The Extraordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 1985 saw in the concept of an 'ecclesiology of communion' the central and fundamental idea of the documents of the Second Vatican Council.67 The Church is called during her earthly pilgrimage to maintain and promote communion with the Triune God and communion among the faithful. For this purpose she possesses the word and the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, by which she 'constantly lives and grows'68 and in which she expresses her very nature. It is not by chance that the term communion has become one of the names given to this sublime sacrament.
"The Eucharist thus appears as the culmination of all
the
sacraments in perfecting our communion with God the Father by
identification
with his only-begotten Son through the working of the Holy Spirit.
With
discerning faith a distinguished writer of the Byzantine tradition
voiced this truth: in the Eucharist 'unlike any other sacrament, the
mystery [of
communion] is so perfect that it brings us to the heights of every good
thing:
here is the ultimate goal of every human desire, because here we attain
God and
God joins himself to us in the most perfect union'.69 Precisely for this reason it is good to cultivate in our hearts a constant
desire for the sacrament of the Eucharist. This was the origin of the
practice of 'spiritual communion', which has happily been established in the
Church for centuries and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual
life. Saint Teresa of Jesus wrote: 'When you do not receive communion and you
do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most
beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you'.70
67Cf. Final Report, II.C.1: L'Osservatore Romano, 10 December 1985, 7.
68Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen
Gentium, 26.
69Nicolas Cabasilas, Life in Christ, IV, 10: SCh 355, 270.
70Camino de Perfección, Chapter 35.
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