Prayer To Prepare For Communion

15 Great Communion Prayers

Welcome to our growing library of communion prayers. If you know of a good prayer to say at communion, we invite you to add it at the bottom of the page.

The Bread and The Cup

Often times, prayers for the Eucharist will be broken up into two sections; For the Bread, and For the Cup. One prayer is to be said before the breaking of the bread, and one before the pouring of the wine.

For example:

Crucified God, we wear beautiful crosses aroundour necks, and hang them on our walls. We havemade your triumphant sign of suffering decorative,when what it really needs to be is defining.So make us cruciform Lord, in our weeklyremembrance of Christs death on the cross

in our breaking of this bread.

Let us show by the offering of our hearts and hands
the depth of our commitment to live for him who died for us.

In lives of sacrifice and service, empower ourwitness to Jesus Christ, whose cross so powerfully

proclaims your love.

Amen.

In lifting this cup of remembrance here this morningOh God of sacrifice, we are lifting high the cross of Christand proclaiming your great love.We partake, with gratitude, all the gifts that oursin Christ crucified – new life, real unity, eternal life,

and a meaningful purpose.

Fill us now again with the power of your spirit
that we might be bold in our witness to Jesus Christ,till all the world adores his sacred name.

Amen

My Jesus,I believe that You are present in theMost Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things,and I desire to receive You into my soul.I believe it because you have said itand Im ready to give my life tomaintain this truth.

Amen

Sweet Jesus, thank You for everything You have bestowed upon me. You have sacrificed Your life to save all of mankind from our sins. You have generously shared with us Your life when You could have chosen not to. Forgive me for the sins I have done against You and for the ones I will be making.

I promise that I will be a better person for you and for others. Bless the hands of the hard working, the hearts of the loving and the souls of those who help.

In Your name, I pray. Amen.

Dear God, I come to You today to praise and glorify Your name. You have showered us with wonderful gifts. The best gift of all is giving Your son to save us from our sins.

There is no worse grief for a father than to lose his son. You have been unselfish and very giving even to those who have turned their backs on You. I pray that they come back to Your welcoming arms. I dedicate this prayer to those who need someone to call on to when the days get rough and the nights are worst.

Give them the strength and courage to come back to You, Father. Being with Jesus has ultimately changed my life. Let it be for them as well.

In Your glory always, I pray. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, in the Sacrament ofthe Eucharist You left us the outstanding

manifestation of your limitless love for us.

Thank You for giving our child theopportunity to experience this lovein receiving the Sacrament for the first time.May your Eucharist presence keep him/herever free from sin, fortified in faith,pervaded by love for God and neighbor,and fruitful in virtue, that he/she maycontinue to receive You throughout life and

attain final union with You at death.

Amen.

Lord, as You enter my body, please cleanse me from all my sins.

Teach me to become as pure as You and Your mother Mary. I pray that I become a better person and be kinder to my neighbours. May Your presence in me make me a better person and do whatever is only on Your will.

Thank You for keeping me warm on those cold toasty nights and safe from harm. I pray that all my loved ones live in Your presence and that they always do what is right. I pray for the world to have peace especially in their hearts.

I pray this for Your glory, Lord. Amen.

Loving and compassionate God,God of infinite goodness and mercy,Your blessed name be glorified.Yours is the glory,You are the ruler of all the land and everything on it;

You are the ruler of the world and all its inhabitants.

God of all of us, teach us to live the way you have always wanted.You are our God and savior,And our trust is always in you.We thank you for the blessings that you give us every day.

We thank you for providing food to those in need.

We thank you for blessing us with the desire for your justice for those who are poor.We thank you for blessing us with the voice to speak for the voiceless.We thank you for allowing us to be your hands and feet in the world,

For the blessing of being part of the great family that is your Church.

Hear our prayer and help us remember always your call to justice and compassion.
Our God, you will conquer all injustice; with your help we will be victorious.

Source: bread.org

Lord Jesus, I love and adore you. You’re a special friend to me.

Welcome, Lord Jesus, o welcome. Thank you for coming to me. Thank you, Lord Jesus, o thank you for giving yourself to me. Make me strong to show your love wherever I may be. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay close by my forever and love me, I pray. Bless all of us children in your loving care and bring us to heaven to live with you there.

