On Spiritual Communion

Since in each of the following Visits to the Blessed Sacrament Spiritual Communion is recommended, it is well to explain what it is and how fruitful it is. Spiritual Communion consists, according to St. Thomas, in an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Sacrament and in a loving embrace as though he had already been received.

As for how pleasing these Spiritual Communions are to God and how many graces he dispenses through them, the Lord gave this to be understood to his servant Sister Paola Maresca, foundress of the monastery of St. Catherine of Siena in Naples, when he showed her, as is recounted in her life, two precious vessels, one of gold and the other of silver, and told her that in the golden one he preserved her Sacramental Communions and in the silver one her Spiritual Communions. And to Bl. Giovanna della Croce he said that each time she communicated spiritually she received a grace similar to what she would have received had she communicated sacramentally. Above all, it suffices to know that the holy Council of Trent greatly praises Spiritual Communion and encourages the faithful to practice it.

For this reason, all devout souls are accustomed to practice frequently this holy exercise of Spiritual Communion. Bl. Agata della Croce made two hundred of them every day. And Fr. Peter Faber, the first companion of St. Ignatius, used to say that in order to make a good Sacramental Communion it is extremely helpful to communicate spiritually.

Therefore, whoever desires to advance in the love of Jesus Christ is exhorted to make a Spiritual Communion at least once during every Visit to the Blessed Sacrament and at every Mass attended; and it would be even better to repeat it three times on these occasions, that is, at the beginning, the middle, and the end. This is a devotion of much greater profit than some suppose, and at the same time it is so easy. The aforesaid Bl. Giovanna della Croce used to say that Spiritual Communion can be made without being observed by anyone, without the need of fasting or the permission of a director; and we can make it at any hour we please: with an act of love, all is done.