K
Krisdun
Guest
Would a good act of contrition suffice?
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V
Vico
Guest
Yes. Also good is Psalm 50/51.
In the Byzantine Catholic Church we have the Toparion of Great and Holy Thursday (including 5 particular preparatory prayers) in the book The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great, p 8-10.
A 21 MB PDF: https://mci.archpitt.org/servicebooks/DivineLiturgies.pdf
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Tis_Bearself
Patron
From Latin church perspective: You don’t need to make an act of contrition before Mass because you’re going to be making one in the Penitential Rite just after the Mass begins. You can do it if you want, but we don’t need to “purify” ourselves before Mass.
When you enter the church, it’s traditional to cross yourself with holy water; this can be seen as a type of purification since use of holy water removes venial sin.
Usually when one arrives at church for Mass, one would cross oneself with holy water, genuflect to the Lord, then upon entering the pew kneel and say a short prayer to the Lord of any type one likes. Could be an Act of Contrition, but since like I said we will be making one of those as a group during the Mass anyway, I usually just greet Our Lord and talk to him about what’s on my mind at that moment for a couple minutes. Some prayer books and missalettes also contain suggested prayers to say before Mass.
When you enter the church, it’s traditional to cross yourself with holy water; this can be seen as a type of purification since use of holy water removes venial sin.
Usually when one arrives at church for Mass, one would cross oneself with holy water, genuflect to the Lord, then upon entering the pew kneel and say a short prayer to the Lord of any type one likes. Could be an Act of Contrition, but since like I said we will be making one of those as a group during the Mass anyway, I usually just greet Our Lord and talk to him about what’s on my mind at that moment for a couple minutes. Some prayer books and missalettes also contain suggested prayers to say before Mass.
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Cor_ad_Cor
Guest
Confession is our purification before Mass; we just don’t require it before each Mass or have a regulation on timing concerning when Confession ends and Mass must begin.
Tis_Bearself
Patron
It should be noted however, that a person who is in a state of mortal sin, and therefore has not been to Confession (or went and the priest refused to grant absolution), is still permitted to come to Mass. In fact, it’s encouraged, as it may help the person to become closer to God and hopefully to go to Confession and do what he needs to do in order to be absolved. The person just can’t receive Holy Communion at the Mass until he is absolved of his mortal sin. But we are not required to be in some “pure” state before coming to Mass.
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Cor_ad_Cor
Guest
Good point. Thank you for clarifying! I’m definitely not having a very “elegant” day with words. 
M
Margaret_Ann
Guest
That’s from the big green pew book!
My blue DL book (1976, it’s the paperback of the red book used for many years in BC churches) has the priest’s prayers of preparation.
My blue DL book (1976, it’s the paperback of the red book used for many years in BC churches) has the priest’s prayers of preparation.
J
JohnLilburne
Guest
The Code of Canon Law has: “Can. 909 A priest is not to neglect to prepare himself properly through prayer for the celebration of the eucharistic sacrifice and to offer thanks to God at its completion.”
In the Roman Missal the last section, except the Indices, has prayers under the headings “Preparation for Mass” and “Thanksgiving After Mass”. One of the Preparation for Mass prayers is “Prayer of Saint Thomas Aquinas”:
Almighty eternal God,
behold, I come to the Sacrament
of your Only Begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
as one sick to the physician of life,
as one unclean to the fountain of mercy,
as one blind to the light of eternal brightness,
as one poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth.
I ask, therefore, for the abundance of your immense generosity,
that you may graciously cure my sickness,
wash away my defilement,
give light to my blindness,
enrich my poverty,
clothe my nakedness,
so that I may receive the bread of Angels,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
with such reverence and humility,
such contrition and devotion,
such purity and faith,
such purpose and intention
as are conducive to the salvation of my soul.
Grant, I pray, that I may receive
not only the Sacrament of the Lord’s Body and Blood,
but also the reality and power of that Sacrament.
O most gentle God,
grant that I may so receive
the Body of your Only Begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ,
which he took from the Virgin Mary,
that I may be made worthy to be incorporated into his Mystical Body
and to be counted among its members.
O most loving Father,
grant that I may at last gaze for ever
upon the unveiled face of your beloved Son,
whom I, a wayfarer,
propose to receive now veiled under these species:
Who lives and reigns with you for ever and ever.
Amen.
[Excerpt from the English translation of the Roman Missal (c) 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.]
In the Roman Missal the last section, except the Indices, has prayers under the headings “Preparation for Mass” and “Thanksgiving After Mass”. One of the Preparation for Mass prayers is “Prayer of Saint Thomas Aquinas”:
Almighty eternal God,
behold, I come to the Sacrament
of your Only Begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
as one sick to the physician of life,
as one unclean to the fountain of mercy,
as one blind to the light of eternal brightness,
as one poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth.
I ask, therefore, for the abundance of your immense generosity,
that you may graciously cure my sickness,
wash away my defilement,
give light to my blindness,
enrich my poverty,
clothe my nakedness,
so that I may receive the bread of Angels,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
with such reverence and humility,
such contrition and devotion,
such purity and faith,
such purpose and intention
as are conducive to the salvation of my soul.
Grant, I pray, that I may receive
not only the Sacrament of the Lord’s Body and Blood,
but also the reality and power of that Sacrament.
O most gentle God,
grant that I may so receive
the Body of your Only Begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ,
which he took from the Virgin Mary,
that I may be made worthy to be incorporated into his Mystical Body
and to be counted among its members.
O most loving Father,
grant that I may at last gaze for ever
upon the unveiled face of your beloved Son,
whom I, a wayfarer,
propose to receive now veiled under these species:
Who lives and reigns with you for ever and ever.
Amen.
[Excerpt from the English translation of the Roman Missal (c) 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.]
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