communion – A Collection of Prayers

After Communion

O Lord Jesus Christ, you have richly fed and refreshed my soul. Help me to love you with all my heart, truly believe in you, and live according to your will. Finally, grant me a blessed and joyful end that I may live and remain with you forever.

Source: Pomeranian Agenda, possibly by Johannes Bugenhagen, 16th century.

Original in German:

O Herr Jesu Christ, der du meine Seele gar reichlich gespeiset und getränket hast, ich bitte dich, gib, daß ich dich von Herzen recht möge lieben, an dich wahrhaftig gläuben, und nach deinem heiligen Willen leben, beschere mir auch endlich ein selig und frölich Ende, auf daß ich mit dir in Ewigkeit leben, und bei dir bleiben möge, der du mit dem u. (Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 381.2)

Before Communion

Lord Jesus Christ, our only comfort, our hope, our righteousness, our strength and sure defense, kindle in our hearts a desire, hunger and thirst for the eternal food of the soul, your true body and blood, that we may gladly and frequently receive the sacrament, knowing our sins, but relying on you to strengthen and assure us until life’s journey ends and we come to you in our heavenly homeland to see you face to face and dwell with you through all eternity.

Wilhelm Loehe, Samenkoerner des Gebets, p. 139, #88

Original in German:

Herr Jesu Christe, mein einziger Trost, meine Hoffnung, mein Leben, meine Gerech tigkeit, meine Stärke und meine Burg, ich bitte dich, du wollest mein Herz entzünden mit herzlichem Verlangen, Hunger und Durst nach der ewigen Speise meiner Seele, nach deinem wahren Leibe und Blute, daß ich in wahrer Erkenntniß meiner Sünden und starker Zuversicht zu dir dies dein hochwürdiqes Sakrament oft und ohne Ueberdruß möge gebrauchen, daß ich damit ohne Unterlaß meine Seele und Gewissen möge stärken und versichern, bis ich dermaleins meine Reise vollende, das rechte Vaterland erlange, zu du komme, dich von Angesicht zu Angesicht schaue, und ewig bei dir bleibe. Amen.

Early translation in traditional English:

Lord Jesus Christ, our only comfort, our hope, our righteousness, our strength and sure defence, we beseech Thee, kindle in our breasts a fervent desire, hunger, and thirst for that eternal food of the soul,—Thy true body and blood,— that we may gladly and frequently receive the glorious Sacrament in true realization of our sins and strong reliance upon Thee, unto the strengthening and assurance of our souls, until at last life’s pilgrimage ended, we come to Thee in the true Fatherland, to see Thee face to face, and abide with Thee through all eternity. Amen. (Wilhelm Loehe, Seed Grains of Prayer, English edition, #88.)

Before Communion

Lord, I am not worthy to be a guest at your holy table, yet I have heard the sweet words of your invitation, and you have promised me forgiveness of my sins through your body and blood which I eat and drink in this sacrament. O dear Lord, I know that your divine Word and promise are true. I do not doubt them, and resting on them, I eat and drink with you. Let it be to me according to your Word.

Source: Attributed to Martin Luther, no German original found in Die Gebete Luthers, from The Collection of Baron Bunsen, p. 182 #3 Tr. Catherine Winkworth.

Version in traditional English by Catherine Winkworth:

Lord Jesu Christ, though of a truth I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof, yet am I in sore need of Thy help, and desirous of Thy grace, that I may attain godliness and salvation. I come now in no other confidence than this, that I have heard the sweet words wherewith Thou invitest me to Thy table, and dost promise me, unworthy though I be, forgiveness of my sins through Thy body and blood, which I eat and drink in this Sacrament. O dear Lord, I know that Thy Divine word and promise are true; I doubt them not; and, resting on them, I eat and drink with Thee. Be it unto me according to Thy word. Amen.