I’m ready now, Lord Jesus, to show how much I care. I’m ready now to give your love at home and everywhere.

Amen.

Source: goodshepherdgalway.com

Catholic Communion Prayers

Here are some prayers for the Blessed Sacrament from the Catholic tradition.

My God, we adore You here in the Blessed Sacrament.As we kneel before You, we recognize Youas the Creator of all Life. We thank You andpraise You for the lives you have given to usand to those we love.

Give us a true and lastingrespect for all life, for we recognize it as comingfrom You.

We pray for all who have suffered ordied as a result of disrespect whether that sufferingand death has come as a result of abuse, war, gossip,

or abortion.

We pray for an end for all disrespect of life. As wekneel before You we ask You to forgive all those whodo not respect the sanctity of life. We repeat the wordsyou spoke as you hung on the cross, ‘Father, forgive them,

for they know not what they do.

Hail to thee, true body bornFrom Virgin Mary’s womb!The same that on the cross was nailedAnd bore for man the bitter doom.Thou, whose side was pierced and flowedBoth with water and with blood;Suffer us to taste of thee,In our life’s last agony.O kind, O loving one!

O sweet Jesus, Mary’s Son!

Prayers for After Communion

Here are some simple, short prayer to say after the communion has ended.

Go as risk takers,For God has nourished you with bread and cup.Go as new creatures,

For God is saving you from your sin.

Go as children of God,
For God will be with us all.

Amen

Gracious God, here at this table we have been, in the company of Jesus Christ, our savior and redeemer.You have revealed your loving ways to us in broken bread

and poured cup.

Now, as your light has illuminatedour lives. Help us be a light for others.

Amen

Lord Jesus, thank You for being with me today! You have been my guide and guard in all my days and I pray that continue to be so. Thank You for always keeping me safe and warm, for keeping me away from harm.

Thank You for giving me the gift of living another day and for my family who are never away. Bless those who are in need of Your loving protection. Let them be under Your wing and they will never be astray.

May this prayer keep all evils away and only the good will stay. Amen.

Eternal Light, shine in our hearts.Eternal Goodness, you have drawn us to your heart.and united us in the sacrament of Christs body and blood.

Eternal Power, be our support.

Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance.Eternal Pity, have mercy upon us.That with all our heart and mind and soul and strengthwe may seek your face and be brought by your infinite

mercy to your holy presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Bible Verses About Faith

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;”

[Ephesians 6:16]

It is common to use scripture in communion prayers. Click here to read Bible Verses About Faith

Return to 15 Great Communion Prayers

Источник: //www.praywithme.com/communion-prayers.html

3 Ways to Spiritually Prepare Your Child for Their First Communion

It has finally arrived on the horizon . . . the day of your child’s First Holy Communion. You’ve probably been waiting and preparing for this moment for quite some time.

 You’ve labored to raise your little one in the Catholic faith, and now they’re taking their next big step!  It’s pretty exciting to know that your child is soon to receive the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, taking their next step of initiation into the Catholic faith.

Read next Why a Child’s First Holy Communion is a Big Deal

Unfortunately, though, with all the things that need to be done to get ready for the day,  it’s more than easy to get lost in the hustle and completely neglect the most important thing of all—spiritually preparing your child for their special day.

It’s tempting to rely on your child’s religious educators to teach them the importance of receiving the Eucharist, especially when you have so much to do to prepare for the occasion. However, the truth of the matter is that your child’s preparation for this Sacrament begins and ends with you, the parent.

You are the most influential person in your child’s life, and the reverence you model for the Holy Eucharist is the reverence they will learn to imitate.  

To help you, here are a few easy tips on how to keep yourself and your child focused on the real meaning of this amazing Sacrament.

1. FIND THOSE MINI-CATECHESIS MOMENTS

Make use of short, simple moments to talk to your children about the Mass and the Blessed Sacrament.

