Spiritual Consolation amid COVID-19: What is the Third Rule?

April 15, 2020
excerpt from my spiritual journal this day.

Luke 24:13-35
The Walk to Emmaus

The first thing that stood out for me were the words,
"On the first day of the week,"
I thought immediately 'Monday'; because of course our work lives and daily lives with our children, all of society in fact, see Monday as the first day of the week.
But now I see this "first day" as the day Jesus resurrected, our Sunday.
Sunday is the first day of the week. and like most of us, we walk along discussing the things that have happened to us in our lives during the past week.

So too these disciples are speaking of the recent events of their days, which was all that had happened to Jesus, what they had hoped, and how they had heard that he was alive and that the tomb was empty, as they had been told.

This to me now is the Word we hear at Mass, the readings of the day.

And then Jesus, whom they do not recognize, listens to them recounting the words they had been told.

And Jesus starts speaking to them, explaining the Scripture to them, and here I saw the priest giving his Homily to us, making the Scriptures meaningful for us today.

And Jesus is invited to stay with them, and he does.

Do we not do the same in our prayers at Mass?
"Blessed is he comes in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!"

And at Table, we remember the words of the Lord at the Last Supper, in the breaking of the bread, the Holy Eucharist. the moment of Consecration of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.

And the disciples, and we too, recognize the Lord in this moment. The church becomes quiet, one can hear a pin drop.  Jesus Christ is here in the Body and the Blood.

And after we receive Communion, our hearts too are warmed, knowing he is with us.

And it does not end there.

This is the Mass, and we are sent out, just as the disciples, who "got up" and "found the eleven and their companions gathered together" and "told them what had happened on the road, and how the Lord had been made known to them in the breaking of bread."
And we praise the Lord too, saying:
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

But it is not enough to stay there.
We must do as we are told: Missa est. Go. The Mass is ended.

Like the disciples at Emmaus, we too must go out and witness to the Lord.

Prayer after Communion this day:
'We pray, O Lord, that the reverent reception of the Sacrament of your Son may cleanse us from our old ways and transform us into a new creation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.'
(Living With Christ, Novalis)

***

In these days of COVID-19, we can still feel "our hearts burn within us" at the time of Communion, despite the closed doors of the church.
Jesus is in the Tabernacle.


We can watch a live-streamed Mass and pray the Prayer for Spiritual Communion as the priest offers Communion following the Consecration.  Pray this prayer, trusting in the Lord, and you too will feel your heart burning, quivering, warmed within you.
Christ is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Indeed he is risen!  Alleluia! Alleluia!

The Prayer for Spiritual Communion:
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.

[316] Third Rule. The third: Of Spiritual Consolation.  I call it consolation when some interior movement in the soul is caused, through which the soul comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and lord; and when it can in consequence love no created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but in the Creator of them all.
Likewise, when it sheds tears that move to love of its Lord, whether out of sorrow for one's sins, or for the passion of Christ our Lord, or because of other things directly connected with his service and praise.
Finally, I call consolation every increase in hope, faith, and charity, and all interior joy which calls and attracts to heavenly things and to the salvation of one's soul, quieting it and giving it peace in its Creator and Lord.
[313-327] Ignatian Rules for Discernment
DRAW ME INTO YOUR FRIENDSHIP, The Spiritual Exercises
David L. Fleming, S.J.

Live streamed Masses:
The Saint Luke Catholic Community
Jesus Light of the World Parish

Live streamed Masses also available at:
EWTN; Salt and Light Television; Vision TV.