ANIMA CHRISTI

Icon of the Lord's Crucifixion

[Anima Christi]

IT IS LATIN WHICH MEANS ' SOUL OF CHRIST'

[Soul of Christ

Sanctify me]

THIS IS A PRAYER ASKING JESUS TO SANCTIFY AND PURIFY A CATHOLIC FROM HIS OR HER SINS THROUGH HIS SOUL WHICH IS THE HOLY SPIRIT.

[Body of Christ save me]

THIS IS A SUPPLICATION TO THE LORD JESUS TO SAVE US BY HIS SACRED BODY WHICH IS THE HOLY EUCHARIST:

Luke 22:19  And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

John 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."

1 Corinthians 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

[Water from the side of Christ

Wash me, Passion of Christ]

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY REFERRING TO THE WATER AND BLOOD THAT FLOWED FROM THE SIDE OF JESUS WHEN HE DIED ON THE CROSS:

John 19:34  But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

IT ALSO SIGNIFIES THE HOLY EUCHARIST. BUT THE TEXT REFERS ONLY TO THE WATER THAT FLOWED FROM THE HEART OF JESUS AND DID NOT INCLUDE THE BLOOD. THIS COULD BE INTERPRETED AS REFERRING TO THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM AND THE SANCTIFICATION BROUGHT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT:

John 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

1 Corinthians 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Give me strength

Titus 3:5-7  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

Chorus:

[Hear me Jesus]

THIS IS A CLASSIC PRAYER BASED ON THE INSISTENT PRAYER OF THE BLIND MAN, THE LEPER AND THE SAMARITAN MOTHER WHO PRAYED EARNESTLY AND CONTINUESLY BEFORE THE LORD TO HEAR THEM.

[Hide me in thy wounds

That I may never leave thy side]

THIS IS NOT LITERAL OF COURSE BUT AN EXPRESSION OF TOTAL SURRENDER TO THE LORD WHO HEALED US BY HIS WOUNDS:

1 Peter 2:24  Christ himself carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It is by his wounds that you have been healed.

IT IS AN ARDENT REQUEST TO CLING TO THE LORD LIKE CHILDREN CLINGING TO THEIR MOTHER OR LIKE CHICKS LONGING FOR THE PROTECTIVE WINGS OF THE PARENT EAGLE, THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR WHICH IS PSALM 91:

Psalm 91:1  He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psa 91:2  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Psa 91:3  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

Psa 91:4  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

[From all the evil that surrounds me

Defend me]

THIS IS INSPIRED BY TWO BEAUTIFUL PSALMS:

Psalm 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalm 91:5  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Psalm 91:6  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

Psalm 91:7  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

[and when the call of death arrives

Bid me come to thee]

THIS IS BASED ON SACRED SCRIPTURES WHEREIN THE LORD, THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH CALLS THE SOULS OF THE DEPARTED BELIEVERS TO COME AND SHARE INTO THE KINGDOM AT THE END OF THEIR STAY HERE ON EARTH. THE LORD INVITES HIS PEOPLE TO ENTER HIS KINGDOM AND ENJOY THE MARRIAGE BANQUET OF THE LAMB:

Revelation 22:17  The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!" Everyone who hears this must also say, "Come!" Come, whoever is thirsty; accept the water of life as a gift, whoever wants it. 

Matthew 25:31-34  "When the Son of Man comes as King and all the angels with him, he will sit on his royal throne, and the people of all the nations will be gathered before him. Then he will divide them into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the righteous people at his right and the others at his left. Then the King will say to the people on his right, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world.

[That I may praise thee

With thy saints forever]

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE DOCTRINE OF THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS AND LIFE AFTER DEATH WHEREIN THE SOULS OF THE FAITHFUL ONES ARE IN HEAVEN AS SAINTS:

Hebrews 12:22-23  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

THESE SPIRITS OF RIGHTEOUS MEN MADE PERFECT [cf. Heb 12:23 NASB] ARE SINGING THE PRAISE OF THE LORD IN HEAVEN:

Revelation 19:1  And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God...

SO, ALL IN ALL THIS IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL CATHOLIC PRAYER SET INTO SONG WHICH IS VERY BIBLICAL AND HIGHLY SPIRITUAL. I ENCOURAGE EVERY CATHOLIC TO PRAY THIS TREASURE OF CATHOLIC SPIRITUALITY.