Prayers

O Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under the roof of my house, for I am sinful, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed. Say unto my soul, "Your sins are forgiven." I am barren and in need of Your righteousness, Your compassion, Your mercy, and Your love. You humbled Yourself and descended from the heavens and unutterable glory to our lowly state and accepted to be born in a manger. 0 holy Savior, do not reject my humble and miserable soul, which is waiting for Your glorified coming, but accept to come into my soul to cleanse it. As You did not refuse to enter into the leper's house to heal him, please, 0 Lord, enter into my soul and heal me. Do not forbid me from receiving Your holy Body and Your precious Blood. As You did not forbid the woman, who was a sinner, from kissing Your feet. May my communion with You banish every defilement and mortify my evil desires. Help me obey Your life-giving commandments, and heal my soul and body from all sins, that I may accept Your gifts. May Your grace dwell in me and may Your Spirit abide in me and make me united with You, that I may live for the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
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O Lord my God, I know that I am not worthy nor sufficient that You should enter under my roof into the habitation of my soul, for it is all deserted and in ruins, and there is not a fitting place in me for You to lay Your head. But as from the heights of Your glory You humbled Yourself, so now bear me in my humility; as You deigned to lie in a manger in a cave, so now also come into the manger of my mute soul and corrupt body. As You did not refrain from entering into the house of Simon the leper, or shrink from eating there with sinners, so also vouchsafe to enter the house of my poor soul, all leprous and full of sin. You did not reject the sinful woman who ventured to draw near to touch You, so also have pity on me, a sinner, approaching to touch You. Grant that I may partake of Your all-holy Body and precious Blood for the sanctification, enlightenment and strengthening of my weak soul and body; for relief from the burden of my many sins; for my preservation against all the snares of the devil; for victory over all my sinful and evil habits; for the mortification of my passions; for obedience in Your commandments; for growth in Your divine grace and for the inheritance of Your kingdom. For it is not with a careless heart that I approach You, 0 Christ my God, but I come trusting in Your infinite goodness, and fearing lest I may be drawn afar from You and become the prey of the wolf of souls. Therefore, I pray to You, 0 Master, who alone are holy, that You would sanctify my soul and body, my mind and heart and reins, and renew me entirely. Implant in my members the fear of You, be my helper and guide, directing my life in the path of peace, and make me worthy to stand at Your right hand with Your saints through the prayers and intercessions of Your pure Mother, of the heavenly powers, and of all the saints who from all ages have been well-pleasing unto You. Amen.
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o Another Prayer Before Communion (by Saint John Chrysostom) I believe, 0 Lord, and I confess that You are truly Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that this is truly Your own immaculate Body and that this is truly Your own precious Blood. Therefore, I pray You, have mercy upon me and forgive my transgressions both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge and of ignorance. Make me worthy to partake without condemnation of Your immaculate Mysteries, unto the remission of my sins and unto life everlasting. Amen.
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Another Prayer Before Communion (by Saint John Damascene)
I stand before the gates of Your temple, and yet I do not refrain from my evil thoughts. But, 0 Christ my God, who did justify the publican and had mercy on the Canaanite woman and opened the gate of Paradise to the thief, open to me the compassion of Your love towards mankind. Receive me as I approach and touch You like the sinful woman and the woman with the issue of blood. For the one by embracing Your feet received forgiveness of her sins, and the other by touching the hem of Your garment was healed. And I, most sinful, dare to partake of Your whole Body. Let me not be consumed, but receive me as You did receive them and enlighten the perceptions of my soul, consuming the accusations of my sins. Through the intercessions of her who, without stain, gave birth to You and of the heavenly powers, for You are blessed unto the age of all ages. Amen.
