One of my favourite prayers is the Anima Christi. I love it in both Latin and English. I find myself returning to it every time I receive Holy Communion and when I attend adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. It seems especially appropriate as we get closer to the annual Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, or Corpus Christi, on June 7.
This prayer is a cry from the heart. It uses intimate, pleading language and the tangible images of Christ’s Body and Blood to draw us closer to Jesus.
The first half of the prayer reads: “Anima Christi, salva me. Corpus Christi, sanctifica me. Sanguis Christi, inebria me. Aqua lateris Christi, lava me. Passio Christi, conforta me.” In English: “Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me.”
The imagery used in this appeal to Christ is powerful. The plea of the penitent to the divine should remind us that we ought always to desire intimacy with Christ. he has poured out his lifeblood for us, which we receive every time we receive the Eucharist. But how often do we take this intimate act for granted? This prayer emphasizes that we do not merely receive Christ, but should yearn to be saved, inebriated, washed, and strengthened by him.
The idea of being “inebriated” by the blood of Christ is striking. We tend to associate inebriation with drunkenness and therefore see the word in a negative light. However, to be inebriated with the blood of Christ is to be filled with him, absorbed in his grace and love, even joyful in it. One might say we should hunger for the blood of Christ as an endless source of love and mercy.
As we approach the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Church asks us to focus especially on the Body and Blood of Christ. Even though we have just reflected on Christ’s bodily sacrifice during Holy Week and have recently concluded the Easter season, the Church brings us full circle with Corpus Christi, renewing our focus on the Eucharistic body and blood.
According to The Story Behind the Feast of Corpus Christi by Gretchen Filz at catholiccompany.com, the Church has celebrated this solemnity since 1264, when Pope Urban IV established it following a Eucharistic miracle in Bolsena the year before. A German priest, struggling with belief in the real presence, stopped in the small Italian town to celebrate Mass. As he spoke the words of consecration, the host began to bleed, dripping onto the altar and the corporal. Pope Urban investigated, confirmed the event, and had the host and cloth displayed in the Cathedral of Orvieto, where they remain today.
How does the Solemnity of Corpus Christi affect us today? If we remember that the feast arose in response to unbelief, we can apply that same principle now. Polls and studies tell us that many Catholics do not believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Nearly 800 years later, the Church again faces the challenge of responding to a lack of belief in Christ’s Body and Blood.
What if we used this solemnity to pray more fervently for deeper faith in the Eucharist? The Anima Christi is well suited to this intention. Attending Mass and receiving Holy Communion worthily is the first step. But if we are serious about changing hearts, we need to commit ourselves to prayer. This prayer begins where it should—with our own need to grow closer to Jesus.
The English translation continues: “O good Jesus, hear me. Within thy wounds, hide me. Separated from thee let me never be. From the malignant enemy, defend me. At the hour of death, call me to come to thee, bid me, that I may praise thee in the company of thy saints for all eternity.” The pleading tone continues, but now with reminders of our hope for holiness, heaven, and everlasting union with Christ.
As the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ approaches, consider adding the Anima Christi to your prayer life. If regular prayer is new to you, it is a good place to begin. It reminds us not only to entrust everything to Christ, but to fix our thoughts on his precious Body and Blood.
Lazzuri writes from her home in Nova Scotia, where she lives with her husband, three of her six children, and her mom. She can be reached at clarelazzuri@gmail.com.
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