Prayers Before and After Mass
Prayer Before Mass
(Morning Offering [with addition] and Prayer before a Day’s Work)
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in thanksgiving for your favors, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all my relatives and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father and the Archbishop. In a special way, I offer them that you may build our house and guard our city, that St. Mary’s Church and School may be a place where we grow as your disciples and thus strengthen our community. Amen.
Direct, we beg you, O Lord, our actions by your holy inspirations, and grant that we may carry them out with your gracious assistance, that every prayer and work of ours may begin always with you, and through you be happily ended. Amen.
Prayer After Mass
(Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas)
Lord, holy Father, almighty and ever-living God, I thank you.
For though I am a sinner and your unprofitable servant, you have fed me with the precious Body and Blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
You did this not because I deserved it, but because you are kind and merciful.
I pray that this holy Communion may not add to my guilt and punishment, but may lead me to forgiveness and salvation.
May it be for me the armor of faith and the shield of good will.
May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my base passions.
May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience, and may it strengthen my power to do every kind of good.
May it be a strong defense against the deceit of all my enemies, visible and invisible.
May it calm perfectly all my evil impulses, bodily and spiritual.
May it unite me more closely to you, the one true God; may it bring me full possession of the goal I am longing for.
And I pray that you will lead me, a sinner, to the magnificent banquet where you, with your Son and the Holy Spirit, are for all your saints the true light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end, exquisite delight, and most perfect happiness. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.