What to pray before Mass?

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JoyToTheWhirled

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We are approaching Easter apace, when I will finally, after years and years of dancing round the call from God, become a Catholic. I have learned much through those years of investigation, through RCIA and my own research, but there is always more to learn.
I have attended Mass for some years now, and, like everyone else, I genuflect, make the sign of the cross, enter the pew and kneel to pray for a few minutes before finding the readings in the book and waiting for the Mass to begin.
What I was wondering was if there was a specific prayer people were praying when they kneel after entering the pew? Myself, I pray that I would rightly worship Christ present in the Eucharist and that my heart would be clean before Him. I mention the specific people I am praying for in the Mass. I do this because I observed others praying and thought I should do the same, but I don’t know what they are praying and have never had opportunity to ask.
 
Congratulations ! First and foremost !
There is so much to learn in the Catholic faith - it’s great !
I’d have to live three lifetimes - to learn about it all 🧐
Remember - where two or three are gathered - you cant go wrong -
Me…I try to quiet myself…and then listen…to maybe …hear from God.
 
Congratulations! Your prayers sound great.

I don’t necessarily have a regular prayer or set of prayers. I often will say several Jesus prayers (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner). I might say an act of contrition. I pray to have my mind oriented to God. Often I just try to quiet my mind. Sometimes I’ll simply and briefly meditate on the crucifixion or the real presence.
 
Congrats!

I usually use that time as examination of conscience, whatever I am dedicating that Mass towards, prayers for my family.
 
Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas is always a classic.

Almighty and ever-living God,
I approach the sacrament
of Your only-begotten Son
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
I come sick to the doctor of life,
unclean to the fountain of mercy,
blind to the radiance of eternal light,
and poor and needy to the Lord
of heaven and earth.
Lord, in your great generosity,
heal my sickness,
wash away my defilement,
enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty,
and clothe my nakedness.
May I receive the bread of angels,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
with humble reverence,
with the purity and faith,
the repentance and love,
and the determined purpose
that will help to bring me to salvation.
May I receive the sacrament
of the Lord’s Body and Blood,
and its reality and power.

Kind God,
may I receive the Body
of Your only-begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
born from the womb of the Virgin Mary,
and so be received into His mystical body
and numbered among His members.

Loving Father,
as on my earthly pilgrimage
I now receive Your beloved Son
under the veil of a sacrament,
may I one day see him face to face in glory,
who lives and reigns with You for ever.

Amen.
 
I pray this primarily as my prayer before mass
Lord Jesus Christ,
I approach your banquet table in fear and trembling,
for I am a sinner,
and dare not rely on my own worth,
but only on your goodness and mercy.
I am defiled by many sins in body and soul,
and by my unguarded thoughts and words.
Gracious God of majesty and awe,
I seek your protection,
I look for your healing.
Poor troubled sinner that I am,
I appeal to you, the fountain of all mercy.
I cannot bear your judgment,
but I trust in your salvation.
Lord, I show my wounds to you and uncover my shame before you.
I know my sins are many and great,
and they fill me with fear,
but I hope in your mercies,
for they cannot be numbered.
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal king, God and man,
crucified for mankind,
look upon me with mercy and hear my prayer,
for I trust in you.
Have mercy on me,
full of sorrow and sin,
for the depth of your compassion never ends.
Praise to you, saving sacrifice,
offered on the wood of the cross for me and for all mankind.
Praise to the noble and precious blood,
flowing from the wounds of the my crucified Lord Jesus Christ and washing away the sins of the whole world.
Remember, Lord your creature,
whom you have redeemed with your blood;
I repent my sins,
and I long to put right what I have done. Merciful Father, take away all my offenses and sins;
purify me in body and soul,
and make me worthy to taste the holy of holies.
May your body and blood,
which I intend to receive, although I am unworthy,
be for me the remission of my sins,
the washing away of my guilt,
the end of my evil thoughts,
and the rebirth of my better instincts.
May it incite me to do the works pleasing to you and profitable to my health in body and soul,
and be a firm defense against the wiles of my enemies. Amen.
 
