Spiritual communion prayer when you cannot receive
Welcoming Jesus into the heart when the Eucharist is out of reach
Morning Prayer editorial team · Updated: November 2026
When you cannot receive the Eucharist, because of illness, distance, a duty that keeps you away, or a situation that does not yet allow it, the Church invites you to make a spiritual communion: a heartfelt desire to receive Jesus. Here is the classic prayer of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, followed by a longer prayer of your own.
Let us pray
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment 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.
Lord Jesus, somewhere right now a priest is lifting the Host, and You are there. I am not. I am in this bed, this house, this far-off place, this situation I cannot change today. But distance has never stopped You. You passed through locked doors to reach Your frightened disciples; pass through mine.
I believe You are truly present in the Eucharist. I do not understand it, but I believe it, because You said so. And I believe that You see my desire and count it as real. Come, then. Make in my heart the home You would have made at the altar rail.
Give me what Communion gives: forgiveness of my small daily sins, strength against the big ones, a closer bond with everyone in Your Church, and a foretaste of heaven. Let me not feel like a second-class guest. The thief on the cross never received Communion, and You promised him paradise that very day.
Unite me to all who are receiving You at this hour, in every language, on every continent. And when I can come back to the altar, let me run to it, having learned in this absence how much I love You. Amen.
Blessing
May Jesus, whom you desire, come to you in the way He knows best, and may He bring you back to His altar soon.
How to pray this prayer
- Find a quiet moment and breathe slowly.
- Read the prayer aloud or in your heart.
- Add your own intention before the Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What is a spiritual communion?
It is an act of faith and desire in which a person who cannot receive the Eucharist sacramentally asks Jesus to come into their heart spiritually. Saints such as Thomas Aquinas, Alphonsus Liguori, and Teresa of Avila recommended it warmly, and the Church encourages it.
When should I make a spiritual communion?
Whenever you cannot receive: during illness, when traveling far from a church, when caring for someone at home, while watching a livestreamed Mass, or while you are in a situation that does not yet permit sacramental Communion. Many people also make one during the day as a way of returning to Jesus.
Does spiritual communion replace going to Mass?
No. It is a real grace, but it is not a substitute for the sacrament when receiving is possible. The Sunday obligation remains for those able to attend. Spiritual communion is a bridge for the times in between, and it deepens the desire for the Eucharist itself.
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