Wednesday, 30 July 2014

"...no wall can shut us out from the good God"

Cardinal Burke in his book mentioned below, refers to a saint we honor this week, St. Alphonsus Ligouri.

The context is "Spiritual Communion". Now, I for one, needed to be reminded about the value of "Spiritual Communion". The Cardinal notes that St. John Paul II quotes St. Teresa of Jesus as to the grace of making a Spiritual Communion. This practice "impresses" the love of God upon us, she states.

Cardinal Burke reminds us of the prayer of St. Alphonsus, which I reproduce here:

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 have already come, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.



Here is Deacon Guillermo with Cardinal Burke last year in Rome. God bless our clergy. And, another clergyman, the great patron of secular priests, St. John Vianney, whose feast is next Monday, wrote this about Spiritual Communion:

 “...when we feel the love of God growing cold, let us instantly make a Spiritual Communion. When we cannot go to the church, let us turn towards the tabernacle; no wall can shut us out from the good God.