Almighty and ever-living God, I approach the sacrament of Thy 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 Thy 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 the 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, in its reality and power. Gracious God, may I receive the body of Thy 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 Thy beloved Son under the veil of a sacrament, may I one day see Him face to face in glory, who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
I first heard it on EWTN and have always thought of it as a beautiful meditation before receiving our Lord. :-)
Copied off and printed for my purse. Thanks.
I love that prayer—it’s one of the prayers that I pray before Communion which is in the torn-up prayer book I carry in my purse. There’s another one by St. Ambrose. Reading/praying these on my way to Communion helps me to stay “focused”, too.