Here I Receive Christ, My Soul’s Salvation

Almighty and Eternal God,
I come to the sacrament
of your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
As one sick I come to the Physician of life;
unclean, to the Fountain of mercy;
blind, to the Light of eternal splendor;
poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth.

Therefore, through your infinite mercy and generosity,
heal my weakness,
wash my uncleanness,
give light to my blindness,
enrich my poverty,
and clothe my nakedness.
May I thus receive the Bread of Angels,
the King of kings,
the Lord of lords,
with reverence and humility,
contrition and devotion,
purity and faith,
purpose and intention,
since here I receive Christ,
my soul’s salvation.

Grant that I may receive not only
the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord,
but also its full grace and power.
Give me the grace, most merciful God,
to receive the body of your only Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
born of the virgin Mary,
and unite me with his mystical body
and include me among his members.

Most loving Father,
grant that I may behold for all eternity,
face to face,
your beloved Son,
whom now on my pilgrimage,
I am about to receive in this sacrament,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Source: Thomas Aquinas, 13th century.

Source of this version: Freely modified from https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/aquinas-before-communion.html

Prayer was edited for stylistic and doctrinal reasons. Translation from ourcatholicprayers.com reads as follows:

Almighty and Eternal God, behold I come to the sacrament of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. As one sick I come to the Physician of life; unclean, to the Fountain of mercy; blind, to the Light of eternal splendor; poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. Therefore, I beg of You, through Your infinite mercy and generosity, heal my weakness, wash my uncleanness, give light to my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness. May I thus receive the Bread of Angels, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, with such reverence and humility, contrition and devotion, purity and faith, purpose and intention, as shall aid my soul’s salvation.

Grant, I beg of You, that I may receive not only the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord, but also its full grace and power. Give me the grace, most merciful God, to receive the Body of your only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, in such a manner that I may deserve to be intimately united with His mystical Body and to be numbered among His members. Most loving Father, grant that I may behold for all eternity face to face Your beloved Son, whom now, on my pilgrimage, I am about to receive under the sacramental veil, who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Forgiveness and Salvation

Lord,
Father all-powerful,
and ever-living God,
I thank you,
for even though I am a sinner
in the kindness of your mercy
you have fed me
with the precious body and 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 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 you,
the one true God
and lead me safely through death
to everlasting happiness with you.
Lead me, a sinner, to the banquet,
where you with your Son and Holy Spirit,
there is true and perfect light,
total fulfillment,
everlasting joy,
gladness without end
and perfect happiness for your saints.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Thomas Aquinas, 13th Century

Source of this version: Freely modified from https://catholicexchange.com/5-prayers-of-thanksgiving-for-the-holy-eucharist

The Anaphora of Hippolytus

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The Anaphora of Hippolytus is from the Apostolic Constitutions, and is the basis for many eucharistic prayers, including Eucharistic Prayer II of the present Roman Rite, Eucharistic Prayer IV in Lutheran Book of Worship (Minister’s Desk Edition), and the Prayer of Thanksgiving in The Service: Setting One in Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021).

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord.
It is right and just.

We give thanks to you God,
through your beloved son Jesus Christ,
whom you sent to us in former times
as Savior, Redeemer, and Messenger of your will.
He is your inseparable Word,
through whom you made all,
and in whom you were well-pleased.
You sent him from heaven into the womb of a virgin,
who, being conceived within her, was made flesh,
and appeared as your Son,
born of the Holy Spirit and the virgin.
It is he who, fulfilling your will
and acquiring for you a holy people,
extended his hands in suffering,
in order to liberate from sufferings
those who believe in you.

Who, when he was delivered to voluntary suffering,
in order to dissolve death,
and break the chains of the devil,
and tread down hell,
and bring the just to the light,
and set the limit,
and manifest the resurrection,
taking the bread, and giving thanks to you, said,

“Take, eat, for this is my body which is broken for you.”

Likewise he took the cup, saying,

“This is my blood which is shed for you.
Whenever you do this, do this in memory of me.”

