Prayers of Preparation for Mass from the Roman Missal of 1962

Incline the ears of Thy loving kindness, most gracious God, unto our prayers, and enlighten our heart with the grace of the Holy Spirit, that we may worthily celebrate Thy mysteries and love Thee with an everlasting love.

0 God, unto whom every heart is open, every desire known and from whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee, and worthily praise Thy holy name.

Burn our reins and our heart, 0 Lord, with the fire of the Holy Spirit, that we may serve Thee with a chaste body and please Thee with a clean heart.

We beseech Thee, 0 Lord, that the Comforter who proceeds from Thee, may enlighten our minds and lead us into all truth, as Thy Son has promised.

We beseech Thee, 0 Lord, that the power of the Holy Spirit may be with us, mercifully cleansing our hearts and defending them from all harm.

0 God, who didst teach the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that in the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation.

Cleanse our thoughts, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, by Thy visitation, that when our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, shall come, He may find within us a dwelling prepared for Him; who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer before Communion by St Thomas Aquinas

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.

Prayer before Communion by Pere Jean Olier

Jesus, infinite knowledge of the greatness of thy Father and of all his goodness, furnace of love, inexhaustible well of gratitude, victim consumed on our altars for his glory; give him the love, adoration and thanksgiving which we owe to him but cannot render worthily, being, as we are, an abyss of nothingness and sin.

It is for love of thee that he regards creatures so poor and mean with kindness. Thou art what he loves in us; thou alone deservest his consideration.

Come then, holy victim, come and change us into thyself. Unite us with thee into a single victim, to be sacrificed eternally to the glory of God. Destroy my old self, that is so full of flaws, so that by thee I may return to my first innocence. Never shall I be satisfied until I am wholly consumed in him; I cannot bear anything in me that displeases him.

Divine Host, destroy in the fire with which thou burnest, all that is hateful in my soul. For this purpose, Lord, I offer myself as a prey to be consumed in thy sacred flames. Thou art the high priest and the altar of the new law. Thou comest among us to immolate a sacrifice of praise, a sacrifice of which thou, with all thy members, art the victim.

Make me burn in the fire which devours thee. Divine Jesus, my love and my all, I will strive for one thing and no other: to become worthy of being offered up with thee, as a victim of love, to thy Father’s glory.

Prayers of Thanksgiving After Mass

Prayer of Thanksgiving by St Thomas Aquinas

Lord, Father all-powerful, and ever-living God, I thank Thee, for even though I am a sinner, Thy unprofitable servant, not because of my worth, but in the kindness of Thy mercy, Thou hast fed me with the precious Body and Blood of Thy 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 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 Thee, the one true God and lead me safely through death to everlasting happiness with Thee.

And I pray that Thou willest lead me, a sinner to the banquet where Thou with Thy Son and Holy Spirit, are true and perfect light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end, and perfect happiness to Thy saints. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving by St Bonaventure

Pierce, O most Sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, with true, serene, and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with love and longing for Thee, that it may yearn for Thee and faint for Thy courts, and 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 supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste; let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, upon whom the angels desire to look, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst after Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God.

May it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, attain Thee, meditate upon Thee, speak of Thee, and do all things to the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance unto the end; may Thou alone be ever my hope, my entire assurance, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquillity, my peace, my sweetness, my fragrance, my sweet savor, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession and my treasure, in whom may my mind and my heart be fixed and firmly rooted immovably henceforth and for ever. Amen.

Some Morning Prayers

The mercies of the Lord are never exhausted; the mercies of the Lord are never spent: but they are new each morning.
(Lam 3:22)

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of a new day. Thank you for the sleep which has refreshed me and for the chance to begin life again today. I welcome this new day as your gift to me, and in its first moments, I offer myself to you.

Father, I will quietly and serenely receive from your hand the work and burden of this day: its joys, its sorrows, its challenges, its responsibilities and its opportunities.

Bless this day for me, for those I love, and for all your children. To us all grant your provisions for our needs today and the grace to see this day in the light of eternity. Amen.

Some Night Prayers

A) Good and gracious God, I thank you for all the gifts and graces of this day. In particular, I acknowledge your goodness to me this day in . . .

My God, I am truly sorry for any sin in my life today: for anything I have done against your will; for anything you have willed and I have left undone. In  particular, I ask your forgiveness for . . .(here examine your conscience)

My God, I trustingly ask your blessing tonight upon my family and loved ones; upon anyone I have ever offended or who has ever offended me; upon those who  have fallen into temptation. In particular, I ask your blessing upon . . .

May I awaken tomorrow to know, love and serve you still another day. Yet if it be your will to call me from this life tonight, may I awake to the dawn of eternal happiness with you forever. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my  spirit.
Hail Mary . . .

B) O God, I thank you for all the gifts and graces bestowed on me this day. I believe; help my unbelief. I hope in you; take away all doubt and fear. I love you; give me an undivided heart.

[Here examine your conscience]

O my God, I am truly sorry for each and every sin I committed today; and for all I have left undone. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!

Dear God, if it is your will, may I awaken tomorrow to another day, a day to praise you, love you and do your will.

Night Prayer of St Augustine

Watch, O Lord, with those who wake or weep tonight, and give your angels and saints charge over those who slumber.
Tend your sick ones, O Lord Christ,
Rest your weary ones,
Bless your dying ones,
Soothe your suffering ones,
Pity your afflicted ones,
Shield your joyous ones,
And all for your love's sake. Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you our heartfelt thanks for all your goodness and kindness to us. We bless you for creating us and preserving us in life. Above all, we bless you for the inestimable love you have shown the world in sending your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that we might not perish but have eternal life.

We thank you for the teaching of His Gospel; for the power of His Cross; for the sacramental signs of His grace in the present life; and for the sure hope of eternal life with Him.

In Jesus' name and for His sake, we beseech you, dear Father, send your Holy Spirit upon us to give us a due appreciation of all your mercies so that our hearts may be sincerely and unashamedly thankful. Grant that your praises may be ever upon our lips and in our lives. May we give ourselves to your service in serving others and walk before you humbly and gratefully all our days: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of St. Teresa of Avila

Let nothing disturb you,
Nothing frighten you.
All things are passing.
God never changes.
Patient endurance
attains all things.
Whoever possesses God
lacks nothing--
God alone is sufficient.