Prayer After Eucharistic Mass

Saint Thomas Aquinas

Almighty and ever-living God, I thank You, for even though I am a sinner, your unprofitable servant, not because of my worth but in the kindness of your mercy, You have fed me with the Precious Body & Blood of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  I pray that this Holy Communion may not bring me condemnation and punishment but forgiveness and salvation. May it be a helmet of faith and a shield of good will. May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions. May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience, and growth in the power to do good. May it be my strong defense against all my enemies, visible and invisible, and the perfect calming of all my evil impulses, bodily and spiritual.  May it unite me more closely to you, the One true God, and lead me safely through death to everlasting happiness with You. And I pray that You will lead me, a sinner, to the banquet where you, with Your Son and holy Spirit, are true and perfect light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end, and perfect happiness to your saints. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saint Bonaventure

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.  Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.  May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God;  may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgen Mary

O Mary, most holy Virgin and Mother, behold, I have received thy most beloved Son, Jesus Christ, whom thou conceived in thy spotless womb, bore, nursed, and held with thy sweet embraces. Behold Him at whose sight thou will rejoice and be filled with every delight. With love I humbly return Him and offer Him to thee, to hold once more, to love with all thy heart, and to offer to the Holy Trinity as our supreme act of worship for thy honor and glory and for my good and the good of all the world. Therefore, I ask thee, most loving Mother, to ask God for forgiveness of all my sins, abundant graces to help me serve Him more faithfully, and for that final grace that I may praise Him with thee for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Joseph

O Guardian of virgins and father, Saint Joseph, to whose faithful custody Innocence itself, Christ Jesus, and Mary, Virgin of virgins, was committed; I pray and beseech thee by each of these dear pledges, Jesus and Mary, that, being preserved from all uncleanness, I may with spotless mind, pure heart, and a chaste body, ever serve Jesus and Mary most chastely all the days of my life. Amen.

The Universal Prayer Attributed to Pope Clement XI

My God, I believe in You; strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in You; secure them. I love You; teach me to love you daily more and more. I am sorry that I have offended You; increase my sorrow. I adore you as the Author of my first beginning. I aspire after you as my last end. I give you thanks as my constant Benefactor, I call upon you as my sovereign Protector. My God, be pleased to conduct me by your wisdom; to restrain me by the thought of Your justice; to comfort me by Your mercy; to defend me by Your power. To You I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, words, deeds, and suffering, that henceforth I may think of you, speak of you, refer all my actions to Your greater glory, and suffer willingly whatever You shall appoint. Lord, I desire that in all things Your Will be done, because it is Your Will, and I desire that all things be done in the manner that You will them. Grant that I may always esteem whatsoever is pleasing to You, despise what You abhor, avoid what You forbid, and do what you command. I beg You to enlighten my understanding, to inflame my will, to purify my body, and to sanctify my soul. My God, give me strength to atone for my sins, to overcome my temptations, to subdue my passions, and to acquire the virtues proper to my state of life. Fill my heart with tender affection for Your goodness, hatred of my faults, love of my neighbor, and contempt of the world. May Your grace help me to be obedient to my superiors, kind and courteous to my inferiors, faithful to my friends, and charitable to my enemies. Assist me to overcome sensuality by self-sacrifice, avarice by alms deeds, anger by meekness, and carelessness by devotion. My God, make me prudent in my undertakings, courageous in danger, patient in trials, and humble in success. Grant that I may be ever attentive at my prayers, temperate at my meals, diligent in my work, and faithful in my good resolutions. Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, my behavior modest, my conversation kind, and my actions edifying. Assist me that I may continually strive to overcome the evil inclinations of my nature, to cooperate with Your grace, to keep Your commandments, and to work out my salvation. My God, make me realize the nothingness of this world, the greatness of heaven, the shortness of time, and the length of eternity. Grant that I may prepare for death; that I may fear Your judgment; that I may escape hell and, in the end, obtain heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Brief History/Background:

1. Almost entirely scripture-based practice with scriptural history.

2. This practice extends its history back to the Jewish origins of our faith and there were a few occasions in Acts of the Apostles when it was explicitly mentioned.

3. It is a sanctification of the day, a dedication to God.

4. It is liturgy like the Mass, the whole Church is present, even if not taking part in the Paschal Mysteries, it likewise directs our prayer with/in/through Jesus. The Liturgy of the hours can be prayed as a joint liturgy with the Mass. 

5. Luke 18:1 and Ephesians 6:18 teach us to pray perpetually. Liturgy is a way that we can pray officially and together in this way.

6. This method of prayer can bring much color to evangelical and catechetical efforts.

   1. NOTE: Sunday - Liturgically starts on Saturday

7. Habits are crucial to allowing one to be free to enter fully into its beauty

How to access it?

• App Ibreviary free (linked at the bottom of every page)

• Four-Volume $175 ish (Linked Below)

• Christian Prayer $35 ish (Linked Below)

• Shorter Christian Prayer $20ish

• Word on Fire Subscription $7/Month

Links for purchase of each can be found below

• With the exception of electronic means, the more expensive the more user-friendly they are.

• Below are guides that can help you through the written versions. It may seem complicated at first but it is really simple once it is understood. 

  • The Comprehensive guide on the left (top on mobile) has generic info as well as instructional. 

  • The Abbreviated guide has the basic setup for the major hours prayed.