Something that was necessary for many Catholics was to be content with making a Spiritual Act of Communion.
Some of you will have noticed that I added it to the Morning Prayers Devotions (link) and thought that it would be good to collect some articles in one spot.
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Sources:
http://www.sspxflorida.com/en/spiritual-communion
https://sspx.com.au/en/news-events/news/spiritual-communion-56813
https://fsspx.uk/en/news-events/news/spiritual-communion-56548
https://fsspx.asia/en/news-events/news/note-theology-spiritual-communion-56868
SSPX Florida
What is Spiritual Communion?
Spiritual Communion is very simple, it only takes a moment, and we can do it during our work, our studies or anything else we may be doing. Whenever we make a spiritual communion, we please God and receive an abundance of his graces.
Whenever we make a spiritual communion, we please God and receive an abundance of his graces. Saints throughout the ages have witnessed to the value of spiritual communion. In a vision, Our Lord explained it to St. Catherine of Siena by showing her two chalices: one made of gold, the other of silver. He told her that her sacramental Communions were preserved in the gold chalice and that her spiritual communions were in the silver chalice.
Spiritual Communion is very simple, it only takes a moment, and we can do it during our work, our studies or anything else we may be doing.
We can make a spiritual communion at any time and in any place, if we approach the devotion with “renewed faith, reverence, humility and in complete trust in the goodness of the divine Redeemer” and are “united to him in the spirit of the most ardent charity,” per Pope Pius XII’s encyclical Mediator Dei (The Sacred Liturgy). In spiritual communion, we embrace Our Lord as if we had received him in the Eucharist.
Three-step Method of Spiritual Communion by St. Alphonsus Liguori
1. An act of faith
This can be one using the formal prayer taught by the Church or an
extemporaneous one. The main point is to express to Our Lord our firm
belief in his goodness and mercy, and in his real presence in the
Blessed Sacrament.
2. An act of charity
Again either using the formal prayer of the Church or an extemporaneous one. The act should express our love for Jesus.
3. An act of desire
We express our desire to receive Our Lord Jesus Christ. We invite Jesus
to come into our hearts spiritually. St. Alphonsus recommended that we
even open our mouths as if receiving actual communion.
Advantages of the Spiritual Communion
Spiritual communion gives us a greater awareness of God’s presence in our lives and increases our faith in the Real Presence. The more we spiritually communicate, the more united we become with Christ. The Church recommends making spiritual communions as often as possible, even if we’re able to participate in Mass that day.
St. Pius X reminds us of the effect of the communion: In one who receives it worthily, the Eucharist preserves and increases grace, which is the life of the soul, as food does for the life of the body; It remits venial sins and preserves from mortal sins; It gives spiritual consolation and comfort, increasing charity and the hope of life eternal, of which it is the pledge.
St. Jean-Marie Vianney compared spiritual communion to blowing on fire and embers that are starting to go out in order to make them burn again.
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. After the reception of the Sacraments, when we feel ourselves slacken in the love of God, let us have recourse at once to spiritual communion. When we cannot go to the church, let us turn towards the tabernacle; no wall can shut us out from the good God.
Acts of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you have already come and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen. — St. Alphonsus Liguori
I believe thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament, O Jesus. I love thee and desire thee. Come into my heart; I embrace thee. O never leave me. I beseech thee, O Lord Jesus, may the burning and most sweet power of thy love absorb my mind, that I may die through love of thy love, who wast graciously pleased to die through love of my love. Amen. — St. Francis of Assisi
Bishop Schneider recently published an article about the communion in times of a pandemic. He offers the following prayer for a fruitful Spiritual Communion:
“At Thy feet, O my Jesus, I prostrate myself, and I offer Thee the repentance of my contrite heart, which is humbled in its nothingness and in Thy holy presence. I adore Thee in the Sacrament of Thy love, the ineffable Eucharist. I desire to receive Thee into the poor dwelling that my heart offers Thee. While waiting for the happiness of sacramental Communion, I wish to possess Thee in spirit. Come to me, O my Jesus, since I, for my part, am coming to Thee! The love embrace my whole being in life and in death. I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee. Amen”
Brief Acts of Spiritual Communion
May the burning and must sweet power of thy love, O Lord Jesus Christ, I beseech thee, absorb my mind, that I may die through love of thy love, who wast graciously pleased to die through love of my love. Amen. — St. Francis of Assisi
“O love not loved! O love not known!” — St. M. Magdalene of Pazzi
Related articles
SSPX Australia
Spiritual Communion
Union with God is the heart of the Christian life because the work of sanctification is primarily God's work in our souls. Our Lord has said it over and over again: "Without Me you can do nothing" (Jn 15: 5). Indeed, we cannot bear any fruit if we are not united to Our Lord, just as a branch cannot bear any bunch of grapes if it is not attached to the vine stock. The Christian life is essentially a life of union with God.
