Thursday, February 26, 2009

After Communion?


A few weeks ago, Erik asked me why some people hang around a few minutes after Mass and pray, while others scamper out of church. Good question! We talked about the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and hence his presence in US after we receive him.


"So .... what do you pray at that time?" he asked.

GOOD QUESTION.

I think it's different for all of us. And admittedly, it's VERY personal. But he was wondering, so I shared ... but I know we have some Catholic blog readers, and if you're willing to share, I'd be interested to know. Maybe I can even improve my own prayers! (it's Lent, after all!) :-)

In fairness, I'll share what I do. I have to admit, it feels juvenille. So I'm a little shy, but here goes.

I learned this in 5th grade, and it just kind of stuck. I've been doing it ever since.

ALTAR.

A-adore. Tell God you adore/honor him.
L-love. Tell Him how much you love/appreciate him.
T-thank. Thank Him for the blessings in your life.
A-ask. If you need help or guidance, ask for help.
R-resolve. Make a commitment to better yourself in some way.

I also throw in some other favorite prayers, but that's my drill.

If you're willing to share, I'd LOVE to hear what you have to say! I think it's important to point out that prayer is extremely personal and different for everyone. If you're comfortable sharing, please do so with a comment!

Thanks.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I normally pray to St. Michael the Archangel. St. Michael is our defender against evil, so I say this prayer as a defense against those "evil things in the world" as I leave the church.

I also say the Guardian Angel Prayer because that is one that I remember when I was in Confirmation class.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I didn't leave my name.
Jaclyn

Monica said...

This is a neat post. I love the ALTAR, I'll have to remember that.

I always pray the "Anima Christe": Soul of Christ, Sanctify me; Body of Christ, Save me... etc. as was taught us by a priest at our old parish who always prayed it aloud after Communion. Also pray 2 Our Fathers, 2 Hail Marys and 2 Glory Be's for the intentions of the Holy Father. I've done this for a long time and don't remember exactly from whom I picked it up. PSR teacher, maybe??

Anyways, thanks for sharing, I really liked this post!

Unknown said...

Awesome feedback! Keep it coming!