Do you have the habit of making frequent Spiritual Communions?

[Xavier]

The Saints recommend making Spiritual Communions (acts of loving desire to be united with Our Lord in Communion at that moment, if it were possible) as often as we feel the fire of divine love growing cold in us. They were wont to make many Spiritual Communions daily. Do you believe the practice is important and how often do you do it?

Psa 33 can also be applied to Spiritual Communions: "[9] O taste, and see that the Lord is sweet: blessed is the man that hopeth in him. [10] Fear the Lord, all ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.[11] The rich have wanted, and have suffered hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good."

As in regular Sacramental Communion, the soul can prepare by Adoration and Reparation before Communion; by offering spiritually the Body and Blood of Jesus to the Eternal Father as in the Chaplet of St. Gertrude, or of the Holy Wounds; or the Divine Mercy, or the Fatima Angel Prayer offering to the Holy Trinity etc. It can also be made after the Rosary or one's other daily prayers.

After one invites Jesus to come to us spiritually, just as we would receive Him Sacramentally, it is recommended to devote ourselves to the two other ends, Thanksgiving and Petition. By this means, we can receive very many Communions and Graces daily from Our Lord (for Holy Communion is truly Our Daily and Supersubstantial Bread, which He has taught us to ask for in His Prayer), and grow quickly, intimately and deeply in union with Him in a short time.

Every Communion well received prepares us to be restored to Baptismal Innocence, beside acquiring a Treasury of Merit. If we make a habit of Spiritual Communions, especially when we go for Eucharistic Adoration, beside preparing and disposing us for our Sacramental Communions, we will quickly pay off the remaining debts we owe to Divine Justice, and attain to perfect union or theosis with Our Lord. Thoughts?

From Catholic Tradition

Spiritual Communion, according to St. Thomas, consists in an ardent desire to receive our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament. It is performed by making an act of faith in the presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, and then an act of love, and an act of contrition for having offended Him. The soul then invites Him to come and unite Himself to her and make her entirely His own; and lastly, she thanks Him as if she had really received Him sacramentally.

The Spiritual Communion may be made in the following manner: "O my Jesus, I firmly believe that Thou art truly and really present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love Thee with my whole heart, and because I love Thee, I am sorry for having offended Thee. I long to possess Thee within my soul, but as I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least in spirit into my heart. I unite myself to Thee as if Thou wert already there; never let me be separated from Thee."

The graces which are bestowed in this way are so great that they may be likened to those which are imparted by an actual reception of the Sacrament.

One day Our Lord Himself told St. Jane of the Cross that as often as she communicated spiritually she received a grace similar to that which she received from her Sacramental Communions. He also appeared to Sister Paula Maresca, foundress of the Convent of St. Catherine of Siena at Naples, with two vessels, one of gold and the other of silver, and told her that in the golden vessel He preserved her Sacramental Communions and in the silver vessel her spiritual Communions. The Fathers of the Church go so far as to say that one who has a very great desire for Communion, accompanied with great reverence and humility, may sometimes receive even more graces than another who, without these dispositions, should actually receive Our Lord in the Sacramental species; for as the Psalmist says: "The Lord hears the desire of the poor, and fills their hearts with good things."

The advantages of this mode of Communion are very great. To practice it, you will not need to go to church or make a long preparation or remain fasting; you will not need to ask the permission of your confessor, or to seek a priest to give it to you as in Holy Communion. Hence, the venerable Jane of the Cross used to say: "O my Lord, what an excellent mode of receiving without being seen or remarked, without giving trouble to my spiritual father, or depending on anyone but Thee, who in solitude dost nourish my soul and speak to my heart."

But the chief advantage of Spiritual Communion is that it may be so often repeated. You can receive Sacramental Communion at most but once a day, but Spiritual Communion you may receive as often as you please. St. Alphonsus advises one who wishes to lead a devout life to make Spiritual Communions at his meditations, at his visits to the Blessed Sacrament and whenever he hears Mass. But especially he should endeavor to multiply them on the eve of his Communions because, as Father Faber of the Society of Jesus remarks, they are most powerful means to attain the dispositions necessary for a good Communion. The Saints were much addicted to this devotion.

