Receive Jesus in Spiritual Communion when you can't go to mass during the COVID-19 Plague

According to the declaration of the Council of Trent, 13th session, 3d chapter, we can communicate in three ways:

1. Sacramentally only ; 2. spiritually only; 3. sacramentally and spiritually at once.

Those persons receive sacramentally only whose souls are stained with mortal sin, and who consequently receive unworthily. These indeed receive the sacrament, and with it, instead of a blessing, a curse.

Those persons receive the Blessed Sacrament spiritually only who are animated with a burning desire to receive sacramentally, and who are filled with such a living faith that, according to the words of the Apostle, they feed in spirit on the heavenly bread, by virtue of their longings.

Those persons receive both sacramentally and spiritually who, in compliance with St. Paul's injunction, have proved themselves carefully and closely, and then, arrayed in a wedding garment of grace, approach the sacrament with the required conditions.

Thus spiritual Communion consists of a burning desire to receive Jesus in the sacrament, and of a loving union with Him, as if He had been actually received sacramentally.

This pious practice has been most emphatically commended by all spiritual teachers, and by the Council of Trent; for it is a means most conducive to the perfecting of the soul, and brings manifold blessings and consolations, inasmuch as it contains graces and benefits almost similar to those received in sacramental Communion.

Hence devout souls often communicate by this method. St. Agatha of the Cross did it two hundred times a day. Let us make a spiritual Communion at least once a day, either during a visit to the Blessed Sacrament or during the hearing of Mass. 

The Value of Spiritual Communion

Jesus once appeared to the venerable Paula Marrsca and showed her two precious vases, one of gold, the other of silver; and He said to her: "In the golden vessel I keep sacramental Communion, and in the silver vessel spiritual Communion."

To the blessed Jane of the Cross our divine Saviour once said: "As often as you make a spiritual Communion I send you a grace which is in a measure similar to the grace which I grant you in sacramental Communion."

Mode of Spiritual Communion
from St. Leonard of Port Maurice

In order to make a good spiritual Communion, be recollected, make an act of true contrition, and then awaken within you those sentiments of love and confidence which you are accustomed to have at your sacramental Communion. Join to all that a heartfelt longing to receive Jesus Christ. Who is hidden under the sacramental forms and appearances. To heighten still further your devotion, imagine that the Blessed Virgin or your guardian angel is presenting to you the sacred Host. Repeat the words: "Come, my Jesus. Thou love and life of my soul, come into my poor heart; come and quiet my longings, come and sanctify me; yes, come, O sweet Jesus, come and abide with me forever."

Then be silent, and see within yourself your merciful God, the same as if you had actually received Him in the Blessed Sacrament; adore Him, thank Him, awaken within you all those sacred aspirations which you are in the habit of awaking at your regular Communion.

As Saint Augustine put it: "No one eats that flesh without first adoring it; we should sin were we not to adore it."

St. Juliana Falconieri

This saint had reached the age of seventy years; virtuous as she had ever been, she was tried by deep afflictions. She was prostrated with an incurable weakness of the stomach. At last she could not retain a particle of food--was totally deprived of the consolation of receiving the ever-blessed body of her Lord, which she could not receive even as Holy viaticum. This privation caused her inexpressible grief, and so great was her mourning and weeping that it seemed as if she must die of sorrow. At last she begged a her father-confessor in the most humble terms to bring the Blessed Sacrament near her. He promised to comply with her request. When he appeared carrying the Blessed Sacrament, she prostrated herself in the form of a cross before her Lord, and adored Him. Her countenance became bright like an angel's. Then she begged for permission to touch the Blessed Sacrament with her lips, but this could not be permitted. Then she begged the priest to lay a veil on her longing, burning breast, and to place the Blessed Sacrament on it, that she might at least receive her Jesus in a spiritual Communion. This wish was complied with, when, lo! hardly had the sacred Host touched her fervent breast than it disappeared suddenly, and could be found no more. A moment afterwards St. Juliana departed this life, with a smile on her features.

http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/Communion.html

Act of Spiritual Communion written by St. Alphonsus de Liguori: 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.