Prayer of St John Chrysostom (before Communion)

O Lord, my God, I know that I am not worthy nor sufficient that Thou shouldest enter under the roof of the house of my soul, for it is wholly desolate and ruined; nor hast Thou in me a place worthy whereon to lay Thy head. But, even as from the highest heaven Thou didst humble Thyself for our sake, so now in lowliness conform Thyself to me. And as Thou didst deign to lie in the cave and the manger of irrational beasts, so also do Thou deign to enter into the manger of mine irrational soul, and within my defiled body. And as Thou didst not disdain to enter and to sup with sinners in the house of Simon the leper, so also do Thou deign to enter into the house of my humble soul, leprous and sinful as it is. And as Thou didst not refuse to suffer the harlot, like unto me, when she came and touched Thee, so also be merciful unto me, a sinner, who come and touch Thee. And as Thou didst not abhor her defiled and impure mouth as she kissed Thee, so also do not abhor my mouth, more defiled and impure even than hers, nor my offering and unclean lips, nor my still more impure tongue. But may the live coal of Thy most holy Body and Thy precious Blood be unto me a sanctification, an enlightenment, and a strengthening of my humble soul and body, to the assuagement of my many transgressions, to the protection from every diabolic working, to the redirection and amendment of my exceedingly evil and pernicious habits, to the mortification of the passions, to the keeping of Thy commandments, to the increase of Thy divine grace, and to the obtaining of Thy Kingdom. For not as one despising do I draw nigh to Thee, O Christ my God, but as one taking refuge in Thine ineffable lovingkindness, and lest, by long abstaining from communion with Thee, I be seized by the spiritual wolf. Therefore I pray Thee, who alone art holy, O Master: sanctify my soul and body, my mind and heart, my reins and inward parts; renew me wholly; and root the fear of Thee in my members; and make Thy sanctification inalienable from me. And be Thou my helper and defender; and direct in peace my life, and vouchsafe me to stand at Thy right hand with Thy saints, through the prayers and intercessions of Thy most pure Mother, of Thy bodiless ministers and most pure powers, and of all the saints who from the ages have been well-pleasing unto Thee. Amen.