And of all the means God has given us to increase this union, the greatest and most effective, without a doubt, is Holy Communion. Several quotations from the discourse on the bread of life underline this great truth with unparalleled force: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him" (John, VI, 57); "As the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will also live because of me" (John, VI, 58). Can one imagine a more intimate and penetrating union?
From the excellence of Communion flows the many recommendations of spiritual authors in favor of frequent Communion, and this has always been the case. Thus Saint Augustine recommended that his faithful receive the Holy Eucharist often, and even daily: "This is your daily bread: receive it every day so that it may benefit you every day" (Saint Augustine, Sermon 28). It is every day, in fact, that we need this marvellous remedy, invented by Infinite Goodness, to erase in our souls the consequences of sin and to make us live more and more of the very life of God. It cannot be said enough what benefit our souls derive from this daily union with the Divine Victim offered on our altars. May those who have the possibility of going to Mass in this way each day thank Providence for it, and above all may they take advantage of it. What a pity it would be to remain a thirsty soul when one is within reach of the fountain of life!
But sometimes it is not possible to come to the chapel for Sacramental Communion. This may be due to distance or one’s duty of state which prevents one from coming every day. It may even be a circumstance such that Sunday Mass becomes impossible, for example for those who are ill. Faced with the impossibility of Sacramental Communion, there is a very simple way to participate in the effects of this Divine Sacrament: Spiritual Communion. St. Francis de Sales writes: "But when you cannot have the goodness of truly receiving at Holy Mass, at least receive communion of heart and spirit, uniting yourselves with an ardent desire to this life-giving flesh of the Saviour" (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 2, chap. 21).
In order to better understand the theological foundation of this commendable practice, it is necessary to see that union with God in the Holy Eucharist is twofold: it is both physical and spiritual. Sacramental union is made through the reception of Our Lord who is truly present, in flesh and blood. His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity are truly present as in the tabernacle. The faithful rising from the Holy Table is like a ciborium, bearing within himself his Lord and his God.
From this first union flows the spiritual union of the soul with God, as an effect flows from its cause. This interpenetration of Our Lord and His creature is an unfathomable mystery, a true marvel of the Goodness of God. Let us recall the words of Our Lord quoted above: "Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood abides in Me and I in him". The soul, thus spiritually united to its God, sees the bonds of charity that unite it to Our Lord become tighter. The ties to sin are loosened, the will is strengthened in goodness. It is the perfect fulfilment of the promise of Our Lord: "He who eats me will live by me". Moreover, this intimate and sanctifying presence of Our Lord is not fleeting. Contrary to the real and Sacramental presence of Jesus, which lasts only as long as the Eucharistic species last, the spiritual union of the soul with its God is prolonged without limit of time, and each new Communion revives it, increases it and renews its marvellous effects.
Eucharistic Communion operates in us this double sacramental and spiritual union, and this by the very force of the Sacrament. Spiritual Communion, on the other hand, operates in our soul the spiritual union with God without passing through the Sacramental union. Concretely, what we call Spiritual Communion is simply the act of desire to be united to Jesus in the Eucharist. Thus the Dictionary of Catholic Theology quoting the Council of Trent states: "To commune spiritually is to unite oneself to Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist, not by receiving him Sacramentally, but by a desire proceeding from a faith animated by charity. "(Council of Trent, session 13, c. 8). In fact, God is not bound by His Sacraments: when a sacramental act is impossible, an effective desire can make up for it. The Sacrament is a sensitive sign that produces grace. The efficacious desire reaches sacramental grace without passing through the sign. Formally, therefore, it is the actual desire to receive Communion—or to unite with Jesus in the Eucharist—that constitutes Spiritual Communion.
