Thanksgiving to God

Gratitude for His Presence

“If we just receive Him and then walk out after Mass without much of a thought,” says Dcn. Kabat, “we lose that intimate moment when Our Lord is truly present within us, to speak with Him in prayer, to listen to what He may have to say to us in this moment.” This sense is found throughout the history of Catholic devotion, that these minutes right after Communion are a precious time, a treasure to be carefully kept. For instance, the Imitation of Christ says, “You should keep yourself in a devout frame of mind after receiving this Sacrament. It is jut as necessary to be watchful after as is the devout preparation beforehand; for careful guarding of devotion afterward is the best preparation for obtaining new grace.”

Intimacy with Christ through Holy Communion

For those looking for guidance on how best to spend this intimate moment, there is no shortage of recommendations. Some of the saints composed their own prayers of thanksgiving after Communion; one of the best known is that of St. Thomas Aquinas. On the other hand, some might find they pray best without any words at all. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, “Besides the singing of an appropriate hymn, it can also be most helpful to remain recollected in silence.” (Sacramentum Caritatis §50)

The Gift of the Eucharist

Though Dcn. Kabat’s service at Mass seldom allows him to begin his private prayer immediately afterward, he makes a simple prayer in the time he can get. “My thanksgiving,” he explains, “tends to be focused on the time immediately after receiving Our Lord’s precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, and I offer thanks and any specific intentions I may have at that moment. My prayer typically revolves around the concept of transformation — ‘Make me more like you, Lord, transform me and keep on a path toward holiness, a path toward eternal life, and never let me be parted from you!’” This focus on transformation is another significant theme in Eucharistic spirituality; as St. Francis de Sales says in his Introduction to the Devout Life: “By adoring and eating beauty, purity, and goodness itself in this divine sacrament, you will become wholly beautiful, wholly good, and wholly pure.”

Giving Thanks to God

Furthermore, time spent in thanksgiving is essential in a relationship with the God to whom all creatures owe everything. “Everything we have,” Dcn. Kabat points out, “is a gift from Almighty God. Our ability to even show up to worship Him at Mass is a gift. We must keep the old adage, ‘an attitude of gratitude.’ It will take us very far in our spiritual journey.” On the other hand, taking God’s generosity for granted, or as one’s due, risks losing sight of our dependence on His goodness: “We can completely forget that God is in charge and we become our own little gods.” In this way, time spent in thanks at Mass fosters the essential virtues of humility, since human beings need God in everything, and love, since He so generously provides all His children need and more.

The Supper of The Lamb 

At every Mass, before the distribution of Communion, the priest proclaims, “Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” Those attending Mass have just been welcomed to the greatest supper of all. If guests at a dinner typically stay to thank their host before leaving, those who have just taken part in the “supper of the Lamb” certainly do well to take time for joyful gratitude. As Deacon Kabat says, “The gift of the Holy Eucharist, which means ‘thanksgiving,’ should be the thought we always have in our hearts as faithful followers of Him, who alone is our light and our salvation!”