For example:

• When you begin your fast before receiving Communion, announce to your child what you are doing and invite them to fast with you. Explain to them why we stop eating before going to Mass, and that you are preparing yourself spiritually and physically to receive Jesus into your body.
• Draw your child more deeply into Eucharistic reverence by praying with them before and after you receive Holy Communion.  The Anima Christi is a beautiful and simple Eucharistic prayer that you and your child can practice memorizing together, and it’s usually found in the missal in the parish pew.  Just arrive to Mass a few minutes early and pray this prayer together.  Saying a special prayer in this way will teach your child to reverence the holy moment of receiving Communion.
• As you leave the pews when Mass ends, instead of genuflecting in the aisle and walking out, walk with your child up to the Tabernacle and genuflect with them there instead, or kneel with them for a few moments at the foot of the altar in quiet prayer.  This will teach to your child that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist, and His resting place until the next Mass is in the Tabernacle.

Note:  If you need help finding the right words for these little moments, try using a Children’s First Communion Catechism.  The idea is to continually reinforce to your child, in your own words, that it is Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist that draws your family to Mass.

2. TAKE YOUR CHILD TO EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Our recent Popes have recommended children’s Eucharistic adoration as a great way to prepare your children spiritually for their First Communion.

 Don’t be concerned that your child won’t understand what Eucharistic Adoration is (you don’t even have to use those words), or that they won’t be able to sit quietly.

 Just tell your child that you are going to spend a few minutes sitting and talking with Jesus, and invite them to talk to Jesus too.

Note: Remember that children are easy believers, and spiritual realities are not often difficult for them to grasp when plainly explained.  You may find that your child not only grasps the concept of Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist, but that they actually respond positively to the experience of Eucharistic Adoration.

3. REINFORCE WITH LITERATURE

Your child may not understand the Mass very well, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t participate in their own way and on their own level with what is happening.

 There are great children’s Mass books available that teach kids about the reality of Jesus' presence in the Eucharist in fun and engaging ways; have one or two for your child to read before their big day.

 If you bring books for your child to look at during Mass, make sure it’s a children’s missal or other Catholic children’s catechesis books.  Let Mass be a holy hour for your child, just as it is for you!

With these simple tips you can begin preparing your child now for their special day with Jesus, when they receive Him for the first time in the sacrament of Holy Communion.

Not only that, but each of these tips are great to keep practicing for your child's entire first year or two as a new Communicant. If a child is taught to reverence and love Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament at home in their early years, it will be that much harder for them to walk away from Him in their teen or adult years.

If you have found any other helpful ways to prepare your child spiritually for First Holy Communion, please share your comments with our readers below.

We'd love to hear from you!

This post has been updated and was originally published in March 2014. It is adapted from our original article, How to Spiritually Prepare your Child for First Communion, posted at CatholicMom.com. 

Источник: //www.catholiccompany.com/getfed/3-ways-to-spiritually-prepare-your-child-for-first-communion-6025

Communion is what a rite? How to prepare for Communion?

Communion is a great Sacrament Orthodox Church. How important is this rite of Christianity? How to prepare for it? And how often can we take communion? The answers to these questions and many others you will learn from this article.

What is the communion?

The Eucharist is Communion, in other words,the most important rite of Christianity, through which bread and wine are consecrated and served as the Body and Blood of the Lord. Thanks to communion, the Orthodox joins with God.

The necessity of this sacrament in the life of a believer can not be overestimated. It occupies the most important, if not the central place in the Church.

In this sacrament comes to an end and everything is concluded: prayers, church hymns, rites, bows, preaching of the Word of God.

Prehistory of the Sacrament

If we turn to the prehistory, the SacramentThe communion was established by Jesus at the Last Supper before the death on the cross. He gathered his disciples, blessed the bread and, breaking it, distributed it to the apostles with the words that it was His Body.

After this, he took a bowl of wine and gave it to them, saying that it was His Blood. The Savior commanded the disciples to always perform the sacrament of communion in His remembrance. And the Orthodox Church follows the commandments of the Lord.

The sacrament of Holy Communion is performed daily at the central liturgy of the Liturgy.

A history of the importance of the Church is knownCommunion. In one of the deserts of Egypt, in the ancient city of Diolka lived a lot of monks. Presbyter Ammon, who stood out among all the outstanding holiness, during one of the services saw an angel who was writing something near the sacrificial bowl.

As it turned out, the angel recorded the names of the monks present at the service, and the names of those who were absent from the Eucharist, deleted. In three days all those whom the angel has crossed out, have died.

Is this story untrue? Perhaps a lot of people die prematurely precisely because of their unwillingness to make communion? Even the Apostle Paul said that many people are sick, weak because of unworthy communion.

