Thanksgiving after Mass

[RyanML]

This idea seems to have been lost to most Catholics today, but what are some ideas for making a proper thanksgiving after Mass? God bless!

 

[SenorSalsa]

one could always do the Leonine Prayers.

I usually go simpler and just do 1 Hail Mary and the St. Michael Prayer, sometimes the Sacred Heart of Jesus if I remember

 

[santodomingo]

Here´s what I pray (on my knees, of course).

First I pray St. Ignatius´ prayer, “Soul of Christ”. I pray it in its original Spanish, but here is an English version:

“Soul of Christ, santify 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, hide me.
Never let me be separated from you.
From the malignant enemy, defend me.
At the hour of death, call me;
and bid me come to you.
That with your saints I may praise you
forever and ever.
Amen.”

Afterwards I pray a “Hail Mary”, I say “thank you Lord for your Holy Communion” with as much gratitude as I am capable of , and finally I ask the Lord for a special favour. I try not to ask for anything for myself, but rather for someone´s conversion or consolation, or I pray for a deceased person´s soul.

I believe that there is no opportunity for greater intimacy with the Lord than just after Holy Communion and we should make the most of it.

 

[RyanML]

I have often heard that spending a good ten to fifteen minutes in prayer after Mass is a good amount of time for a proper thanksgiving. From what i’ve been told, the idea is that our Eucharistic Lord is with us, and so we should be spending that time with Him. I know that not everyone could do that (families with small children, obligations after mass, etc.) but when I try to give that amount of time, i always feel a bit odd, being the only person left in the church only a few minutes after Mass has ended. I can’t help but wonder sometimes if most Catholics don’t realize what a gift it is that they receive in the Eucharist. Thoughts?

 

[SenorSalsa]

It is definitely something that has fallen by the wayside, although it is still prescribed in some document somewhere(I do think it says optional however)

It all goes back to the idea of Lex Orendi, Lex Credendi. The law of prayer the law of belief. In other words, the way you pray influences the way you believe. If we don’t thank God for the Eucharist, we begin to forget that we are receiving such a great gift, and it just cycles and gets worse.

 

[santodomingo]

I have often heard that spending a good ten to fifteen minutes in prayer after Mass is a good amount of time for a proper thanksgiving. From what i’ve been told, the idea is that our Eucharistic Lord is with us, and so we should be spending that time with Him. I know that not everyone could do that (families with small children, obligations after mass, etc.) but when I try to give that amount of time, i always feel a bit odd, being the only person left in the church only a few minutes after Mass has ended. I can’t help but wonder sometimes if most Catholics don’t realize what a gift it is that they receive in the Eucharist. Thoughts?

Don´t worry about feeling odd! We are more than odd when you compare true catholics to the rest of society. Why should that bother us?

I have two small children (1 month and 2 years-old) and when we go to Mass as a family it is difficult to keep them under control. However, when the temple empties (one and a half minutes after the priest gives the final blessing) we stay in silent worship if it´s possible that day. My son, though he is only two, already has an awareness of the presence of God in the Eucharist that is extremely touching. When I approach for Holy Communion I have to carry him in my arms to prevent him from wandering off, and he always asks to receive Christ. I have to explain that he´ll receive Him when he´s older. His response is always, “but I´m a good boy”.

If giving thanks for 15 minutes after Holy Communion is “odd”, I want to be as odd as possible!!!

 

[RyanML]

Don´t worry about feeling odd! We are more than odd when you compare true catholics to the rest of society. Why should that bother us?

I have two small children (1 month and 2 years-old) and when we go to Mass as a family it is difficult to keep them under control. However, when the temple empties (one and a half minutes after the priest gives the final blessing) we stay in silent worship if it´s possible that day. My son, though he is only two, already has an awareness of the presence of God in the Eucharist that is extremely touching. When I approach for Holy Communion I have to carry him in my arms to prevent him from wandering off, and he always asks to receive Christ. I have to explain that he´ll receive Him when he´s older. His response is always, “but I´m a good boy”.

If giving thanks for 15 minutes after Holy Communion is “odd”, I want to be as odd as possible!!!

Amen!

 

[bpbasilphx]

The Byzantine Liturgy, as well as traditional forms of the Western Rite, have assigned psalms and prayers to be recited before and after celebration or communion.

When I approach for Holy Communion I have to carry him in my arms to prevent him from wandering off, and he always asks to receive Christ. I have to explain that he´ll receive Him when he´s older. His response is always, “but I´m a good boy”.

**Infant communion is one of the glories of the Eastern Churches. I love seeing the little ones brought up to Communion, and hearing their mothers tell them things like “Jesus loves Sally.”

A three-year old girl (I don’t know if she was Melkite or Orthodox), when asked what it was she received from Father at Church, said, “Jesus bread!”

She’s got it right!**

 

[Pani_Rose]

The Byzantine Liturgy, as well as traditional forms of the Western Rite, have assigned psalms and prayers to be recited before and after celebration or communion.

