Prayers Before and After Communion: Traditional Catholic Prayers of Thanksgiving

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The moments before and after Holy Communion are the most intimate of the Mass. The Church encourages us to prepare our hearts before receiving the Lord and to spend time in thanksgiving afterward. If you want a short prayer to say right after Communion, kneel or sit quietly and pray:

Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to me.
I believe you are here, I adore you, and I love you.
Stay with me today, and make my heart like yours.
Amen.

That short prayer was written for this guide. Below you will find the great traditional prayers before and after Communion, including those of St. Thomas Aquinas, the prayer before a crucifix, and guidance on how to receive well.

Prayer before Communion of St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas, the thirteenth-century Doctor of the Church who wrote the hymns for Corpus Christi, composed this prayer to prepare for Mass. Many priests still pray it in the sacristy before celebrating. This translation is from Archbishop Moran’s Catholic Prayer Book (1883):

O almighty everlasting God, behold I draw near to the Sacrament of thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; I draw near, as one sick to the Physician of life, as one defiled to the Fountain of mercy, as one blind to the light of eternal splendour, as one poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. Wherefore, I implore the fulness of thine infinite bounty, that thou wouldst vouchsafe to heal all my sickness, to wash away my defilements, to give light to my blindness, to enrich my poverty and to clothe my nakedness, so that I may receive the Bread of Angels, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, with such contrition and devotion, such purity and faith, such purpose and intention, as may avail to the welfare and salvation of my soul. Grant me, I beseech thee, to receive not only the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of my Lord, but also the very Reality and Substance of the Sacrament. O most gracious God, grant me so to receive the Body of thine only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, that very Body which he took of the Virgin Mary, that I may be truly incorporated into his mystical Body, and so numbered amongst its members. O most loving Father, grant me at last to behold unveiled, and for evermore, the same thy beloved Son whom I purpose to receive now in my pilgrimage, beneath the veils of the Sacrament; who liveth and reigneth, God

through everlasting ages. Amen.

Prayer after Communion of St. Thomas Aquinas

This prayer of thanksgiving, also attributed to St. Thomas, asks that Communion may strengthen every virtue and lead us to the banquet of heaven:

I give thee thanks, Eternal Father! for having, out of thy pure mercy, without any deserts of mine, been pleased to feed my soul with the Body and Blood of thy only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I beseech thee, that this holy Communion may not be to my condemnation, but prove an effectual remission of all my sins. May it strengthen my faith; encourage me in all that is good; deliver me from my vicious customs; remove all concupiscence; perfect me in charity, patience, humility, and obedience, and in all other virtues. May it secure me against all the snares of my enemies, both visible and invisible; perfectly moderate all my inclinations; closely unite me to thee, the true and only good, and happily settle me in unchangeable bliss. I now make it my hearty request, that thou wilt one day admit me, though an unworthy sinner, to be a guest at that divine banquet where thou, with thy Son, and the Holy Ghost, art the true Light, eternal fulness, everlasting joy, and perfect happiness of all the saints, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer before a crucifix

This classic prayer after Communion, known in Latin as En ego, o bone et dulcissime Iesu, is said kneeling before an image of Christ crucified. See the full page on the Prayer Before a Crucifix, with the Latin text and the indulgence. The Church has long attached an indulgence to praying it after Communion. This translation is from the 1878 English edition of The Raccolta:

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before thy face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul pray and beseech thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; the while I contemplate with great love and tender pity thy five wounds, pondering over them within me, whilst I call to mind the words which David, thy prophet, said of thee, my Jesus: “They pierced my hands and my feet; they numbered all my bones.” (Psalm 21:17–18)

The Anima Christi

“Soul of Christ, sanctify me; Body of Christ, save me…” The Anima Christi is perhaps the best-loved prayer after Communion. See our guide to the Anima Christi for the full text, the Latin and its meaning.

How to prepare for Holy Communion

  • Be in a state of grace. “Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion” (CCC 1385). See mortal and venial sin.
  • Keep the Eucharistic fast. Abstain from food and drink, except water and medicine, for at least one hour before Communion (Code of Canon Law, canon 919). The elderly, the sick and those who care for them are excused.
  • Pray before Mass. Arrive a few minutes early and pray the prayer of St. Thomas above, or simply ask Jesus to prepare your heart.
  • Make an act of humility with the words the whole assembly says before Communion, adapted from the centurion in the Gospel: “Lord, I am not worthy…” (Matthew 8:8).
  • Receive reverently. Bow your head before receiving, and answer “Amen” to “The Body of Christ.”

How to make a good thanksgiving after Communion

  1. Return to your place and kneel or sit in silence. The Lord is truly present within you.
  2. Adore him. “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).
  3. Thank him with one of the prayers above or in your own words.
  4. Ask for what you and others need: your family, the sick, the dead.
  5. Offer yourself for the day ahead.

Many saints recommended spending ten to fifteen minutes in thanksgiving after Mass when possible. Even a few minutes of silence before leaving the church is a gift to the Lord.

If you cannot receive Communion

If you are not able to receive Holy Communion, for example because you are not yet Catholic or need to go to Confession first, you can still unite yourself to Jesus by making a spiritual communion.

Frequently asked questions

What do Catholics say after receiving Communion?

When the minister says “The Body of Christ,” you answer “Amen.” Afterward there is no fixed prayer; Catholics pray silently, often with the Anima Christi or a prayer of thanksgiving like those above.

How long should I pray after Communion?

As long as you can, ideally a few minutes of silence during Mass and some time afterward. The Church’s tradition strongly recommends a period of thanksgiving.

Can I pray the rosary after Communion?

You may, but the moments right after Communion are best spent in personal conversation with Jesus. Save the Rosary for after Mass.

More Eucharistic prayers

Texts and sources