Necessity of Holy Communion

Communion is a necessary rite for the believer. A Christian who neglects the Sacrament voluntarily turns away from Jesus. And thereby deprives himself of the possibility of eternal life.

Regularly communing, on the contrary, unites with God, strengthens in faith, becomes a partaker of eternal life.

Hence, we can conclude that communion for a church person is, undoubtedly, an important event in life.

Sometimes after the adoption of the Holy Mysteries of Christeven serious illnesses recede, will power grows, the spirit strengthens. It is easier for a believer to struggle with his passions.

But it's worth retreating from the sacrament for a long time, as in life everything starts to go awry. Misfortunes come back, the soul begins to be tormented, it seemed, retreated passions, there is irritability. And this is not a complete list.

It follows that a believer, a church person, tries to commune at least once a month.

Preparing for Holy Communion

To the Mystery of Holy Communion should be properly prepared, namely:

• Prayer. Before communion, it is necessary to pray more and more diligently. Do not miss a few days prayer rule. To him, by the way, the rule is added to the Holy Communion.

There is also a pious tradition of reading the canon for communion: the penitential penitential to the Lord, the canon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the canon to the Guardian Angel.

On the eve of the Communion, attend the evening worship.

• Fasting. It must be not only carnal, but spiritual. We must reconcile with everyone with whom we were in litter, pray more, read the Word of God, refrain from viewing entertaining programs and listening to secular music. Spouses need to refrain from bodily caresses.

Strict fasting begins on the eve of Communion, from 12 am you can neither eat nor drink. However, the confessor (priest) can establish an additional post for 3-7 days. Such a post is usually prescribed for the novice and those who did not observe one-day and multi-day fasts.

• Confession. It is necessary to confess our sins to the priest.

Repentance (confession)

Confession and Communion play an important role inthe fulfillment of the Sacrament. An indispensable condition of Communion is the recognition of its absolute sinfulness. It is necessary to understand your sin and sincerely repent in it with a firm conviction never to commit it again.

The believer must realize that sin is incompatible with Christ. In committing sin, a man as it were tells Jesus that His death was in vain. Of course, this is possible only through faith. Because it is faith in the Holy God that illuminates the dark spots of sins.

Before repentance one should reconcile with the offenders and the offended, read the penitential penance to the Lord, pray harder, if necessary, then take a fast. Sins for your own convenience are best written on paper so that during confession you can not forget anything.

On particularly hard sins, which torment the conscience, it is necessary to tell the priest specifically. Also, the believer needs to remember that when he reveals his sins to the priest, he first opens them to God, because God is invisibly present at confession. Therefore, in no case can one withhold any sins.

The priest faithfully keeps the secret of confession. In general, both confession and communion are separate ordinances. However, they are closely related, since, without receiving the remission of their sins, a Christian can not proceed to the Holy Chalice.

There are cases when the seriously ill patient is sincerelyrepents of his sins, promises to go to church regularly, so long as there is healing. The priest lets go of his sins, allows communion. The Lord bestows healing.

But the man subsequently does not keep his promise. Why is this happening? Perhaps, the human weakness of the soul does not allow it to cross itself, through its pride. After lying on your deathbed you can promise anything.

But in no case must we forget the promises made to the Lord himself.

Communion. rules

There are rules in the Russian Orthodox Church,which should be performed before approaching the Holy Chalice. First, you need to come to the temple to start the worship service, without being late. Before the cup, an earthly bow is made. If there are many who wish to receive communion, then one can bow beforehand.

When the gates are opened, you should cross yourself with the sign of the cross: hands cross on the chest, right top on the left. So take communion, depart, without taking away your hands. To approach from the right side, and leave the left free. Ministers of the altar must first receive communion, then monks, after them children, then all the rest.

You need to keep courtesy with each other, letting forward the people of the elderly and the infirm. Women can not start communion with painted lips. The head should be covered with a handkerchief. Not a hat, a bandage, but a kerchief.

In general, dressing in the temple of God should always be orderly, not provocative and not vulgar, so as not to attract attention and not to distract other believers.

Approaching the Cup, it is necessary to name loudly and clearlyyour name, take the chewing and immediately swallow the Holy Gifts. Attach to the bottom edge of the Bowl. It is forbidden to touch the Cup.