Therefore, remembering his death and resurrection,
we set before you the bread and the cup,[1]
giving thanks to you, for you have made us worthy
to stand before you and to serve you.

And we pray that you would send your Holy Spirit
on the offering of your Holy Church.
In their gathering together,
give to all those who partake of your holy mysteries the fullness of the Holy Spirit,
toward the strengthening of the faith in truth,
that we may praise you and glorify you,
through your son Jesus Christ,
through whom to you be glory and honor,
Father and Son,
with the Holy Spirit,
in your Holy Church,
now and always.
Amen.

Source: The Anaphora of Hippolytus, third century

Note:

In the early church, it was the custom for members of the church to present bread and wine as gifts to be used for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, which is the “offering” or “setting before” (offerimus) mentioned here. Later (especially in the Council of Trent), the Lord’s Supper was wrongly viewed as a re-sacrificing of Christ’s body and blood. (See Hebrews 7:27 and 9:26).

Original in Latin:

Dominus vobiscum.
Et cum spiritu tuo.

Sursum corda.
Habemus ad Dominum.

Gratias agamus Domino.
Dignum et iustum est.

Et sic iam prosequatur. Gratias tibi referimus, Deus per dilectum puerum tuum Jesum Christum, quem in ultimis temporibus misisti nobis salvatorem et redemptorem et angelum voluntatis tuae. Qui est Verbum tuum inseparabile, per quem omnia fecisti et bene placitum tibi fuit. Misisti de calo in matricem Virginis, quique in utero habitus incarnatus est et Filius tibi ostensus est ex Spiritu Sancto et Virgine natus. Qui voluntatem tuam complens et populum sanctum tibi adquirens extendit manus cum pateretur, ut a passione liberaret eos qui in te crediderunt. Qui cumque traderetur voluntariae passioni ut mortem solvat et vincula diaboli dirumpat et infernum calcet et iustos inluminet et terninum figat et resurrectionem manifestet, accipiens panem gratias tibi agens dixit: Accipite, manducate: hoc est corpus meum, quod pro vobis confringetur. Similiter et calicem dicens: Hic est sanguis mcus qui pro vobis effunditur. Quando hoc facitis, meam commemorationem facitis. Memores igitur mortis et resurrectionis eius offerimus tibi panem et calicem gratias tibi agentes quia nos dignos habuisti adstare coram te et tibi ministrare. Et petimus ut mittas Spiritum tecum Sanctum in oblationem sancta Ecclesiae. In unum congregans des omnibus qui percipiunt sanctis in repletionem Spiritus Sancti ad confirmationem fidei in veritate, ut te landemus et glorificemus per puerum tuum Jesum Christum, per quem tibi gloria et honor Patri et Filio cum Sancto Spiritu in sancta Ecclesia tua et nunc et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Two Celtic Communion Prayers

The Lorrha Missal (also called the Stowe Missal) was a book containing the texts of the mass, written in Ireland in the late 8th century. The first prayer below was prayed after the consecration (Words of Institution) and before the distribution. The second prayer was the post-communion prayer.

We believe, O Lord.
We believe we have been redeemed
by the breaking of Christ’s body,
and the pouring of his blood.
We rely on this sacrament for strength,
confident that what we now hold in hope,
we will enjoy in true fulfillment in heaven;
through our Lord Jesus Christ
who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
now and forever.
Amen.

We give you thanks, O Lord,
holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
for you have satisfied us
with the body and blood of Christ your Son.
In your mercy, O Lord,
let this sacrament not be for our condemnation or punishment,
but for our salvation and forgiveness,
for strengthening the weak
as a firm foundation against the dangers of the world.
With this communion forgive all our guilt,
and give us the heavenly joy of sharing in it;
through our Lord Jesus Christ
who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from The Lorrha-Stowe Missal, p. 6-7.

