Thanksgiving after Mass
Prayer of Saint Thomas Aquinas
I give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
who have been pleased to nourish me,
a sinner and your unworthy servant,
with the precious Body and Blood
of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ:
this through no merits of mine,
but due solely to the graciousness of your mercy.
And I pray that this Holy Communion
may not be for me an offense to be punished,
but a saving plea for forgiveness.
May it be for me the armor of faith,
and the shield of good will.
May it cancel my faults,
destroy concupiscence and carnal passion,
increase charity and patience, humility and obedience
and all the virtues,
may it be a firm defense against the snares of all my
enemies,
both visible and invisible,
the complete calming of my impulses,
both of the flesh and of the spirit,
a firm adherence to you, the one true God,
and the joyful completion of my life’s course.
And I beseech you to lead me, a sinner,
to that banquet beyond all telling,
where with your Son and the Holy Spirit
you are the true light of your Saints,
fullness of satisfied desire, eternal gladness,
consummate delight and perfect happiness.
Through Christ our Lord.
Prayer to the Most Holy Redeemer
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, embolden me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Never permit me to be parted from you.
From the evil Enemy defend me.
At the hour of my death call me
and bid me come to you,
that with your Saints I may praise you
for age upon age.
Amen.
Prayer of Self-Offering
Receive, Lord, my entire freedom.
Accept the whole of my memory,
my intellect and my will.
Whatever I have or possess,
it was you who gave it to me;
I restore it to you in full,
and I surrender it completely
to the guidance of your will.
Give me only love of you
together with your grace,
and I am rich enough
and ask for nothing more.
Amen.
Prayer to Our Lord Jesus Christ Crucified
Behold, O good and loving Jesus,
that I cast myself on my knees before you
and, with the greatest fervor of spirit,
I pray and beseech you to instill into my heart
ardent sentiments of faith, hope and charity,
with true repentance for my sins
and a most firm purpose of amendment.
With deep affection and sorrow
I ponder intimately
and contemplate in my mind your five wounds,
having before my eyes what the prophet David
had already put in your mouth about yourself,
O good Jesus:
They have pierced my hands and my feet;
they have numbered all my bones (Psalm 21: 17-18).
The Universal Prayer
Attributed to Pope Clement XI
I believe, O Lord, but may I believe more firmly;
I hope, but may I hope more securely;
I love, but may I love more ardently;
I sorrow, but may I sorrow more deeply.
I adore you as my first beginning;
I long for you as my last end;
I praise you as my constant benefactor;
I invoke you as my gracious protector.
By your wisdom direct me,
by your righteousness restrain me,
by your indulgence console me,
by your power protect me.
I offer you, Lord, my thoughts to be directed to you,
my words, to be about you,
my deeds, to respect your will,
my trials, to be endured for you.
I will whatever you will,
I will it because you will it,
I will it in the way you will it,
I will it for as long as you will it.
Lord, enlighten my understanding, I pray:
arouse my will,
cleanse my heart,
sanctify my soul.
May I weep for past sins,
repel future temptations,
correct evil inclinations,
nurture appropriate virtues.
Give me, good God,
love for you, hatred for myself,
zeal for my neighbor,
contempt for the world.
May I strive to obey superiors,
to help those dependent on me,
to have care for my friends,
forgiveness for my enemies.
May I conquer sensuality by austerity,
avarice by generosity,
anger by gentleness,
lukewarmness by fervor.
Render me prudent in planning,
steadfast in dangers,
patient in adversity,
humble in prosperity.
Make me, O Lord, attentive at prayer,
moderate at meals,
diligent in work,
steadfast in intent.
May I be careful to maintain interior innocence,
outward modesty,
exemplary behavior,
a regular life.
May I be always watchful in subduing nature,
in nourishing grace,
in observing your law,
in winning salvation.
May I learn from you
how precarious are earthly things,
how great divine things,
how fleeting is time,
how lasting things eternal.
Grant that I may prepare for death,
fear judgment,
flee hell,
gain paradise.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary
O Mary, Virgin and Mother most holy,
behold, I have received your most dear Son,
whom you conceived in your immaculate womb,
brought forth, nursed and embraced most tenderly.
Behold him at whose sight
you used to rejoice and be filled with all delight;
him whom, humbly and lovingly,
once again I present
and offer him to you
to be clasped in your arms,
to be loved by your heart,
and to be offered up to the Most Holy Trinity
as the supreme worship of adoration,
for your own honor and glory
and for my needs and for those of the whole world.
I ask you therefore, most loving Mother:
entreat for me the forgiveness of all my sins
and, in abundant measure, the grace
of serving him in the future more faithfully,
and at the last, final grace,
so that with you I may praise him
for all the ages of ages.
Amen.
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;
blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