You also can not make the sign of the cross near the Cup. At a table with zapioy, you need to eat an antidor and drink warmth. Only then you can talk and kiss the icons. You can not take communion twice a day.

At home you need to read thanksprayers for Communion. Their texts can be found in prayer books. If you have any doubts as to which prayers to read, then the clergymen should clarify this point.

Communion of patients

At the First Ecumenical Council it was determined,so that a seriously ill person is not deprived of communion. If a person is not able to receive communion in the church, this is easily solved, because the church allows communicating sick people at home.

The clergyman is ready at any time to come topatient, except the time from the Cherubic song to the end of the liturgy. In any other divine service the priest is obliged to stop the service for the suffering and hurry to it.

In the church at this time they read the psalms for the edification of the faithful.

Patients are allowed to admit to the adoption of the SaintsSecrets without any preparation, prayer, fasting. But they still need to confess their sins. Also, seriously ill patients are allowed to receive communion after eating.

Often miracles happen when, it would seem,incurable people got up on their feet after the communion. Priests often go to the hospital to support the seriously ill, take a confession, and commune them. But many refuse. Some because of disgust, others do not want to call disaster in the ward. However, those who did not succumb to any doubts and superstitions may be granted miraculous healing.

Communion of children

When a child meets God, it is veryan important event both in the life of the child and his parents. Communion from an early age is also recommended because the baby is accustomed to the Church. It is necessary to partake of the child. With faith. Regularly.

This plays a crucial role in his spiritual development, and the Holy Gifts have a beneficial effect on health and well-being. And sometimes even serious diseases recede.

So how should the children be communicated? Children under the age of seven before the Eucharist are not specially trained or confessed, because they can not realize the approach to Communion.

They also partake of the Blood (wine), soas babies can not eat solid food. If a child is able to eat solid food, then he can also receive communion with the body (bread). Children who have been christened receive the Holy Gifts on the same day or the next day.

After the adoption of the Holy Gifts

The day when the Sacrament of Communion is accomplished is,certainly, a significant time for every believer. And to spend it it is necessary especially, as a great holiday of soul and spirit. During the Mystery, the Holy Communion receives the grace of God, which should be treasured and try not to sin.

If possible, it is better to refrain from worldly affairs and spend a day in peace, quiet and prayer. Pay attention to the spiritual side of your life, pray, and honor the Word of God. These prayers after communion are of great importance – they are joyful and energetic.

They are also able to multiply gratitude to the Lord, initiate in the praying desire to take communion more often. It is not accepted after the communion took place in the church to kneel. Exceptions are devotions before the Shroud and kneeling prayers on the day of the Holy Trinity.

There is an unreasonable reasoning that, supposedly, after Communion it is forbidden to apply to icons and kiss. However, the priests themselves after the Holy Mysteries are blessed by the bishop, kissing his hand.

How often can we partake of communion?

Every believer is interested in the question of howyou can often make communions in the church. And there is no single answer to this question.

Someone believes that it is not worthwhile to abuse the Communion, while others, on the contrary, recommend starting to receive the Holy Gifts as often as possible, but no more than once a day.

What do the holy fathers of the church say about this? John of Kronstadt called to recall the practice of the first Christians, who were supposed to excommunicate those who did not take communion for more than three weeks. Seraphim of Sarov bequeathed the sisters from Diveevo to communion as often as possible.

And for those who consider themselves unworthy of Communion, but have repentance in their hearts, in no case should they refuse to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Because, by communion, cleansed and brightens, and the more often we partake, the greater the probability of salvation.

It is very favorable to receive communion in name-day and birthdays, spouses on their anniversary.

At the same time, how to explain the eternal debate about how,how often can one receive communion? There is an opinion that both monks and ordinary lay people can not commune more than once a month.

Once a week – this is a sin, the so-called “charm”, coming from the evil one. Is it true? Priest Daniil Sysoev in his book gave a detailed explanation of this.

He argues that the number of people who commune more than once a month is negligible, they are church people, or those who have a spiritual mentor over themselves.

Many clergymen agree that if a person in the depths of his heart is ready for this, he can take communion every day, there is nothing wrong with that. The whole sin is if a person without proper repentance comes to the cup, not having prepared for it properly, without forgiving all their offenders.

