7 Tips for Preparing Properly to Receive a Sacrament

Receiving a sacrament is always a moment of grace: God comes to meet us to share His divine life with us. But for this encounter to bear fruit, it is good to prepare for it inwardly, in an atmosphere of prayer, faith, hope, and conversion of heart. With Hozana, discover some practical ways to prepare yourself well to receive a sacrament.


Reread the section on the sacraments in the Catechism of the Catholic Church

The second part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church devotes an entire section to the seven sacraments of the Church. Each sacrament is the subject of a detailed article:

Taking the time to reread these articles and paragraphs helps us understand the grace specific to each sacrament and deepen our understanding of its meaning. This nourishes our understanding of the faith and helps us better receive what God wishes to offer.

Preparing the Heart

In the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the preparatory prayer before each biblical meditation consists of asking the Holy Spirit to help us receive the Word of God and to open ourselves with a broad and generous heart.

Adopting this same open and receptive mindset can be very beneficial before receiving a sacrament.

Praying

Personal prayer is a privileged way to prepare to receive a sacrament.

In the sacraments, it is Christ himself who acts through ordained ministers—bishops, priests, or deacons. It is therefore good to adopt an attitude of openness and trust to welcome God, who desires to give himself to us.

Prayers such as the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, or a time of personal prayer or adoration before the Blessed Sacrament can help us prepare our hearts to receive the grace of the sacrament. 

Creating Silence

Silence prepares us for an encounter with God.

In a world that is sometimes noisy and hectic, it helps us listen to the voice of the Lord, who speaks in the gentle breeze.

In practical terms, this can be experienced by:

  • a few minutes of silence before the celebration;
  • putting your phone on silent or turning it off;
  • taking time to pray in a church or in your room;
  • meditating on a Bible passage in silence.

Silence is not a void, but a presence: that of God speaking to the heart.

See a spiritual director

A spiritual director can help us find the best ways—through prayer, certain inner dispositions, or practical advice—to better prepare ourselves to receive a sacrament.

Spiritual guidance allows us to deepen our faith, ask questions, find support in our spiritual life, and prepare ourselves more consciously to receive sacramental grace.

Going on a Spiritual Retreat

For certain sacraments, a spiritual retreat is strongly recommended, or even required.

This is particularly the case for the sacrament of Holy Orders, where candidates for the diaconate or priesthood are generally required to participate in a retreat beforehand, in order to commit themselves of their own free will and prepare themselves inwardly to receive the sacrament.

Going to Confession Before Receiving Certain Sacraments

The sacrament of Reconciliation prepares our hearts to better receive other sacraments, particularly the Eucharist.

Indeed, if a person is aware of having committed a mortal sin, it is necessary to confess it before receiving Communion.

Furthermore, a young person or adult preparing to receive Communion for the first time is also encouraged to go to Confession beforehand.

Let’s experience the sacraments with Hozana!

With Hozana, let’s cultivate a love for the sacraments. The sacraments bring us joy and allow us to share in divine life.

Also check out:

  • In our guide to Holiness, biographies of the saints that will also show you how they drew strength from the sacraments throughout their lives
  • that will help you deepen your relationship with Christ
  • And many other opportunities through .


Sources

1 Catechism of the Catholic Church