CHAPTER LVI.
Of Spiritual Communion.
ALTHOUGH we may not receive the Lord sacramentally more than once a day, yet we may, as I have before remarked, receive Him spiritually every hour, and every moment; and nothing but negligence or some other fault on our part can deprive us of this privilege.
Spiritual Communion may even be more advantageous to us and acceptable to God than many Sacramental Communions, when the latter are received with imperfect dispositions.
As often then as you shall dispose yourself and prepare for spiritual Communion, you will find the Son of God ready to give Himself with His Own Hands to you for your spiritual food.
By way of preparation, turn your thoughts to Him for this end; and after a short examination of your failings, mourn with Him over your offences, and with all humility and faith beseech Him that He would vouchsafe to enter into your poor soul with some fresh gift of grace, to heal it and fortify it against the enemy.
When about to do violence to yourself and to mortify some appetite, or to do some act of virtue, do all with the motive of preparing your