Sometimes approaching Holy Communion on Sunday can become routine, and we lose the sacredness of the event. It’s too easy to forget that Jesus Christ is there, truly present under the appearance of bread and wine.

We need to remember that Jesus is not there for his sake, but expressly for our salvation. He wants to be in communion with us and enter our body so that he can enter more deeply into our soul.

One way we can recall this profound truth is to recall Jesus’ role as the Divine Physician. If we are experiencing any hurt or sorrow in our heart, Jesus would like to come and heal those wounds with his love and mercy.

Here is a short prayer by Mother Mary Loyola, published in the book Welcome! Holy Communion that can help awaken in us a desire to let Jesus heal our broken hearts in Holy Communion.

[Jesus, you] encourage me to draw near to you to touch you in Holy Communion with faith and hope, to lay open to you, divine Physician, the wounds of my soul that you may heal them. I am sick and weak—for ever halting on the upward road; soon tired; easily discouraged; unequal to serious or prolonged effort; always looking out for ease and rest. I am blind to my faults, prompt, at least, to excuse in myself what I heartily condemn in another. I am negligent in my duty of supervision, blind to harm going on around me which I ought to know and check and for which I shall be held accountable. My God, illuminate my darkness. Lord, that I may see! I am deaf. Inspirations come and I heed them not. I know they are your voice, prompting or reproaching me, suggesting a good thought, a kind word or act. No praise wells up in my heart; no cry for mercy comes to my lips. I have no eager welcome for you who comes so far to be my Guest. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise. Set my heart free to pour itself out before you. Teach me to pray, that by prayer I may obtain from you the supply of all I need. Leprous, palsied, blind, deaf, dumb—surely I need the visit of the Physician! Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. Son of David, have mercy on me!

Read more: Pray this prayer before communion when your soul needs to be refreshed