ThomasDooley81 said:
I pray this primarily as my prayer before mass
Lord Jesus Christ,
I approach your banquet table in fear and trembling,
for I am a sinner,
and dare not rely on my own worth,
but only on your goodness and mercy.
I am defiled by many sins in body and soul,
and by my unguarded thoughts and words.
Gracious God of majesty and awe,
I seek your protection,
I look for your healing.
Poor troubled sinner that I am,
I appeal to you, the fountain of all mercy.
I cannot bear your judgment,
but I trust in your salvation.
Lord, I show my wounds to you and uncover my shame before you.
I know my sins are many and great,
and they fill me with fear,
but I hope in your mercies,
for they cannot be numbered.
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal king, God and man,
crucified for mankind,
look upon me with mercy and hear my prayer,
for I trust in you.
Have mercy on me,
full of sorrow and sin,
for the depth of your compassion never ends.
Praise to you, saving sacrifice,
offered on the wood of the cross for me and for all mankind.
Praise to the noble and precious blood,
flowing from the wounds of the my crucified Lord Jesus Christ and washing away the sins of the whole world.
Remember, Lord your creature,
whom you have redeemed with your blood;
I repent my sins,
and I long to put right what I have done. Merciful Father, take away all my offenses and sins;
purify me in body and soul,
and make me worthy to taste the holy of holies.
May your body and blood,
which I intend to receive, although I am unworthy,
be for me the remission of my sins,
the washing away of my guilt,
the end of my evil thoughts,
and the rebirth of my better instincts.
May it incite me to do the works pleasing to you and profitable to my health in body and soul,
and be a firm defense against the wiles of my enemies. Amen.
Click to expand...
Another classic. The prayer of St. Ambrose.
 
I really like that prayer Deacon Jeff saved that to my notes on my phone👍
 
A suggestion - inspired by something mentioned in a Lenten series I’ve been attending at my parish about the parts of the Mass. The opening prayer (after the penitential rite and, when prescribed, the Gloria) is also called the Collect because the priest “collects” the prayers of the faithful in attendance. So, when the priest says “Let us pray”, mentally mention to God any special intentions that you have at that time.

Welcome home!!!
 
Congratulations. What you are praying sounds perfect to me, and is most similar to what I also pray.
 
One I use often is this brief prayer from the Sarum Missal:

Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my root, but trusting in thy lovingkindness I approach thine altar; sick I come to the physician of life, blind to the light of eternal brightness, poor to the lord of heaven and earth, naked to the king of glory, a sheep to the shepherd, a thing formed to him that formed it, desolate to the kind comforter, miserable to the pitiful, guilty to the bestower of pardon, unholy to one that justifieth, hardened to the infuser of grace ; imploring the abundance of thy boundless mercy that thou wouldest vouchsafe to heal mine infirmity, to wash my foulness, to enlighten my blindness, to enrich my poverty, to clothe my nakedness, to bring back the wandering, to console the desolate, to reconcile the guilty, to give pardon to the sinner, forgiveness to the wretched, life to the accused, justification to the dead; that I may be deemed worthy to receive thee, the bread of angels, the king of kings, and lord of lords, with such chastity of body and purity of mind, such contrition of heart and flow of tears, such spiritual happiness and heavenly joy, such fear and trembling, such reverence and honour, such faith and humility, such determination and love, such prayer and thanksgiving, as are becoming and thy due, so that I may profitably obtain eternal life, and the remission of all my sins. Amen.
 
I have always loved that prayer. I thought of printing it up and leaving them in the back of church. 😊
 
I use the Prayer of St. Ambrose, “a prayer of preparation to receive the body and blood of Jesus”–
Lord Jesus Christ,
I approach your banquet table in fear and trembling,
for I am a sinner,
and dare not rely on my own worth,
but only on your goodness and mercy.
I am defiled by many sins in body and soul,
and by my unguarded thoughts and words.
Gracious God of majesty and awe,
I seek your protection,
I look for your healing.
Poor troubled sinner that I am,
I appeal to you, the fountain of all mercy.
I cannot bear your judgment,
but I trust in your salvation.
Lord, I show my wounds to you and uncover my shame before you.
I know my sins are many and great,
and they fill me with fear,
but I hope in your mercies,
for they cannot be numbered.
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal king, God and man,
crucified for mankind,
look upon me with mercy and hear my prayer,
for I trust in you.
Have mercy on me,
full of sorrow and sin,
for the depth of your compassion never ends.
Praise to you, saving sacrfice,
offered on the wood of the cross for me and for all mankind.
Praise to the noble and precious blood,
flowing from the wounds of the my crucified Lord Jesus Christ
and washing away the sins of the whole world.
Remember, Lord your creature,
whom you have redeemed with your blood;
I repent my sins,
and I long to put right what I have done. Merciful Father,
take away all my offenses and sins;
purify me in body and soul,
and make me worthy to taste the holy of holies.
May your body and blood,
which I intend to receive, although I am unworthy,
be for me the remission of my sins,
the washing away of my guilt,
the end of my evil thoughts,
and the rebirth of my better instincts.
May it incite me to do the works pleasing to you and
profitable to my health in body and soul,
and be a firm defense against the wiles of my enemies. Amen.
 
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I always say a pray for friends and family as well as give thanks to God for giving me another opportunity to worship Him
 
In the back of our hymnal, there’s a Eucharistic prayer written by St. Thomas Aquinas. I sometimes read it. Other times, I’m either reading the parish bulletin (or whatever it’s called) or make some impromptu prayer.
 
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