Of course, everyone decides for himself and hisas a spiritual father, how often he embarks on the Holy Chalice. This depends primarily on the preparedness of the soul, love of the Lord and the power of repentance. In any case, for a churched, righteous life, it is worth communion at least once a month. Someone from the Christian priest is blessed for communion and more often.

Instead of an afterword

There are a lot of books, manuals and just advice,how to receive Communion, the rules for preparing the soul and body. This information may differ in some ways, different approaches to the frequency of communion and strictness in preparation can be determined, but such information exists.

And it is plentiful. However, you will not find literature that will teach a person how to behave after the adoption of the Holy Mysteries, how to preserve this gift and how to use it. Both worldly and spiritual experience suggests that it is much easier to take than to keep. And this is really true.

Andrei Tkachev, archpriest of the Orthodox Church, says that inept use of the Holy Gifts can turn into a curse for the person who accepted them. He sets an example of the history of Israel.

On the one hand there is a huge number of miracles that are happening, a wonderful relationship of God with the people, His patronage. Another side of the medal is heavy punishment and even executions of people who behave unworthily after communion.

And the apostles spoke about the diseases of the communicants, behaving in an inappropriate way. Therefore, observance of the rules after Holy Communion is extremely important for a person.

Источник: //erch2014.com/duhovnoe-razvitie/25396-prichaschenie-eto-chto-za-obryad-kak-podgotovitsya-k-prichascheniyu.html

Proper Confession and Communion

Before confession one should attempt to recall all the sins which one has committed voluntarily or involuntarily.

One must attentively reexamine one's life in order to recall not only those sins committed since the last confession, but also those which have not been confessed through forgetfulness.

Then, with compunction and a contrite heart, approach the Cross and the Gospel and begin the confession of your sins.

1. Confess your sins honestly, remembering that you open them not to a man, but to God Himself. God knows your sins already and only wants your admission of them. You should not be embarrassed before your spiritual father: he is a person just as you are.

He knows human shortcomings well, man's tendency towards sin. For this reason your spiritual father cannot be your terrible judge at confession.

Is the reason that you are embarrassed before your spiritual father that you are afraid to lose his good opinion of you? On the contrary, your spiritual father will have all the more love for you when he sees your open, honest confession.

Furthermore, if you are afraid to reveal your sins before just one person, your spiritual father, how will you overcome your embarrassment when you appear at God's Last Judgment? There, all your sins which you have not confessed will be opened before God Himself, the Angels and all the people.

2. Be specific when you confess, listing all your sins separately. St. John Chrysostom says: “One must not only say: I have sinned, or I am sinful, but one must declare each type of sin.” “The revelation of sins,” says St.

Basil the Great, “is subject to the same law as the Declaration of physical ills…” The sinner is spiritually ill, and the spiritual father is the physician or healer.

It stands to reason that one must confess or tell about one's sins in the same way as one who is physically ill describes the symptoms of his illness to a physician from whom he expects to receive healing.

3. Do not mention anyone else during confession, i.e. do not complain about anyone – what sort of confession is this? It is not confession, but judgement and a new sin.

4. Do not attempt to justify yourself in any way during confession: blaming weakness, custom, etc. The more one justifies himself during confession, the less one is justified by God. The more one denounces, judges and accuses oneself, the more one is justified in the eyes of God.

5.When questioned by your spiritual father, do not say: “I can't remember, maybe I committed that sin.” God commanded us to always remember our sins. In order not to justify ourselves with not remembering, we must confess our sins as often as possible.

Those who, because of carelessness, confess and take communion infrequently, and because of this forget their sins, have no one to blame but themselves. They cannot hope for remission of the sins which they failed to confess. Thus, it is imperative that we try to recall all our sins. When someone owes us something we are sure to remember this.

Yet we forget our own debts before God! Does this not reveal an utter absence of concern for our soul on our part?

6. Unless asked by your spiritual father, do not list the sins you have not committed or things you have not done. Doing this, you n yourself to the Pharisee of the Gospel. You do not confess your sins, but boast, thereby increasing your judgment.

7. We must confess with sorrow and a contrite heart the sins by which we have grieved our Lord God. It is not good that many tell of their sins matter-of-factly, without any remorse.

They speak as though they are engaged in some casual conversation. What is worse, some even allow themselves to laugh during confession. These are all signs of unrepentedness.

