Prayer before Communion in Illness

O Lord, Lord God, full of compassion, and gracious, and plenteous in mercy and truth! I poor sinner have resolved to seek reconciliation with Thee, and to beseech Thee most fervently to forgive me all the sins which I have committed against Thee during my past life. I desire to seek mercy and forgiveness of sins in the wounds of Jesus, and thus to prepare for a happy departure from this world.

It has pleased Thee, O God, to lay me upon this bed of sickness. And since I do not know whether I shall rise from it again in health or die upon it, I would make it my chief concern to care for my soul, and to commend all else to Thee, my gracious and merciful God. I would be reconciled with Thee now, because I am still in the possession of my senses, and can still call to mind when I sinned, how often I sinned, and how heavily I sinned. I beseech Thee for pardon now while I am still able to pray, because I know not but that my sickness may increase in severity, and the loss of my understanding and of the other faculties of my mind may render me unable to pray or to think of Thee. I know that one who prepares himself for death does not on that account die any sooner, or live any longer. But he does what is most profitable for him: if he regains his health, he will shun the sins which he recognized and repented of on his sickbed; and if he dies, he is prepared, and dies happy.

These are my reflections, O God. Having obtained the forgiveness of my sins, I would partake of the Holy Supper, and then patiently, cheerfully and believingly await Thy further dealings with me. Therefore, in the anxiety of my soul I fall down before Thee, and cry: O, be merciful to Thy child, Remember not the sins of my youth nor my many transgressions. O Lord, for the sake of Jesus, my Saviour, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. O my God, grant me grace and strength to carry out my holy resolution, to Thy glory and the salvation of my soul. Amen.