Thine, O divine Victim of Calvary, make me die more and more to myself.

    I offer Thee, O God the Father, in union with the Sacrifice of Thy Son upon the cross and as satisfaction for my sins, all the crosses which I shall have to bear during this day. Give me, through Jesus Christ, the courage to endure them with a holy resignation.



    Thou hast told us, O Lord Jesus, in the Holy Gospel, that "If you ask the Father anything in my name He will give it you." Therefore, "in Thy name", relying upon Thy merits and uniting myself to Thee, Who art continually interceding for us in Heaven and in the Holy Eucharist, I ask the Father to grant all those graces necessary for me that I may ever do His holy will. Holy Father, seeing that Communion partakes of the efficacy of Holy Mass, which is the same as that of Calvary, I pray Thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to grant me all the graces that Thou wouldst have accorded me had I been at the foot of the Cross when Thy divine Son died for us. His blood was shed for us; therefore may Its saving power reach all souls and may they be gathered to Thee. Give to me, O God, and to all men, Thy grace in this world and Thy glory in the next. Amen.


Prayers after reception of Holy Communion