Spiritual Communions
A Spiritual Communion Prayer
“O Jesus, I turn toward the holy tabernacle where you live hidden for love of me. I love you, O my God. I cannot receive you in Holy Communion. Come nevertheless and visit me with your grace. Come spiritually into my heart. Purify it. Sanctify it. Render it like unto your own.” –Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, Rescript of November 42, 1922
After receiving Jesus sacramentally in Holy Communion, we can also receive him spiritually from our desire and anticipation for the Holy Eucharist; this is what we call Spiritual Communions. Spiritual Communions can become an extension of the fruits we have received during our reception of Holy Communion. Spiritual Communions are not substitutes to receiving the Real Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ but a prolonging of its fruits. Ultimately, Spiritual Communions are willful desires of inviting our Lord into the depths of our hearts, seeking to extend our previous communion with the Living Bread from Heaven, Jesus our Eucharistic Lord.
“The manner of receiving this sacrament
is twofold, spiritual and sacramental.”
–St. Thomas Aquinas, OP, Summa Theologica, Third Part, Question 81, Article 1, Objection 3
‘…in the Eucharist “unlike any other sacrament, the mystery [of communion] is so perfect that it brings us to the heights of every good thing: here is the ultimate goal of every human desire, because here we attain God and God joins himself to us in the most perfect union”. Precisely for this reason it is good to cultivate in our hearts a constant desire for the sacrament of the Eucharist. This was the origin of the practice of “spiritual communion”, which has happily been established in the Church for centuries and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life.’ –Pope St. John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 34
“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. Teresa of Jesus, The Way of Perfection, Chapter 35
“In this golden chalice I put your sacramental communions. In this silver chalice I put your spiritual communions. Both chalices are quite pleasing to me.” –Christ in a vision to St. Catherine of Siena
“My heart is a living tabernacle in which the living Host is reserved.”
–St. Faustina, Diary, 1302
Another Spiritual Communion Prayer
“My Jesus, I believe that you are really present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to possess you within my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as being already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you.” –St. Alphonsus Ligouri