Confessing in this manner, we do not cleanse ourselves of our sins, but rather increase them.

8. Finally, confess your sins with faith in Jesus Christ, with hope in His mercy. Only with faith in Jesus Christ and hope in Him can we receive forgiveness of our sins. Without faith, we cannot receive remission. An example of this is Judas the traitor—who was remorseful of what he did, but did not have faith in Jesus, no hope in His mercy, and thus ended his own life.

This then, is how we must confess in order to receive remission of our sins from our Lord God. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)

Prayerful Preparation for Communion

Of all of the days in the life of a Christian, the happiest is the day on which we receive Holy Communion worthily, with complete attentiveness and preparation.

Through confession, we have washed ourselves of all sins, opened before the Lord our entire soul, and received into the house of our soul the Holy Heavenly Guest, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who said “He who eats of My Body and drinks of My Blood abides in Me and I in him.

” On the day on which we receive Communion, it is extremely important for us to recognize what we are doing, and in participating in the awesome Mystery, to understand what responsibility we are taking upon ourselves.

To receive the Divine Guest carelessly, without the requisite attention, is to condemn ourselves. May it not be so! Here is the minimum that is essential for us to do in order to derive spiritual benefit.

1. Confess on the eve of the Liturgy, in order to give yourself and your spiritual father time for a complete confession. At the end of this brochure you will find “A Brief Confession Before the Confessor.” Before coming to confession, read it at home to help you recall the sins which you have committed, or bring it with you when you come to confession.

2. Read the Prayer Rule before Holy Communion. In the Jordanville Prayer Book, this rule may be found on pp. 334-368. The Rule consists of a series of Psalms, a Canon, and Prayers before Communion.

The more zealous may add to this rule the Canon to Sweetest Jesus, the Canon and Akathist to the Most-holy Theotokos, and the Canon to the Guardian Angel.

These prayers may also be found in the Jordanville Prayer Book.

3. On the day of Holy Communion, it is essential to come to the church by the beginning of the Liturgy, and on an empty stomach, i.e. having abstained since midnight from food and drink, as well as from smoking. Those who come to church late may not approach the Holy Chalice.

4. We ask female parishioners to ensure that when they commune, they not wear lipstick, and that they have their heads covered.

5. The Church instructs those who approach for Communion to cross their arms over their breast, and to approach with lips confessing Christ, and hearts filled with a fervent love for Him and with thanksgiving.

In 961, the 6th Ecumenical Council established this Canon: “Whosoever wishes to partake….let him form his hands into the shape of a cross, and thus approaching, let him receive the communion of grace….

(Canon 101).

6. In the instructions for the Order of Service it is stated that upon receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, swallow them with reverence, and after wiping their lips, kiss the rim of the Chalice as the actual rib of Christ from which flowed blood and water.

7. After Communion, read the thanksgiving prayers. At our church, these prayers are always read while our parishioners are venerating the Holy Cross. Communicants gather at the left side of the church, together listen to the prayers, and only upon their completion, approach the Cross.

The Food of the Mystical Supper is the Heavenly Food of our restoration, of the New Testament between God and mankind. Whoever receives this food without due preparation brings on the opposite—destruction. May it not be so!

A Brief Confession Before Father Confessors

From the Full Confession of St. Demetrius of Rostov

I confess to the Lord my God and before thee, venerable father, all my countless sins, committed by me unto this very day and hour, in deed, word and thought. I sin daily and hourly by mine ingratitude toward God for His great and countless blessings and benevolent providence over me, a sinner.

I have sinned through: idle talking, judging others, stubbornness, pride, hard-heartedness, envy, anger, slander, inattention, negligence concerning my salvation, carelessness, indifference, impertinence, irritability, despondency, rendering evil for evil, bitterness, disobedience, complaining, self-justification, contradicting others, self-will, being reproachful, gossiping, lying, light-mindedness, tempting others, self-love, ambition, gourmandizing, eating and drinking to excess, vanity, laziness, entertaining unclean thoughts, acquisitiveness, impure glances, absence from divine services because of laziness and carelessness, absent-mindedness at prayer both in church and at home; I have sinned in deed, word thought; in sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and the rest of my mental and physical senses; of all my sins I repent and beg forgiveness.