The practice of this exercise is very simple.
Before communion: one prepares oneself as one would prepare for Sacramental Communion. In particular, it is as a friend that one must receive Our Lord. It is therefore necessary to banish from our soul sin and the occasion of sin. The Church has the Confiteor recited before Sacramental Communion: the same prayer can be recited with great benefit before spiritual communion. If one has had the misfortune of losing grace, one must first make the most perfect possible act of contrition. It should be noted that, unlike Sacramental Communion, for spiritual communion Confession is not absolutely required; perfect contrition combined with the desire to confess as soon as possible is sufficient.
During communion: an act of desire is recited. There are many well composed prayers for this (see the prayer of St. Alphonsus Liguori in the insert), and one can also pray from the abundance of the heart, telling God how much we want to unite ourselves to Him.
After communion: the fulfilled soul thanks its Lord for its visit and gives thanks as one usually does after Sacramental Communion.
Here in a few words is the practice of spiritual communion, an exercise so sanctifying and so easy that one wonders how it is that it is so ignored. There is no limit to its frequency and it is possible to have spiritual communion several times in the same day. Each time, spiritual union with God makes Charity grow in us and rekindles our fervour in the service of God. God wants us to be holy and His Providence always gives us the means to do so. In the impossibility of Sacramental Communion, the faithful who wish to unite themselves to their God can open their souls spiritually to Him and thus participate in the marvellous effects of Holy Communion: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him, and I will raise him up at the last day".
One Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that Thou art truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things, and I desire to possess Thee within my soul. Since I am unable now to receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace Thee as being already there, and unite myself wholly to Thee; never permit me to be separated from Thee.
Source : Abbé Benoît Storez, FSSPX
SSPX UK
A sermon on Spiritual Communion by Fr. Dominique Bourmaud, FSSPX. (RIP)
Acts of Spiritual Communion
By St. Alphonsus Maria de' Ligouri
MY Jesus, I believe that Thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things and I desire Thee in my soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though Thou wert already there, I embrace Thee and unite myself wholly to Thee; permit not that I should ever be separated from Thee. Amen.
By Raphael Cardinal Merry del Val
AT Thy feet, O my Jesus, I prostrate myself and I offer Thee repentance of my contrite heart, which is humbled in its nothingness and in Thy holy presence. I adore Thee in the Sacrament of Thy love, the ineffable Eucharist. I desire to receive Thee into the poor dwelling that my heart offers Thee. While waiting for the happiness of sacramental communion, I wish to possess Thee in spirit. Come to me, O my Jesus, since I, for my part, am coming to Thee! May Thy love embrace my whole being in life and in death. I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee. Amen.
For more sermons and conferences visit https://soundcloud.com/fsspx-audiofile
SSPX Asia
A note on the theology of Spiritual Communion
The pious practice of Spiritual Communion is indeed very rich in doctrine. It is better to practice Spiritual Communion than to know it. And yet it is good to know also. The best of all is perhaps to have both the practice and the knowledge, the piety and the doctrine. The one without the other is perilous to our spiritual life. The following is an attempt to give small note on the theology of Spiritual Communion.
Teaching of the Magisterium:
“Now as to the use of this Holy Sacrament, our Fathers have rightly and wisely distinguished three ways of receiving it. For they have taught that some receive it 1) sacramentally only, to wit sinners: 2) others spiritually only, those to wit who eating in desire that heavenly bread which is set before them, are, by a lively faith which worketh by charity, made sensible of the fruit and usefulness thereof: whereas 3) the third is receive it both sacramentally and spiritually, and these are they who so prove and prepare themselves beforehand, as to approach to this divine table clothed with the wedding garment”. (Trent, Session 13, Chapter 8)
"She (the Church) wishes in the first place that Christians —especially when they cannot receive (actual) Holy Communion—should do so at least by desire”. (Mediator Dei, #52, 1947)
Definition and Distinction:
Spiritual Communion is defined as a pious desire to receive the Holy Eucharist, at a time when we cannot actually receive it. This act can be made only under the following conditions:
- the person must be baptized, since baptism is the door to the sacraments;
- the person must be old enough to make a formal will-act, since a free act of faith and love are absolutely required.
