Preparation for Communion

[Mothers_Boy]

I was wondering what others do to prepare to go to Communion. I go to Confession when I need to, at least weekly, and pray some of the prayers from “My Catholic Prayer Book” in the “Before Mass” section. Let us know what you do to prepare. I was going to make this a poll but felt I wouldn’t cover all the possibilities.

 

[Dr.Colossus]

During Mass, prior to receiving Communion (while the cantor is usually singing some drivel from “Glory and Praise Vol. 2”), I will say some form of the following prayer (I haven’t quite memorized it all yet):

Prayer Before Receiving Communion

O Lord, I believe and profess that You are truly Christ, the Son of the living God, Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first.

Accept me as a partaker of Your mystical Supper, O Son of God; for I will not reveal Your mystery to Your enemies, nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas, but like the thief I confess to You:

Remember me, O Lord, when You shall come into Your kingdom. Remember me, O master, when You shall come into Your kingdom. Remember me, O Holy One, when you shall come into Your kingdom.

May the partaking of Your holy mysteries, O Lord, be not for my judgment or condemnation but for the healing of soul and body.

O Lord, I also believe and profess that this, which I am about to receive, is truly Your Most Precious Body, and Your Life-Giving Blood, which I pray, make me worthy to receive for the remission of all my sins and life everlasting. Amen.

O God, be merciful to me a sinner.
O God, cleanse me of my sins and have mercy on me.
O Lord, forgive me for I have sinned without number.

 

[system]

Obviously, fast for one hour prior to Communion, read something short from the NT (or the daily readings), and go to the church early so I can “settle into the right state” prior to Mass. Also, right before entering the Communion line, I pray to help put my soul in more of a state of grace so that there’s more room for Him among the “junk” (for lack of a better word) that’s in there sometimes.

In the non-summer when my kid is in school, I read a chapter out of a book I have “Preparing Yourself for Mass” which are really good meditations for me, but I don’t do it in the summer because, well, with a 6 y.o. there really isn’t as much time to prepare.

But my favorite part is not preparing for Communion, but immediately after Communion.

JELane

 

[akemner]

In the Byzantine Rite, there is a whole Office of Holy Communion. I try to same some part of it, usually the psalms and soem of the prayers.

The stucture is:
Introductory prayers (we say prayers before we pray )
Psalms 21, 22, 23, 115 (Septuagint numbering)
Troparia before Communion
Psalm 50
Canon before Holy Communion (or Canon to our Sweetest Lord Jesus, a conon to the Theotokos, and a canon to one’s guardian angel)
It is truely Proper… (a common hymn to the Blessed Mother)
Trisagion prayers (these are like the intro prayers)
Troparion of Holy Thursday
Lord have mercy 40x, then 15 bows.
Precommunion prayers (there are at least 18)
Nicene Creed
Kontakion "Of thy mystical supper) (i think this is also of Holy Thursday)
Prayers upon approaching
Prayers after Communion

In Christ,
Adam