(Here one should mention specifically any other sins which may be burdening the soul.)

I also repent and ask forgiveness for all those sins that I have not confessed because of their multitude and my forgetfulness.

Forgive and absolve me, venerable father, and bless me to commune of the holy and life-creating Mysteries of Christ unto the remission of sins and life everlasting.

Prepared by the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Washington, DC.

Источник: //orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/communionprep.aspx

7 Best Communion Prayers for Elders

A communion prayer is a reflective time when sitting at the table to invite all to share in the Banquet of Life. Bread and drink is shared just as that Jesus performed at the Last Supper with His apostles. Here is a look at some great communion prayers for elders to inspire you.

Prayer #1

I come to your table. Your painful sacrifice is on my mind. I look at the communion cracker. I see piercing. I see bruising. I see the brutality of the punishment that you endured for me. I see your everlasting love.

I gaze at the blood of redemption. I see your crimson mercy shimmering in this cup. I see your life being poured out for me. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.

In Jesus’ Name we celebrate this communion.

Amen.

Prayer #2

I come to your table to partake of intimate communion with you. I look at the bread. I see your suffering. I see the bruising, the stripes, and the piercing. Yet, the piercing of your body is nothing in comparison to the piercing of your heart. You made the ultimate sacrifice so that I could have everything I need to be right with you.

I look at the cup. This is the blood that oozed you as you suffered on the cross. Blood flowed your thorn-torn head as you not only bowed your human head but your mind, will, and emotions as well. I now bow my mind, will, and emotions to your will as I drink this cup.

Amen.

Prayer #3

Crucified God, we wear beautiful crosses around our necks, and hang them on our walls. We have made your “triumphant sign” of suffering decorative, when what it really needs to be is defining. So make us cruciform Lord, in our weekly remembrance of Christ’s death on the cross in our breaking of this bread.

Let us show by the offering of our hearts and hands the depth of our commitment to live for him who died for us.

In lives of sacrifice and service, empower our witness to Jesus Christ, whose cross so powerfully proclaims your love.

Amen.

Prayer #4

In lifting this cup of remembrance here this morning Oh God of sacrifice, we are lifting high the cross of Christ and proclaiming your great love. We partake, with gratitude, all the gifts that ours in Christ crucified – new life, real unity, eternal life, and a meaningful purpose.

Fill us now again with the power of your spirit that we might be bold in our witness to Jesus Christ,“till all the world adores his sacred name”.

Amen.

Prayer #5

Sweet Jesus, thank You for everything You have bestowed upon me. You have sacrificed Your life to save all of mankind from our sins. You have generously shared with us Your life when You could have chosen not to. Forgive me for the sins I have done against You and for the ones I will be making.

I promise that I will be a better person for you and for others. Bless the hands of the hard working, the hearts of the loving and the souls of those who help.

In Your name, I pray. Amen.

Prayer #6

Dear God, I come to You today to praise and glorify Your name. You have showered us with wonderful gifts. The best gift of all is giving Your son to save us from our sins.

There is no worse grief for a father than to lose his son. You have been unselfish and very giving even to those who have turned their backs on You. I pray that they come back to Your welcoming arms. I dedicate this prayer to those who need someone to call on to when the days get rough and the nights are worst.

Give them the strength and courage to come back to You, Father. Being with Jesus has ultimately changed my life. Let it be for them as well.

In Your glory always, I pray. Amen.

Prayer #7

Lord, as You enter my body, please cleanse me from all my sins.

Teach me to become as pure as You and Your mother Mary. I pray that I become a better person and be kinder to my neighbors. May Your presence in me make me a better person and do whatever is only on Your will.

Thank You for keeping me warm on those cold toasty nights and safe from harm. I pray that all my loved ones live in Your presence and that they always do what is right. I pray for the world to have peace especially in their hearts.

I pray this for Your glory, Lord. Amen.

Here is just one example of a communion prayer as it is given by an elder at the Church of God in Christ.

About the Author of this Blog Post
Crystal Ayres has served as our editor-in-chief for the last five years. She is a proud veteran, wife and mother. The goal of ConnectUs is to publish compelling content that addresses some of the biggest issues the world faces. If you would to reach out to contact Crystal, then go here to send her a message.

Источник: //connectusfund.org/7-best-communion-prayers-for-elders