An Act of Desire Catholic Prayer-a Devotion for Holy Communion
An Act of Desire Catholic Prayer
As the wearied heart thirsts after the fountains of water, so doth my soul pant after Thee, my Savior! my Lord! and my Jesus! It ardently longs to drink of those fountains, which Thy love has opened for its comfort and relief.
Tired, therefore, with my own evil ways, I now return hungry and thirsty, crying out aloud, have mercy on me, O Son of God, and permit me to taste of Thy banquet, that my soul may be refreshed.
O that I had the affections of the heavenly spirits, that my soul might truly languish after Thee, the fountain of life, of wisdom, and of eternal light, the impetuous torrent of celestial happiness! O that my soul did truly hunger after Thee, the bread of angels, the food of blessed souls, and that all that is within me might be delighted with the taste of Thy sweetness! I here despise all human consolations, that I may be comforted by Thee, my only good, my God and Saviour, whom I love above all things, and desire to entertain within my breast, with as much devotion and affection as is conceived by Thy chosen servants, who now sit at Thy table of celestial bliss.
And however I may have been hitherto wanting in my duty, or unjust to Thee, in misplacing my affections, I now for ever renounce my folly and weakness, and from my heart request, that for the future, my joy, my relief, my treasure, and rest, may be entirely centered in Thee.
May I never desire anything besides Thee; and may all things seem contemptible and as nothing without Thee, O my God!
Amen.
An Act of Desire is a prayer we can pray before or after receiving Holy Communion. It is a devotion we can also pray as a spiritual Communion prayer at a time when we cannot receive Holy Communion. It is a beautiful Catholic prayer on the Eucharist that we can pray to ask God to help us to focus in Him and shed our attachment to sin and to the things of this world that can pull us away from Him. See also An Act of Spiritual Communion.
If you are looking for more prayers to help you grow closer to our Lord you can find more in the Prayers section. There is also a section focused on Mass Prayers.
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