At every Mass, God is sure to appear in four “disguises”:
in the Scriptures read aloud… in the person of the priest… in the people assembled all together… and in the Eucharist, the bread and wine consecrated and then shared as a supernatural meal.
During the Eucharistic Prayer, the bread and wine are prayed over with great attention and expectancy. In the course of that prayer, the essence of the bread and the wine change into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ – and contain his physical presence, along with his soul and divinity – even though they appear to the observer to have remained the same.
When the assembly gathered eats that bread and drinks from that chalice, they are receiving the body and blood of Jesus Christ, and are infused with his strength and love. This is a remarkable moment, because they themselves are an embodiment of Christ whenever they gather at Mass, so, in that moment, “the Body of Christ” is receiving “the Body of Christ!” The enfolding of those two presences into each other is what makes this Sacrament the summit of all prayer and of all human life.
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus,
I believe 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 here and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen
