Prayer for Conversion of Sinners and the Perfection of the Faithful

I was just reading one of my favorite blogs, Mount Carmel Catholic Blogger, and I ran across a beautiful prayer that I just had to post on my blog. It's a prayer for the conversion of souls in the state of mortal sin, and also for the grace of those who are in the state of grace to advance to saintly perfection by the frequent reception of Holy Communion.

I love this prayer because I can't say enough about the absolute importance and centrality of the Holy Eucharist. The Second Vatican Council said of this sacrament in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, that it is "the source and summit of the Christian Life." And in Lumen Gentium it says:

"The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch."

There is nothing more vital and necessary to the life of the soul than the Bread of Life, Jesus, our source of every nourishment. Everything we do, no matter how mundane, worldly, or ordinary our tasks maybe, all of it finds it's light and sustenance in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Pray this prayer often. There is nothing better you can do for the good of souls than wish that they commune ever so intimately with Savior. And let it inspire you to make frequent and devout Holy Communions.

O Sweetest Jesus, Who camest into this world to give to all the life of Thy grace, and Who, to preserve and sustain it, didst will to be the remedy of our daily infirmities, and our daily food; humbly we pray Thee, by Thy Heart, all on fire for love of us, to pour out Thy Holy Spirit upon all, so that those who are unhappily in mortal sin may be converted to Thee, and recover the life of grace which they have lost; and those who by Thy gift still live this Divine life, may every day, when they are able, approach devoutly to Thy holy table, where, in daily Holy Communion, receiving every day the antidote to their daily venial sins, and nourishing the life of grace in their hearts, and purifying more and more their souls, they may come at last to the enjoyment with Thee of eternal beatitude. Amen.

Heart of Jesus, burning with love for us, inflame our hearts with love of Thee!