Prayers after Communion

(taken from the Red Book and Fr. Lasance's Catholic Girls Guide)

Prayer before a Crucifix
Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before Thy face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; and whilst I contemplate with great love and tender pity Thy five most precious Wounds, pondering over them in within my heart and calling to mind the words which David, thy servant, said of Thee, my Jesus: "They have pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones."


A Prayer to Our Lady
O Mary, most holy Virgin Mother, lo, I have received thy well-beloved Son, whom thou didst conceive in thy stainless womb, didst bring forth and suckle, and enfold in thy sweet embraces. See, humbly and lovingly I give back to thee the Son Whom it was all rapture and delight for thee to look upon; I orffer Him to be clasped in thy arms, to be loved with all thy heart, and to be offered up to the Holy Trinity in the supreme homage of adoration, for thy hnor and glory, and for my needs and those of all mankind. Most loving Mother, I beg thee to obtain for me forgiveness of all my sins, grace in abundance to serve Him more faithfully from now onward, and lastly, final perseverance, so that I may praise Him with thee forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Thomas Aquinas

I give thee thanks, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, who has vouchsafed not for any merits of mine but solely out of the condescension of Thy mercy, to satisfy me a sinner, Thine unworthy servant, with the precious Body and Blood of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray that this holy Communion be not to be a condemnation unto punishment, but a saving plea unto forgiveness. May it be unto me the armor of faith and the shield of good will. May it be the emptying out of my vices, the extinction of all concupiscence and lust, the increae of charity and patience, of humility and obedience, and all of the virtues; a strong defense against the snares of all enemies, visible and invisible; the perfect quieting fo alll my evil impulses, both fleshly and ghostly; a firm cleaving unto Thee, the one true God; and a pledge of a blessed destiny.

And I beseech Thee, that Thou would vouchsafe to bring me, a sinner, to that ineffable banquet whereThou, with Thy Son and the Holy Ghost, art to Thy saints true light, fullness of content, eternal joy, gladness without alloy and perfect bliss. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.