Antiphon and Prayer after Communion
Antiphon
Cf. Gal 2: 20
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who has loved me
and given himself up for me.
Prayer after Communion
May the Sacrament we have received, O Lord our God,
stir up in us that fire of charity
with which the blessed Apostle Paul burned ardently
as he bore concern for all the Churches.
Through Christ our Lord.
A solemn blessing may be used in the following manner. The Priest, facing the people and extending his hands, says:
The Lord be with you.
The people reply:
And with your spirit.
The Deacon or, in his absence, the Priest himself, says the invitation: Bow down for the blessing. Then the Priest, with hands extended over the people, says:
May God,
who has granted you to stand firm on apostolic foundations,
graciously bless you
through the glorious merits of the holy Apostle Paul.
R. Amen.
And may he,
who endowed you with the teaching and the example of the Apostles,
make you, under their protection,
witnesses to the truth before all.
R. Amen.
So that through the intercession of the Apostles,
you may inherit the eternal homeland,
for by their teaching you possess firmness of faith.
R. Amen.
Then he blesses the people saying:
And may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.
come down on you and remain with your for ever.
The people reply:
Amen.
Then the Deacon, or the Priest himself, with hands joined and facing the people, says:
Go forth, the Mass is ended.
Or:
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
Or:
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
Or:
Go in peace.
The people reply:
Thanks be to God.
Then the Priest venerates the altar as usual with a kiss, as at the beginning. After making a profound bow with the ministers, he withdraws.
