A Prayer for Assurance of Christ’s Presence (“An Act of Spiritual Communion”).
The collect for purity/ prayer of preparation:
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then read the Gospel for Sunday, or another appropriate passage of Scripture (e.g. John 14: 1-7).
Examine your heart and confess your sins to God, using your own words or this prayer of confession
A prayer of confession:
Father eternal, giver of light and grace,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour,
in what we have thought,
in what we have said and done,
through ignorance, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We have wounded your love
and marred your image in us.
We are sorry and ashamed
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for us,
forgive us all that is past
and lead us out from darkness
to walk as children of light. Amen.
and then say
The Almighty and merciful Lord, grant me pardon and absolution of all my sins. Amen.
Then say
In union, O Lord with the faithful at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is celebrated, I desire to offer you praise and thanksgiving. I present to you my soul and body with the earnest wish that I may always be united to you. And since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, I ask you to come spiritually into my heart. I unite myself to you, and embrace you with all the affections of my soul. Let nothing ever separate you from me. May I live and die in your love. Amen.
You might like to sit in silence for a while. Finish your time of prayer by saying the Lord’s Prayer.
(“The Armed Forces Prayerbook” (The Episcopal Church USA), 1951, adapted).
The collect for purity/ prayer of preparation:
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then read the Gospel for Sunday, or another appropriate passage of Scripture (e.g. John 14: 1-7).
Examine your heart and confess your sins to God, using your own words or this prayer of confession
A prayer of confession:
Father eternal, giver of light and grace,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour,
in what we have thought,
in what we have said and done,
through ignorance, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We have wounded your love
and marred your image in us.
We are sorry and ashamed
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for us,
forgive us all that is past
and lead us out from darkness
to walk as children of light. Amen.
and then say
The Almighty and merciful Lord, grant me pardon and absolution of all my sins. Amen.
Then say
In union, O Lord with the faithful at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is celebrated, I desire to offer you praise and thanksgiving. I present to you my soul and body with the earnest wish that I may always be united to you. And since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, I ask you to come spiritually into my heart. I unite myself to you, and embrace you with all the affections of my soul. Let nothing ever separate you from me. May I live and die in your love. Amen.
You might like to sit in silence for a while. Finish your time of prayer by saying the Lord’s Prayer.
(“The Armed Forces Prayerbook” (The Episcopal Church USA), 1951, adapted).