A Contrite Heart and Spiritual Communion

I celebrated private Mass today in the rectory. My brother Stephen (who is an instituted acolyte) served Mass and read the first reading. I was viscerally moved when I heard the words from the third chapter of the Book of Daniel. The scene is this: Daniel and his companions are among the Jews exiled to Babylon after Jerusalem was destroyed. They refused to worship the pagan gods, and so King Nebuchadnezzar decides to burn them alive in the fiery furnace. But they are unharmed by the flames. In the midst of this ordeal, one of Daniel’s companions, Azariah, prays aloud a beautiful prayer in which they acknowledge God’s just punishment and beg for his mercy. His prayer includes the following:

For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation, brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins. We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader, no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you. But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received; As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs, So let our sacrifice be in your presence today as we follow you unreservedly; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.

I immediately thought of how, like ancient Israel, God’s people today are unable to offer their highest form of worship. In their case, it was the temple sacrifices, and in our case, the Mass which makes present Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice. But they ask God to receive them as an offering, with contrite heart and humble spirit.

In a similar way, God provides for those who cannot experience the sacraments. We believe that someone who desires baptism, but is unable to get baptized before they die, receives the grace that comes through baptism. And someone who cannot receive sacramental communion can receive a great grace by desiring it. One way of expressing that desire is a prayer for spiritual communion. One such prayer, composed by St. Alphonsus Ligouri, is as follows:

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.