Catholic Prayers of Saints – Page 2

Prayer of St Teresa of Avila

My God, dispose of me, and of all that belongs to me,
according to your good pleasure.
Amen.

Prayer of St Ambrose

Preparation for Mass; attributed to St Ambrose (c. 339-397), bishop of Milan

Lord Jesus Christ,
I approach your banquet table in fear and trembling,
for I am a sinner and dare not rely on my own worth
but only on your goodness and mercy.
I am defiled by many sins in body and soul
and by my unguarded thoughts and words.

Gracious God of majesty and awe,
I seek your protection,
I look for your healing.
Poor troubled sinner that I am,
I appeal to you, the fountain of all mercy.

I cannot bear your judgement,
but I trust in your salvation.
Lord, I show my wounds to you
and uncover my shame before you.
I know my sins are many and great
and they fill me with fear,

but I hope in your mercies,
for they cannot be numbered.
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal king,
divine and human,
crucified for humanity,
look upon me with mercy and hear my prayer,

for I trust in you…
Have mercy on me,
full of sorrow and sin,
for the depth of your compassion never ends.
Praise to you, saving sacrifice,
offered on the wood of the cross for me and for all.

Praise to the noble and precious blood
flowing from the wounds of my crucified Lord,
Jesus Christ and washing away the sins of the
whole world.
Remember, Lord, your creatures,
whom you have redeemed with your blood.

I repent of my sins
and I long to put right what I have done.
Merciful Lord, take away all my offences and sins;
purify me in body and soul,
and make me worthy to taste the holy of holies.

May your body and blood,
which I intend to receive, although I am unworthy,
be for me the remission of my sins,
the washing away of my guilt,
the end of my evil thoughts
and the rebirth of my better instincts.

May it spur me on to works pleasing to you and be
profitable to my health in body and soul and a firm
defence against the wiles of my enemies.
Amen.

Prayer of St Augustine

Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know you,
And desire nothing, save only you.
Let me hate myself and love you.
Let me do everything for the sake of you.
Let me humble myself and exalt you.
Let me think of nothing except you.

Let me accept whatever happens as from you.
Let me banish self and follow you,
And ever desire to follow you.
Let me fly from myself and take refuge in you,
That I may deserve to be defended by you.

Let me fear for myself, let me fear you,
And let me be among those who are chosen by you.
Let me be willing to obey for the sake of you.
Let me cling to nothing, save only to you,
And let me be poor because of you.

Look upon me, that I may love you.
Call me, that I may see you,
And for ever enjoy you.
Amen.

Prayer of St Thomas Aquinas

Preparation for Mass; attributed to St Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274)

Almighty and ever-living God,
I approach the sacrament of your 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,
poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth.

Lord in your 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 Lord of lords,
with humble reverence,
with purity and faith,
with 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
and its reality and power.

Kind God,
may I receive the body of your 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 your beloved Son
under the veil of a sacrament,
may I one day see him face to face in glory,
who lives and reigns with you forever.
Amen.