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glinNC
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| Posted: May 08 2010 at 8:53pm | IP Logged
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When you arrive at church, what do you pray after you genuflect and take your seat in the pew before Mass starts? I understand it to be a time to settle our minds and prepare for Mass by asking for help to be attentive, receptive, etc. Are there certain Church prayers that I should learn?
We have time after Communion to praise, ask, thank, and talk with Jesus; but I see many people praying *after* Mass and also wonder if there are certain prescribed prayers used for after Mass ends as well?
Thanks for your shared wisdom. 
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Paula in MN
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| Posted: May 10 2010 at 5:55am | IP Logged
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I have always just prayed what is in my heart both before and after Mass. I've often wondered if there are certain prayers, but I've never asked. I'm glad you did!
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 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: May 10 2010 at 7:00am | IP Logged
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I don't always have specific prayers--usually, I just wing it by reflecting on prayers I already know like the Act of Contrition, a Hail Mary, one of the prayers from mass (like the Holy, Holy or Agnus Dei), etc... As a congregation, we pray the Leonine Prayerswhich would be appropriate for private devotion as well.
My missal has sections of prayers for both before and after mass. It includes beautiful prayers like the Anima Christi.
I found helpful that a few different saints have recommendations for praying the entire mass. St. Francis de Sales offers the following:
Quote:
| In order to join in this rightly, whether actually or mentally, you must give heed to several things: (1) In the beginning, and before the priest goes up to the Altar, make your preparation with his--placing yourself in God's Presence, confessing your unworthiness, and asking forgiveness. (2) Until the Gospel, dwell simply and generally upon the Coming and the Life of our Lord in this world. (3) From the Gospel to the end of the Creed, dwell upon our Dear Lord's teaching, and renew your resolution to live and die in the faith of the Holy Catholic Church. (4) From thence, fix your heart on the mysteries of the Word, and unite yourself to the Death and Passion of our Redeemer, now actually and essentially set forth in this holy Sacrifice, which, together with the priest and all the congregation, you offer to God the Father, to His Glory and your own salvation. (5) Up to the moment of communicating, offer all the longings and desires of your heart, above all desiring most earnestly to be united for ever to our Saviour by His Eternal Love. (6) From the time of Communion to the end, thank His Gracious Majesty for His Incarnation, His Life, Death, Passion, and the Love which He sets forth in this holy Sacrifice, intreating through it His favour for yourself, your relations and friends, and the whole Church; and humbling yourself sincerely, devoutly receive the blessing which our Dear Lord gives you through the channel of His minister. If, however, you wish to follow your daily course of meditation on special mysteries during the Sacrifice, it is not necessary that you should interrupt yourself by making these several acts but it will suffice that at the beginning you dispose your intention to worship and to offer the holy Sacrifice in your meditation and prayer; since every meditation includes all the abovenamed acts either explicitly or implicitly. |
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I have also found useful a similar layout offered by St. Louis de Montfort, specifically during the mass where during the Domine non sum dignus (Lord I am not worthy) we reflect on how Mary can be worthy for us as handmaiden to the Father, Tabernacle for the Son, and Spouse of the Holy Spirit. He does this for the whole mass, this is just the tidbit that I recall most readily and use most often.
I know that is not specifically what you were asking, but they are variations offered on good ways to prepare for and pray the mass.
There is another such reflection laid out in one of the Mary Vitamins that I have used. I don't have time to find it right now, but maybe Helen could put her fingers on it quickly?
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Lindsay
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Praying before & after Mass
