I was talking the other day with a parishioner about the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass and the reality that the altar servers prayed, (without any help from the congregation,) the "Confiteor" (I confess to almighty God....). I can remember doing that in my early years of being an altar server, except I only did it in English. I feel sure that if any of our parishioners who were altar servers in those "Latin-Rite days were completely honest, they would admit that they prayed this prayer rather "speedily". It was more "said" and less "prayed" by many of the altar servers who did it.
I think we all could recall a time when we just said our prayers and didn't really pray them slowly and with thought. Admittedly I have tried in praying the rosary both in private and in community to slow down and consciously speak to Mary the words of the "Hail Mary". I would encourage all of us to consider whether or not you are going slow enough where we are truly speaking to Mary, or Jesus, or the Father in the rote prayers that we pray. It is especially hard when one is praying 53 Hail Mary's in a rosary, but it is potentially much more meaningful and powerful to pray "thoughtfully" AND from the heart. I would like to present the Anima Christi prayer that many of us learned by heart growing up, which is a good prayer to pray, slowly and deliberately when we speak to Christ especially after receiving Holy Communion, or before him in the Monstrance or in the Tabernacle.
If we truly pray this prayer (composed by St. Ignatius of Loyola 1491-1556), and properly observe the periods and commas, then we will be blessed in many ways.
SOUL OF CHRIST SANCTIFY ME.
BODY OF CHRIST,SAVE ME.
BLOOD OF CHRIST, INEBRIATE ME.
WATER FROM THE SIDE OF CHRIST, WASH ME.
PASSION OF CHRIST, STRENGTHEN ME.
O GOOD JESUS, HEAR ME.
WITHIN YOUR WOUNDS HIDE ME. PERMIT ME NOT TO
BE SEPARATED FROM YOU.
FROM THE MALIGNANT ENEMY, DEFEND ME.
AT THE HOUR OF MY DEATH, CALL ME, AND BID ME
COME TO YOU.
THAT WITH YOUR SAINTS, I MAY PRAISE YOU,
FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN
I think we all could recall a time when we just said our prayers and didn't really pray them slowly and with thought. Admittedly I have tried in praying the rosary both in private and in community to slow down and consciously speak to Mary the words of the "Hail Mary". I would encourage all of us to consider whether or not you are going slow enough where we are truly speaking to Mary, or Jesus, or the Father in the rote prayers that we pray. It is especially hard when one is praying 53 Hail Mary's in a rosary, but it is potentially much more meaningful and powerful to pray "thoughtfully" AND from the heart. I would like to present the Anima Christi prayer that many of us learned by heart growing up, which is a good prayer to pray, slowly and deliberately when we speak to Christ especially after receiving Holy Communion, or before him in the Monstrance or in the Tabernacle.
If we truly pray this prayer (composed by St. Ignatius of Loyola 1491-1556), and properly observe the periods and commas, then we will be blessed in many ways.
SOUL OF CHRIST SANCTIFY ME.
BODY OF CHRIST,SAVE ME.
BLOOD OF CHRIST, INEBRIATE ME.
WATER FROM THE SIDE OF CHRIST, WASH ME.
PASSION OF CHRIST, STRENGTHEN ME.
O GOOD JESUS, HEAR ME.
WITHIN YOUR WOUNDS HIDE ME. PERMIT ME NOT TO
BE SEPARATED FROM YOU.
FROM THE MALIGNANT ENEMY, DEFEND ME.
AT THE HOUR OF MY DEATH, CALL ME, AND BID ME
COME TO YOU.
THAT WITH YOUR SAINTS, I MAY PRAISE YOU,
FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN