St. Thomas Aquinas — Adoro Te Devote

A prayer of profound humility before receiving Jesus in the Eucharist.

This prayer before Holy Communion was composed by St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), the great Doctor of the Church, and expresses deep humility and longing before receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist.

The Prayer

Almighty and eternal God,
I approach the sacrament of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
I come sick to the doctor of life,
unclean to the fountain of mercy,
blind to the radiance of eternal light,
and poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth.
Lord, in Your great generosity,
heal my sickness, wash away my defilement,
enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty,
and clothe my nakedness.
May I receive the bread of angels,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
with such reverence and humility,
such contrition and devotion,
such purity and faith,
such purpose and intention
as are conducive to my salvation.
Amen.

About This Prayer

St. Thomas Aquinas composed several great Eucharistic prayers and hymns, including the Pange Lingua and Tantum Ergo. This prayer reflects his theology of the Eucharist as the greatest of the sacraments — the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ truly present under the appearances of bread and wine.