- the object of this deliberate desire must be the Holy Eucharist; (Since the Sacraments are propter homines, an angel could not make a Spiritual Communion)
- the person must be in the state of grace, since this is a necessary condition for Holy Communion, and also because this desire is essentially an act of love of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
Also, it is at least a prayer of petition for the effects of Sacramental Communion which are desired even though the Sacrament cannot be received. Authors agree that the effects produced in the soul by a Spiritual Communion are the same as those provided by a reception of the Sacrament. The only difference, the rest being equal, consists in the amount of grace produced and the manner in which these graces are produced. Almost all authors maintain that grace is effected exclusively ex opera operantis – in no wise ex opera operato. The reason they give is that since the Sacrament itself does not exist (is not received), it cannot exert any effective instrumental causality on the soul. The entire effects, therefore, would be due to the subjective disposition of the individual who entertains this good desire.
If these are the necessary conditions for a Spiritual Communion in the strict sense of the word, what reasons can we give for the efficacy of such an act? First of all, let us see on what theological principles Spiritual Communion is based. There seem to be two:
- First principle: Catholic faith in the Real Presence assures us
that Holy Communion is a powerful source of spiritual life, of loving
union with Christ and our fellow-communicants. It is a natural
conclusion therefore to desire to receive such benefits; to recognize
that this bread is meant to nourish us spiritually is to will to bolster
our strength by means of this food from heaven.
- Second principle: This principle is less evident perhaps, but it seems to be solidly founded on the analogy of faith. It is this: under certain circumstances, when it is impossible to receive a Sacrament, the desire to receive it can supply the same graces.
An important distinction, it would seem, has to be made between a Spiritual Communion in the strict sense and a Spiritual Communion (in a wide sense) that consists of any act of love of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, to which is added some desire to receive Him in Holy Communion. There seems to be a great difference between a desire for Communion made by a man who cannot actually receive the Sacrament, and a desire made by someone who has actually received Holy Communion that day; in other words when a desire for Holy Communion is a real substitute for actual reception, the case is different from a merely devotional desire which is over and above the reception of Holy Communion. As a matter of fact, a person is not allowed to receive more than once a day. And this law of the Church must be based on the nature of this supersubstantial bread.
We recall the theological principle that a desire for a Sacrament can substitute for it when the Sacrament itself cannot be received. Now, when we speak of receiving Holy Communion, we understand one Communion per day. And so, it seems that a Spiritual Communion in the strict sense can occur only when it has to substitute for the manducatio realis. In other cases, it is an ordinary act of private devotion and it is clear that the Spiritual Communion is a real substitute for the Sacrament. It is clear then that the efficacy is merely ex opera operantis. When, on the contrary, the Spiritual Communion is a real substitute for the Sacrament, it would seem then that the proper res sacramenti is received in desire and that therefore the Sacrament itself causes grace – in other words it produces grace not merely ex opera operantis.
From this it is evident then that one must prepare for this ‘Spiritual Communion’ at one particular, fitting time and place. He could fast for an hour at least and devote that time that would be needed for a Mass. He must spend sufficient time for thanksgiving. In the case of Spiritual Communion in the wide sense, he could be united with Christ in the Blessed Sacrament through acts of faith, hope, and charity, as a preparation for the future Communion or as a thanksgiving for the ‘Communion’ received. Without deviating from the merit of a fervent Spiritual Communion, we must remember that this type of Communion is only a substitute for actual reception of the Sacrament. We must have the fervent desire when the impossibility is removed to go to the communion rail and to receive Our Lord in Blessed Sacrament.
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