Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds conceal me.
Do not permit me to be parted from you.
From the evil foe protect me.
At the hour of my death call me.
And bid me come to you,
to praise you with all your saints
for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Real Presence of Jesus
St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)
The whole world should tremble and heaven rejoice,
when Christ, the Son of the living God,
is present on the altar in the hands of the priest.
What wonderful majesty! What stupendous condescension!
O sublime humility! O humble sublimity!
That the Lord of the whole universe, God and the
Son of God,
should humble himself like this
and hide under the form of a little bread for our salvation.
Look at God’s condescension, my brothers,
and pour out your hearts before him, humble
yourselves that you may be exalted by him.
O Sacrum Convivium
by St. Thomas Aquinas
O sacrum convivium,
in quo Christus sumitur;
recolitur memoria passionis eius:
mens impletur gratia:
et future gloriae nobis pignus datur.
O sacred Banquet, wherein Christ is received; the memory of His Passion renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and the pledge of future glory is given unto us.
Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament
St. Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)
O Jesus, present in the Sacrament of the Altar,
teach all nations to serve you with a willing heart,
knowing that to serve God is to reign.
May your sacrament, O Jesus,
be light to the mind,
strength to the will,
joy to the heart.
May it be the support for the weak,
the comfort for the suffering,
the wayfaring bread of salvation for the dying,
and, for all, the pledge of future glory.
Prayer in Full Faith
St. Thomas More (1478-1535)
Give me, good Lord, a full and fervent charity,
a love of you, good Lord,
incomparable above the love of myself;
and that I love nothing to your displeasure
but everything in an order to you.
Take from me, good Lord, this lukewarm fashion,
or rather this cold manner of meditation
and this dullness in praying to you.
And give me warmth, delight, and life
in thinking about you.
And give me your grace to long for your hold sacraments
and specially to rejoice in the presence of your
blessed body,
sweet Savior, in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar,
and duly to thank you for your gracious coming.