When sacramental communion cannot be received, the sacrament can always be received in a spiritual way. In spiritual communion, the effects are obtained in vow, as a promise. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, it consists in making an act of faith about the presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, then an act of love and contrition for having offended him; then the soul invites the Lord to come to it and to make it completely his own; finally, it gives him thanks as if it had received him sacramentally (cf. STh IIIa, q 80). In other words, it would be equivalent, in terms of the fruits, to receiving the Lord directly by means of a sacramental communion.
The Council of Trent recalled that communion is not only spiritual but is intimately united to the sacramental. communion is not only spiritual but is intimately united to sacramental communion (c. 8: D 1648). (c. 8: D 1648). The Eucharist was not only for seeing, adoring and contemplating, but also in a special way for eating. but also in a special way to eat. He establishes three possibilities: a) Those who who receive it only sacramentally but spiritually, such as those who receive communion in sin; b) others receive it only spiritually, such as those who make a spiritual spiritually, such as those who make a spiritual communion - with living faith through love (Galatians 5:6) - enjoy its fruits and benefit from it; c) a third group receives it both sacramentally and sacramentally (Galatians 5:6). c) a third group receives it both sacramentally and spiritually (c. 8). spiritually (cf. can. 8): they are those who prepare themselves beforehand to approach the Eucharist, dressed in the nuptial Eucharist, dressed in the nuptial garments (cf. Mt 22:11ff.) and receive it in Holy Communion. and receive it in Holy Communion.
The Curé of Ars affirmed that "a spiritual communion communion acts in the soul like a breath of wind on an ember that is about to be extinguished. about to be extinguished". Ronald Knox adds the following words: "We know that a spiritual communion made sincerely made can produce the same effects as sacramental communion". A John Paul II added the following recommendation: "It is advisable to cultivate in the mind a constant desire for the to cultivate in one's soul a constant desire for the Eucharistic Sacrament". (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 34).
How to make a spiritual communion?
Se can be said something like this: "Jesus, I miss you I would like to receive sacramental communion at this moment, but now I have to wait. I have to wait, so I ask You to come spiritually into my heart now. heart. And then make an act of faith and trust that it is already within us. within us. We can also repeat the formula taught to St. Josemaría by a Piarist to St. Josemaría: "I would like, Lord, receive you with that purity, humility and devotion with which your Blessed Mother received you, with the spirit and fervor of the saints. Mother received you, with the spirit and fervor of the saints".
What if I am not in the grace of grace of God?
As the state of grace is required to realize spiritual communion, and as there is the as there is baptism of desire for one who is prevented from receiving it sacramentally, so can there be communion of desire. sacramentally, in the same way there can be communion of desire. This serves to prepare for conversion and later communion - when it is possible to go to confession and receive absolution. confession and absolution - with the Body of Christ.
