Spiritual Communion

“Spiritual communion”: some suggestions

(A)

If you can access an online or streamed mass, try to participate as fully as possible, and when it comes to the time for holy communion, use this prayer (or other words if you prefer):

Lord Jesus, my God and my brother,

I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I long to receive you and be one with you and all my fellow Christians. Although I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
come into my heart and give me all that holy communion promises. As you come to me today, never permit me to be separated from you.
Amen.

(B)

Even if you cannot participate in an online mass, you can place placing yourself in God’s presence, for example by

saying the prayers of preparation including confession,

saying the collect for the day,

reading at least the gospel (and of course the other two readings if you like);

making intercession, that is to say, holding before God in your heart and mind the needs of the Church and world, your family and neighbours, those in particular need and the departed.

Then say the General Thanksgiving:

ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men;  We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we shew forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end.  Amen.

Follow this by the Lord’s Prayer and the Agnus Dei:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
ave mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
grant us peace.
 

Follow this by the prayer:
 

Lord Jesus, my God and my brother,
I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I long to receive you and be one with you and all my fellow Christians. Although I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
come into my heart and give me all that holy communion promises.
As you come to me today, never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

Do not doubt that God has fed you with the body and blood of Christ: so spend some time thanking God for his gifts and either saying the post-communion prayer set for the day or:

Almighty God,
We* thank you for feeding us
with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ**.|
Through him we offer you our souls and bodies
to be a living sacrifice.
Send us out
in the power of your Spirit
to live and work
to your praise and glory. Amen.

*Even if you are on your own, you are praying in the name of the whole Church and are united with everyone else joining “virtually” in the Eucharist today. .

**As explained earlier God feeds us with the body and blood of Christ even if we are prevented from receiving him sacramentally.