Liturgy - revised mass times 

Spiritual Communion – What? When? Where? Why? How?

As Catholics, we share a strong desire to share in the Body and Blood of Christ with our brothers and sisters at the table of our Divine Savior. Sometimes this is not possible. Then we have the option of making a Spiritual Communion.

WHAT?   Spiritual Communion is the uniting of ourselves with Jesus through a prayer asking that He to come into our hearts and remain with us.

WHEN?  As mentioned above, we pray this prayer any time we are unable to attend Mass, or  are unable to share in the Eucharist. So actually, this is a beautiful way to unite ourselves with Jesus.

WHERE? Anywhere!   People around you might not have a clue that you are at it.  It can be done at work, when you are at home taking care of someone who is ill, during a walk, in church before the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle or exposed, at a livestreamed Mass in time of a pandemic, at Mass when you choose not to share in Communion for any reason, at home because you cannot get up and go out, in the forest, in the hospital, etc.

WHY?  We know Jesus is with us, and the love of Christ dwells within our hearts. During this time of the unknown, we cling to this truth, that IS known. Praying a prayer of Spiritual Communion strengthens us in this knowledge and can provide us with a sense of peace, until we meet again in the Eucharist.

HOW?
A prayer of Spiritual Communion is not REQUIRED to be of a certain formulary. Our own words can be used.
At our livestream/recorded Masses at Divine Savior we say:

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart ... I  unite myself wholly to you, embrace You, because I know you are already here (hands over heart), and I will NEVER be separated from You. Amen

Let’s see what some of our saints have to say about the subject:
St. Teresa of Avila wrote in The Way of Perfection: “When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you.”
 
St. Jean Vianney said: ” If we are deprived of Sacramental Communion, let us replace it, as far as we can, by spiritual communion, which we can make every moment; for we ought to have always a burning desire to receive the good God. Communion is to the soul like blowing a fire that is beginning to go out, but that has still plenty of hot embers; we blow, and the fire burns again.”

St. Thomas Aquinas distinguished the physical and spiritual reception of the Eucharist, and described Spiritual Communion as, “an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the most holy sacrament and lovingly embrace him”.

A reminder that your own words can be used. May all our prayers rise like incense and unite together as one.     Peace be with you.