Formatted as block paragraph:

We give you thanks, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, for you have satisfied us with the body and blood of Christ your Son. In your mercy, O Lord, let this sacrament not be for our condemnation or punishment, but for our salvation and forgiveness, and for strengthening the weak as a firm foundation against the dangers of the world. With this communion forgive all our guilt and give us the heavenly joy of sharing in it; through our Lord Jesus Christ who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and forever.

The Lorrha-Stowe Preface and Sanctus

The Lorrha Missal (also called the Stowe Missal) was a book containing the texts of the mass, written in Ireland in the late 8th century. It begins in the same way as the Roman rite, but becomes a beautiful poem on the attributes of God.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It good and right.

It is truly good, right and salutary
for us to give thanks to you always and everywhere,
holy Lord, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord;
with your only Son and the Holy Spirit you are
one immortal God,
incorruptible and unchangeable God,
invisible and faithful God,
wonderful and praiseworthy God,
honorable and mighty God,
most high and magnificent God,
living and true God,
wise and powerful God,
holy and glorious God,
great and good God,
awesome and peaceful God,
beautiful and righteous God,
pure and benevolent God,
blessed and just God,
pious and holy God,
not one singular person,
but one Trinity of substance.

We believe you.
We bless you.
We adore you.
We praise your name forever and ever
through him who is the salvation of the world,
through him who is the life of humanity,
through him who is the resurrection of the dead.

Through him the angels praise your majesty,
the dominions adore,
the powers of the highest heaven tremble,
the virtues of the blessed seraphim rejoice together.
We pray, grant that we may join our voices with theirs, confessing you and saying:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of Sabaoth.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who came down from heaven that he might live on the earth, be made fully human, and gave his flesh as a sacrificial victim, and by his passion gave eternal life to those who believe.

Source: Lorrha-Stowe Missal, eighth century. Translated by Paul C. Stratman for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in Latin:

Stowe Preface.png

A facsimile of the book can be seen here: https://archive.org/details/stowemissalmsdii01cath

O Sacred Banquet

O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of his Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory given to us.

V. You gave them bread from heaven;
R. Containing in itself all sweetness.

Let us pray;

O God, in a wonderful Sacrament you left us a memorial of your Passion; may we so reverence the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood that we always feel within ourselves the fruit of your Redemption; you live and reign forever and ever.

Amen.

In Paschaltide the following is said:

Let us pray;

O Lord, pour on us the Spirit of your love to make us of one heart, since by your tender mercy you have filled with the paschal sacrament. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Roman Missal. English translation modified. http://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/Euch/SacrumConv.html

Original in Latin:

O SACRUM convivium, in quo Christus sumitur: recolitur memoria passionis eius; mens impletur gratia et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur.

V. Panem de caelo praestitisti eis;

R. Omne delectamentum in se habentem.

Oremus;

Deus, qui nobis sub Sacramento mirabili Passionis tuae memoriam reliquisti; tribue, quaesumus, ita nos Corporis et Sanguinis tui sacra mysteria venerari, ut redemptionis tuae fructum in nobis iugiter sentiamus: Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Tempore paschali sequens dicitur oratio:

Oremus;

Spiritum nobis, Domine tuae caritatis infunde, ut, quos Sacramentis paschalibus satiasti, tua facias pietate concordes. Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate eiusdem Spiritus Sancti Deus per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

For Communicants

Hear us, O merciful Father,
and grant that all communicants of your Church this day,
who partake of this bread and wine,
and receive his most blessed Body and Blood
according to your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ’s holy institution,
remember of his death and passion
in true repentance and living faith;
to him, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be all honor and glory,
now and forever. Amen.

Source: An Ancient Liturgy, fifth century

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

As a paragraph:

Hear us, O merciful Father, and grant that all communicants of your Church this day, who partake of this bread and wine, and receive his most blessed Body and Blood according to your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ’s holy institution, remember of his death and passion in true repentance and living faith; to him, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.