When I approach for Holy Communion I have to carry him in my arms to prevent him from wandering off, and he always asks to receive Christ. I have to explain that he´ll receive Him when he´s older. His response is always, “but I´m a good boy”.

**Infant communion is one of the glories of the Eastern Churches. I love seeing the little ones brought up to Communion, and hearing their mothers tell them things like “Jesus loves Sally.”

A three-year old girl (I don’t know if she was Melkite or Orthodox), when asked what it was she received from Father at Church, said, “Jesus bread!”

She’s got it right!**

We are Eastern Rite, our grandson is 3 - he gets so excited when we say it is ime for Church, he smiles and jumps and says ‘Jesus Bread, Jesus Bread!’ This past Sunday after he received the Eucharist, I heard him say, ‘THANK YOU JESUS’, and again a few minutes later ‘THANK YOU JESUS’. From the mouths of babes.

 

[RyanML]

This might be veering off topic just a bit, but I wonder if such a lack of these external signs of reverence (silence, genuflecting, thanksgiving after Mass) aren’t symptoms of a greater problem. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so distracted by the actions or inactions of other people in church but I can’t help but be slightly annoyed when people are right in front of the Tabernacle and talk and make jokes as if there’s nothing particularly special about where they are. How many times have I gone to adoration, with Our Lord exposed, and the other adorers are just carrying on a conversation with each other. If they aren’t going to be quiet out of respect for the Lord, they should at least respect the fact that other people are trying to pray…and zip it! It just gets on my nerves and yet sometimes I wonder if i’m not focusing too much on the minor imperfections in others and losing charity. I have a parish right down the street from where I live, but I rarely go to Mass there because there is no silence or solemnity and everything is so casual. I usually end up driving 25-30 minutes to go a much more reverent Mass. To come back around to the topic, the only place I usually see others staying after Mass for thanksgiving is at the Latin Mass. Okay…ranting over

 

[demerzel85]

This idea seems to have been lost to most Catholics today, but what are some ideas for making a proper thanksgiving after Mass? God bless!

Personally, I use the Prayer of St Thomas Aqunias before and after communion. One can also use the Adoro te Devote. And there is of course also the tradition of praying the Canticle of Daniel with Psalm 50.

 

[RyanML]

Personally, I use the Prayer of St Thomas Aqunias before and after communion. One can also use the Adoro te Devote. And there is of course also the tradition of praying the Canticle of Daniel with Psalm 50.

The Psalms are always a great choice! I like using the Litany of Humility as well.

 

[demerzel85]

Personally, I use the Prayer of St Thomas Aqunias before and after communion. One can also use the Adoro te Devote. And there is of course also the tradition of praying the Canticle of Daniel with Psalm 50.

*oops Psalm 150

 

[drforjc]

I pray the Leonine Prayers. It really can feel awkward when you are the only one kneeling and everyone else is standing around gabbing.

 

[otjm]

This idea seems to have been lost to most Catholics today, but what are some ideas for making a proper thanksgiving after Mass? God bless!

It wasn’t lost. Most people pre Vatican 2 got up and left after the priest had left the altar; some few left during Communion. Staying to make a longer thanksgiving was something that a few people did “back then” but it was by no means a significant number.

 

[I_Believe]

Personally, I use the Prayer of St Thomas Aqunias before and after communion. One can also use the Adoro te Devote. And there is of course also the tradition of praying the Canticle of Daniel with Psalm 50.

Did you mean Psalm 150 ? Only reason I ask is that Psalm 150 follows the Canticle of Daniel in my '62 missal.

 

[bpbasilphx]

We are Eastern Rite, our grandson is 3 - he gets so excited when we say it is ime for Church, he smiles and jumps and says ‘Jesus Bread, Jesus Bread!’ This past Sunday after he received the Eucharist, I heard him say, ‘THANK YOU JESUS’, and again a few minutes later ‘THANK YOU JESUS’. From the mouths of babes.

**How sweet! :clapping: **

 

[Eucharisted]

This idea seems to have been lost to most Catholics today, but what are some ideas for making a proper thanksgiving after Mass? God bless!

I like spending time with Jesus present in the Tabernacle.

 

[RyanML]

It wasn’t lost. Most people pre Vatican 2 got up and left after the priest had left the altar; some few left during Communion. Staying to make a longer thanksgiving was something that a few people did “back then” but it was by no means a significant number.

I have often wondered how prevalent the practice was before the Council and i’m sure you are correct. Maybe it was more common among priests and religious, but I know in many traditional parishes today the practice is encouraged. I just wish we heard more from the pulpit. The one thought that so often runs through my head after communion is, do we really understand what/who it is that we have just received? It just makes so much sense to me that, knowing this is the Lord truely with us, we should want to spend a few moments in silent adoration and thankgiving after Mass.

 

[Monica4316]

I see what you mean… I like to stay in the church after Mass for some time and pray before the Tabernacle, but few others do this. From what I hear, it was the same prior to Vatican II… it’s just that today more people who go to Latin Mass are devout.

For thanksgiving, I like to use some of the Sacred Heart prayers and litanies.

God bless