Spiritual Communion

An Act of Spiritual Communion

During the time when our Churches were closed for public worship, we were not able to receive Holy Communion physically, which was a painful thing for many of us. Some of the more vulnerable members of our congregation still remain in isolation. The tradition of the Church has been for people to make a Spiritual Communion when they are prevented from receiving actual Holy Communion. St. Thomas Aquinas says, about this, that we should have "an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Holy Sacrament, and a loving embrace as though we had already received him." You can pray the prayers below as often as you like, but most specifically at the time when you would normally be present at Mass.

In this parish, that time is Sunday morning for an hour from 10.15.a.m.

My Jesus, I believe that you are in the Blessed Sacrament,
I love you above all things, and I long for you in my soul.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
And, as though you have already come,
I embrace you, and I unite myself entirely to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you.
Amen.

And / Or

Lord Jesus Christ,
you are the bread of life and the one true vine.
I believe that you are truly present
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.
I seek you.
I worship and adore you.
Since I cannot receive you in the Eucharistic bread and wine,
I pray that you will come into my heart and soul,
that I may be united to you,
by your all-powerful and ever-present Holy Spirit.
Let me receive you and be nourished by you.
Become for me the manna in the wilderness,
the bread of angels,
for my very human journey through time:
a foretaste of the heavenly banquet,
and solace in the hour of my death.
I pray this, trusting that you yourself are our Life,
our Peace, and our everlasting joy.
Amen.