[Miriam_M]

The Saints recommend making Spiritual Communions (acts of loving desire to be united with Our Lord in Communion at that moment, if it were possible) as often as we feel the fire of divine love growing cold in us. They were wont to make many Spiritual Communions daily. Do you believe the practice is important and how often do you do it?

Several times a day.  But each time, I am led to do it, which tells me it's a grace and a consolation.

[Xavier]

Very Good. It is an excellent way to receive abundant graces. It is encouraged to offer the Body and Blood of Jesus to the Eternal Father several times first (for e.g. perhaps at every Third Hour, as is customarily done for the Office, perhaps with a few other prayers from the Office, or the Rosary, or other spontaneous prayers) and then one may Communicate Spiritually even many times a day, simply by desiring in Love to be united with the Saviour at that moment. Every time we offer the Wounds of Christ or His Body and Blood to the Father, we give God immense glory, pleasure, joy and consolation. In spiritual Communion, God will give that back to us superabundantly. we must enter into the spirit of the devotion and make a complete oblation of self, offering ourselves together with Christ entirely to the Father, reserving nothing back. Then, God pours out His fullness onto us in turn. Those who practice this frequently, as Fr. Mueller says, will soon progress in sanctity, and also may well find that once begun, they cannot live without continuing it! That will be a wondrous dependence and deep union of the soul with her Saviour effected through many Communions. And when a soul has reached that stage of union with Christ, after practicing for a long time this sweet and consoling devotion, the soul will sin very less frequently and will make many acts of faith and love in her Saviour and God, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

From the OP Link: "WHEN a soul has once begun to practice frequent Communion, she can no longer live without it.

Even if she were to communicate every day, it would seem too little. She would desire, if possible, to receive Our Lord every moment. It is the Blessed Sacrament itself which produces this effect, for such is the sweetness of that Divine Food that they that eat it hunger still and they that drink it thirst again. It is Our Lord Himself who excites this desire in the hearts of the faithful, and He also has provided a means of satisfying it. While He was yet on earth, He not only imparted many graces to those who were near Him, but He also wrought many miracles in behalf of those who were at a distance.

In like manner, He now not only bestows many graces upon us when He actually enters our hearts in Holy Communion, but He also imparts many to us by means of Spiritual Communion. St. Catherine of Siena, while on one occasion assisting at the Mass of her confessor, St. Raymund, felt the most ardent desire to be united to Jesus Christ; but as she had been forbidden to communicate, she did not dare to receive. Our Lord, however, was so moved by the fervor of her love that He worked a miracle in her favor. At that part of the Mass in which the priest breaks the Sacred Host into three pieces, the smallest portion disappeared from the altar, flew through the air and rested upon the tongue of St. Catherine. St. Raymund was much disturbed at the disappearance of the particle, but the Saint relieved his anxiety by telling him that Our Lord Himself had been pleased to communicate her in reward for her great desire for Holy Communion. He displays a similar love towards everyone who has a true desire to be united to Him. As soon as a soul ardently desires to receive Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, He comes to satisfy her desire, not indeed as He did to St. Catherine under the Sacramental species, but by the way of Spiritual Communion. This devotion is so full of grace and consolation that it is of the greatest importance that everyone should know how to practice it. I will therefore say a word in explanation of it ... The Blessed Angela of the Cross, a Dominican nun, was accustomed to make a hundred Spiritual Communions every day and a hundred more every night, and she used to say: "If my confessor had not taught me this method of communicating, I could scarcely live." If you ask how she could make so many, I answer with St. Augustine: "Give me a lover, and he will understand; give me a soul that loves nothing but Jesus Christ, and she will know how to do it."

[Miriam_M]

St. Catherine of Siena, while on one occasion assisting at the Mass of her confessor, St. Raymund, felt the most ardent desire to be united to Jesus Christ; but as she had been forbidden to communicate, she did not dare to receive.

Why was she forbidden?

[Jacob]

Voted "other."

Due to swallowing, spiritual communions are all I can do at Mass, unless I really want to try to get things down.  Does that count for the question?

[Michael Wilson]

When I'm working its really easy, since each class period is marked by a bell. When I'm at home, not so frequently, as I hardly ever remember. Great post; its something we should do frequently.

[mikemac]

I chose 'Somewhat; maybe once a few days or so' because I'm not exactly sure if kissing the Crucifix would be considered a Spiritual Communion.  I kiss the Crucifix often, more than once a day.