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o Another Prayer Before Communion O Lord, Master Jesus Christ, the prince of life and the King of ages, the Bread of life who came down from heaven, who granted life to those who partake of Your holy Body and precious Blood. Grant Your servant Your heavenly blessings in order to be worthy to approach the mystery of Your holy Body and Blood in godliness and reverence. Wake my heart to Your grace and visit me with Your salvation that I may taste the sweetness of Your heavenly grace hidden entirely in this all-holy Mystery. Grant me a strong faith far from doubt and skepticism, that I may approach You now, trusting that this is Your holy Body and precious Blood, 0 Immanuel our God. Make me worthy to partake of them without falling into condemnation, in order to be united with You spiritually and for the forgiveness of my sins and for acceptance before Your awful judgment, for Yours is the glory with Your good Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
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o Another Prayer Before Communion O Lord, Master Jesus Christ, the prince of life and the King of ages, the Bread of life who came down from heaven, who granted life to those who partake of Your holy Body and precious Blood. Grant Your servant Your heavenly blessings in order to be worthy to approach the mystery of Your holy Body and Blood in godliness and reverence. Wake my heart to Your grace and visit me with Your salvation that I may taste the sweetness of Your heavenly grace hidden entirely in this all-holy Mystery. Grant me a strong faith far from doubt and skepticism, that I may approach You now, trusting that this is Your holy Body and precious Blood, 0 Immanuel our God. Make me worthy to partake of them without falling into condemnation, in order to be united with You spiritually and for the forgiveness of my sins and for acceptance before Your awful judgment, for Yours is the glory with Your good Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
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Therefore, I, although unworthy both of heavenly and of earthly and temporary life, even I, a wretched sinner who have given myself over to every evil desire, do not despair of salvation, though I have been wholly subject to sin, a slave to passion, and have defiled Your image within me, I who am Your creation and Your work. But trusting in Your infinite compassion I draw near unto You. So, receive me, also, 0 Christ the Lover of Mankind, as You did receive the sinful woman, the thief, the publican, and the lost son. Take away the heavy burden of my sins, You who take away the sins of the world, and heal the infirmities of men, and call all who are weary and heavy laden to Yourself and give them rest. You who did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, cleanse me from all stain of body and spirit and teach me to fulfill holiness in Your fear, that with the witness of my conscience grace, I may receive a grace of Your Father and Holy Spirit, dwelling and abiding in me. Grant, 0 Lord Jesus Christ, my God, that the partaking of Your precious and life-giving Mysteries may not be to my condemnation nor may not, through the weakness of my soul and body, be received unworthily; but grant that even to my last breath, I may partake of a portion of Your holy gifts without condemnation, unto the communion of Your Holy Spirit, as a preparation for eternal life and for a good defense at Your dreaded judgment seat; so that I together with all Your saints, may also receive those incorruptible good things which You have prepared for those who love You, 0 Lord in whom You are glorified forever. Amen.
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O Prayer After Communion My heart is filled with joy and my tongue with gladness. My spirit glorifies the Lord, and my soul rejoices in God my Savior. I have come to You, 0 Lord, clothe me with a radiant garment and make me worthy to enter into Your wedding. Let my communion with You today be forever, for through it, I increase, grow firm in virtue, and am strengthened in faith and in hope. Let my communion be a sign of Your salvation, a raiment of grace, a garment of new birth, purity and righteousness of my body and soul, and preparation for the eternal love and joy. I surrender myself and my will to Your compassion, 0 Lord, and I call to You my senses and my mind, to bless them and make them according to Your will. Enlighten my heart and awaken my conscience. Disperse all the shadows of the adversaries. Still the storm, walk with me and guide me. Give me comfort, quench my thirst, and abide with me for the day is coming to an end, and accompany me until daybreak. For You alone are my goal and my joy, now and forever. Amen.
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O Another Prayer After Communion (by Saint Basil the Great)
O Lord, Christ our God, King of the ages, and Creator of all, I thank You for all the good things which You have bestowed upon me, and for this communion of Your immaculate and life-giving Mysteries. Therefore, I entreat You, 0 Good One and Lover of Mankind, keep me in Your tabernacle and under the shadow of Your wings. Grant that, with a pure conscience, even unto my last breath, I may worthily partake of Your holy things, unto the remission of my sins and unto life eternal. For You are the Bread of life, the fountain of all holiness, the giver of good things, and unto You we ascribe glory, 0 Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the age of all ages. Amen.
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© Another Prayer After Communion How great is Your generosity, 0 God, which You prepared for those who fear You! How sweet is Your grace and love for those who love You! I thank You, my Lord, who cares for me and gave me this holy, mysterious and everlasting food by which You open for us the way to eternal life. Keep me under the shadow of Your wings, and grant that, with a pure conscience, even until my last breath, I may worthily partake of Your holy things, for the remission of my sins and for life eternal. Enflame in me the fire of Your love, and keep the gift of Your grace in me, neither for judgment nor for falling into condemnation, but for gaining glory and purity of soul and body in order to live in You and for You. Guide me into Your righteousness. Fill my heart with Your grace. Sanctify my life with Your Holy Spirit, for Yours is the glory with Your gracious Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
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Another Prayer After Communion (by St. o Simon Metaphrastes) 0 who, of Your own good will, gives me Your Body as my food; You who are a fire consuming the unworthy, consume me not, 0 my Creator, but rather enter into my organs , into my whole being, all my joints, my reins and my heart. Consume the thorns of my iniquities. Cleanse my soul. Sanctify my mind. Make firm my knee and likewise my bones. Enlighten my senses. Establish me wholly in Your fear. Overshadow me. Guard me and keep me from every word and deed which mars the soul. Purify me and wash me clean, and bring me into concord . Adorn me. Give me understanding and enlighten me. Make me the abode of Your Spirit only, and in nowise the abode of sin. That being made Your tabernacle through the reception of the holy communion, all evil and all passion may flee away from me as from fire. I call as my intercessors all the saints, the heavenly powers, Your forerunner, the wise apostles, and above them Your pure mother, whose prayers You do accept, in Your tender loving kindness, 0 my Christ, and make me Your servant to be a child of the light. For you alone are the sanctification and illumination of our souls, 0 Good One, and unto You as God and Master, we ascribe each day the due glory. Amen.