Prayers Before Communion

A Prayer of St. Basil the Great

O Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, our God, Fountain of life and immortality, Creator of all things visible and invisible, co-everlasting and coeternal Son of the unoriginate Father, who in thine exceeding great love didst become incarnate in the latter days and wast crucified and slain for us ungrateful and ignorant men and by thine own Blood didst refashion our nature corrupted by sin: Do thou thyself, O immortal King, receive the repentance of me, the sinner; incline thine ear unto me and hear my words, for I have sinned, O Lord; I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and I am not worthy to lift up my eyes to the height of thy glory, for I have affronted thy goodness, and transgressed thy commandments and disobeyed thine ordinances. But thou, O Lord who rememberest not evil but art long-suffering and of great mercy, hast not given me over to perish in my lawlessness but dost ever await my return. For, O thou who lovest mankind, thou hast said by thy prophet, “I desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should return and live,” because thou dost not wish, O Master, to destroy the work of thy hands; neither dost thou take pleasure in the destruction of men but desirest that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Wherefore I, although unworthy both of heaven and of earth and of this transitory life, even I, the wretched one, having wholly yielded myself to sin, become a slave to pleasures and defiled thine image within me, who am thy creation and thy work, despair not of salvation; but trusting in thine infinite compassion, I draw nigh unto thee. Receive me, O Christ, thou that lovest mankind, as thou didst receive the harlot, the thief, the publican and the prodigal son. Take away the heavy burden of my sins, O thou that takest away the sin of the world and healest the infirmities of men and callest all that are weary and heavy-laden to thyself and givest them rest; thou that camest not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, cleanse thou me from every stain of flesh and spirit, and teach me to perfect holiness in fear of thee, that with the witness of my conscience pure, I may receive a portion of thy holy things and be united to thy holy Body and Blood and may have thee, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, dwelling and abiding in me. Yea, O Lord Jesus Christ my God, grant that the partaking of thine immaculate and life-giving mysteries may not be to my condemnation, nor may I become infirm in soul and body by receiving unworthily thereof, but grant that, even unto my last breath, I may partake of a portion of thy holy things without condemnation, unto the communion of thy Holy Spirit, as a provision for eternal life and for a good defense at thy fearful judgment seat, so that I, as a partaker with all thine elect, may also receive those incorruptible good things which thou hast prepared for them that love thee, O Lord, in whom thou art glorified forever. Amen.

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Another Prayer of St. Basil the Great

O Lord, I know that I receive unworthily thine immaculate Body and precious Blood; I know that I am guilty and that I eat and drink condemnation to myself, not discerning the Body and Blood of Christ my God. But taking courage in thy compassion I come unto thee who hast said, “Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him.” Therefore, O Lord, have compassion on me and make not an example of me, the sinner. But do unto me according to thy mercy, and grant that these holy things may be for me unto the healing, purification, enlightenment, protection, salvation and sanctification of soul and body, and to the expulsion of every evil imagination, wicked deed or work of the devil, which operateth within my mind and members. May they move me to boldness and love toward thee, to amend and keep firm my life, and may they ever be in me unto the increase of virtue, unto the keeping of thy commandments, unto the communion of the Holy Spirit, as a provision for eternal life and for a good defense at thy fearful judgment seat, and not unto judgment nor unto condemnation.

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A Prayer of St. John Chrysostom

O Lord my God, I know that I am not worthy nor sufficient that thou shouldest enter under the roof of the house of my soul, for it is all deserted and in ruins, and thou hast not a worthy place in me to lay thy head. But as from the heights of thy glory thou didst humble thyself, so now conform thyself to my humility; as thou didst deign to lie in the cave in a manger of dumb animals, so deign now also to come into the manger of my dumb soul and soiled body. As thou didst not refrain from entering and eating with sinners in the house of Simon the leper, so also vouchsafe to enter the house of my humble, leprous and sinful soul. As thou didst not reject the harlot and sinner, like unto me, who approached and touched thee, so also have pity on me, the sinner, as I approach and touch thee; and as thou didst not loathe the filthy mouth of her who drew near to kiss thee, neither loathe my mouth which is more filthy nor my unclean lips nor my yet more unclean tongue. But grant that the fiery coal of thine all-holy Body and precious Blood be for the sanctification, enlighten ment and strengthening of my wretched soul and body, for the relief from the burden of my many transgressions, for my preservation against every demonic activity, for trampling down and averting of my careless and evil habits, for the mortification of passions, for obedience to thy commandments, for growth in thy divine grace and for the inheritance of thy kingdom. For it is not with presumption that I approach thee, O Christ God, but as one taking courage in thine ineffable goodness, lest that through long absence from communion with thee I may become the prey of the noetic wolf. Wherefore, I pray thee, O Master, who alone art holy, sanctify my soul and body, my mind and heart, my reins and bowels, and renew me entirely. Implant in my members the fear of thee, and make thy sanctification to be inalienable from me. Be thou my Helper and Guide, directing my life in peace, vouchsafing me to stand at thy right hand with thy saints, through the prayers and intercessions of thine all-immaculate Mother, of thy bodiless servitors and immaculate powers and of all the saints who from all ages have been well-pleasing unto thee. Amen.

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Another Prayer of St. John Chrysostom

I believe, O Lord, and I confess that thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that this is truly thine own immaculate Body and that this is truly thine own precious Blood. Wherefore I pray thee, have mercy upon me and forgive my transgressions both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge and of ignorance; and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of thine immaculate Mysteries, unto remission of my sins and unto life everlasting. Amen. Of thy Mystic Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant: for I will not speak of thy Mystery to thine enemies, neither will I give thee a kiss as did Judas; but like the thief will I confess thee: Remember me, O Lord, in thy Kingdom. Not unto judgment nor unto condemnation be my partaking of thy Holy Mysteries, O Lord, but unto the healing of soul and body.

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A Prayer of St. John of Damascus

O Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, our God, who alone hath authority to forgive men their sins, for thou art good and lovest mankind: Overlook all transgressions that I have committed in knowledge or in ignorance, and make me worthy to receive without condemnation thy divine, glorious, immaculate and life-giving mysteries, not unto punishments or unto increase of sins, but unto purification and sanctification and a pledge of the life and kingdom to come, as a protection and a help and an averting of the adversaries, and unto the blotting out of my many trespasses. For thou art a God of mercy and compassions and love toward mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.​

Another Prayer of St. John of Damascus

I stand before the doors of thy temple, and yet I refrain not from my terrible thoughts. But do thou, O Christ God, who didst justify the publican and hadst mercy on the Canaanite woman and didst open the gates of paradise to the thief: open unto me the compassion of thy love toward mankind, and receive me as I approach and touch thee, like the harlot and the woman with the issue of blood; for the one, by but touching the hem of thy garment, received healing, and the other, by embracing thine immaculate feet, received the forgiveness of her sins. And I, who am pitiful, dare to partake of thy whole Body. Let me not be consumed, but receive me as thou didst receive them, and enlighten the senses of my soul, burning up the accusations of my sins, through the intercessions of her that without seed gave thee birth and of the heavenly powers; for thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.​​