Prayer after Communion 29 Sunday Ordinary Time

This week we Lectio the Liturgy with the Prayer After Communion for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Grant, O Lord, we pray, that, benefiting from participation in heavenly things, we may be helped by what you give in this present age and prepared for the gifts that are eternal. Through Christ our Lord.

We ask God for some pretty incredible things in this prayer. First we ask that we may be helped by what He gives in this present age. What He gives are the heavenly things we find in the prayer. We may not think about it much, but actually, the Sacraments we celebrate are heaven that are packaged for earth.

These heavenly things are what prepare us for the gifts that are eternal, which is the second thing we ask for in the prayer.
In the Latin form of the prayer, for prepare, we find the word erudiamur, which means to polish. Basically, we are prepared for eternal gifts by having the rough spots polished out. Our rough spots might be sin, attachments, and self desires. What is left in its place is a desire for God and a desire to please Him. Erudiamur changes you so that you are ready for the gifts that are eternal, those yet to come, and the “heavenly things” we participate in today.

Being helped and being prepared aren’t just given to us, but instead are the benefits from “participation in heavenly things.” Yes, that means participation in the Mass. For many, participating at mass may consist of doing the actions, kneel, sit, stand, but there are things we can do to make our participation more spiritual.

First, remember that the Mass is not our church service, it is our prayer. We don’t go to Mass to be entertained, we go to pray, that is why being at Mass matters.

One way to deepen your participation is, when you get settled in and kneel to pray, ask yourself, “Where am I?” Look around, look at the Tabernacle, look at the statues and windows. You are no longer in the world, you are in the presence of God. If you have kids, you can ask them the same. Recognize that when we are in church, we are somewhere special.

Another way to participate in the mass starts before you go. It is the most important and probably most difficult thing to do and yet it is so simple: spend time alone with God every day.
This past summer my husband and I went on a road trip. We drove over 4,000 miles in 12 days. We did not talk the whole time, we did not have the radio on all day. We just enjoyed being in each other’s company. It is the same with God. He is waiting to just be with you. This can be in a quiet room, at Adoration, or even in your imagination.

When you are with Him, do not bring your list of favorite prayers or your petitions. You don’t need to speak, just be with Him. You can pray a decade of the Rosary or meditate on a verse of scripture first, but just remember that what God wants most is you.

What I’ve come to learn is that when we become accustomed to being in God’s presence, we begin to see Him everywhere especially in the Mass. Going to Mass is no longer an obligation, because we are now participating at a new level, we are in God’s presence. God told me long ago that being in His presence is all that I need, and naturally, He was right.
His presence is another “heavenly thing,” given to us in this present age to prepare us for what is eternal.

Thanks for praying with me,
Julie