[Miriam_M]

St. Alphonsus Liguori:

"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."

This can be said either when we cannot/should not receive, or when we choose to abstain as an Act of Reparation for our or other people's acts of sacrilegious HC's in the past.

[Vetus Ordo]

I voted other.

I usually make a spiritual communion at mass since I am in the habit of taking Holy Communion just once or twice a year, not more.

[MundaCorMeum]

I voted yes, but we don't pray it several times a day.  We pray it as part of our set of morning prayers every day.  I do, however, pray the line which says, "stay with me, Lord, and never let me leave you"  more frequently.  It's probably my favorite prayer...ever

[Non Nobis]

The 54 day novena that I say fairly often (thanks to encouragement from others) has a spiritual communion near the end, so I do say it then. Not much otherwise, so far, to be honest.

But it surely is one of the very best prayers.  I have bad habits and am scatter brained, but I do say the Rosary daily and a few other prayers afterwards.  I'm going to try to add it then.

I am inspired by all of you.  I need to be more devout.

[martin88nyc]

I voted other.

I usually make a spiritual communion at mass since I am in the habit of taking Holy Communion just once or twice a year, not more.

Why not more?

[MundaCorMeum]

The 54 day novena that I say fairly often (thanks to encouragement from others) has a spiritual communion near the end, so I do say it then. Not much otherwise, so far, to be honest.

But it surely is one of the very best prayers.  I have bad habits and am scatter brained, but I do say the Rosary daily and a few other prayers afterwards.  I'm going to try to add it then.

I am inspired by all of you.  I need to be more devout.

Don't we all! 

[Vetus Ordo]

I voted other.

I usually make a spiritual communion at mass since I am in the habit of taking Holy Communion just once or twice a year, not more.

Why not more?

Because, frankly speaking, I don't think I'm in a position to worthily have Holy Communion every week or so.

I think frequent communion is a privilege of a select few of the elect.

[Xavier]

Thanks for all your edifying responses. Lots to think about. Just passing through for now, but I recalled this from St. Francis De Sales, encouraging all to Communicate often with the Lord in Love and desire to become One with Him, that we may live no more but Christ may live in us - for this is the surest means to attain perseverance in grace, freedom from sin, and eternal life: "the Saviour, God's Own Son, Who came down from Heaven, the Son of Mary, Who sprang up as earth's choicest flower, from the Altar, feeds you with that Bread of Sweetness and of all delight. When you have received It kindle your heart to adore the King of our Salvation, tell Him of all your own personal matters, and realise that He is within you, seeking your best happiness. In short, give Him the very best reception you possibly can, and act so that in all you do it may be evident that God is with you. When you cannot have the blessing of actual Communion, at least communicate in heart and mind, uniting yourself by ardent desire to the Life-giving Body of the Saviour.

Your main intention in Communion should be to grow, strengthen, and abound in the Love of God; for Love's Sake receive that which Love Alone gives you. Of a truth there is no more loving or tender aspect in which to gaze upon the Saviour than this act, in which He, so to say, annihilates Himself, and gives Himself to us as food, in order to fill our souls, and to unite Himself more closely to the heart and flesh of His faithful ones. If men of the world ask why you communicate so often, tell them that it is that you may learn to love God; that you may be cleansed from imperfections, set free from trouble, comforted in affliction, strengthened in weakness. Tell them that there are two manner of men who need frequent Communion--those who are perfect, since being ready they were much to blame did they not come to the Source and Fountain of all perfection; and the imperfect, that they may learn how to become perfect; the strong, lest they become weak, and the weak, that they may become strong; the sick that they may be healed, and the sound lest they sicken.

Tell them that you, imperfect, weak and ailing, need frequently to communicate with your Perfection, your Strength, your Physician. Tell them that those who are but little engaged in worldly affairs should communicate often, because they have leisure; and those who are heavily pressed with business, because they stand so much in need of help; and he who is hard worked needs frequent and substantial food. Tell them that you receive the Blessed Sacrament that you may learn to receive it better; one rarely does that well which one seldom does. Therefore, my child, communicate frequently,--as often as you can, subject to the advice of your spiritual Father. Our mountain hares turn white in winter, because they live in, and feed upon, the snow, and by dint of adoring and feeding upon Beauty, Goodness, and Purity Itself in this most Divine Sacrament you too will become lovely, holy, pure."