YOU ARE INVITED to a Divine Banquet with God Himself! Treasure this invitation for God is inviting you to share in a sacred and intimate celebration. That’s what the Lord’s Supper is; it is an invitation from God to come and celebrate the greatest love the world has ever known and will ever know, the love of Our Saviour Jesus Christ!

THE INVITATION

When we contemplate the mystery and the privilege of being invited to a Divine Banquet we begin to understand the sacredness of the Mass.

Jesus said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”  John 6:54.

We are invited to come and meet our Beloved Saviour Jesus. Jesus, Himself, His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity is waiting for us in this Sacrament of Love, the Holy Eucharist. Let us rejoice in the invitation!

THE PREPARATION

As a little child I remember my mother saying if you want to receive Holy Communion then you must not eat for one hour before Mass. That’s the only preparation I remember. I do recall sitting in the pews with a downcast face saying “Jesus, I’m sorry I can’t come to Communion today because I ate toast.” I regret that my family did not teach us the Word of God for that is one of the most important ways we can prepare to come to the Lord’s Table. We must understand God’s Holy Will and His Holy Way.

The preparation for The Divine Banquet where the Bridegroom of all souls, Jesus Christ, gives Himself to His Bride, His people, is vitally important and yet how often is it missing?

Each celebration of the Holy Eucharist is one step towards the Wedding of the Lamb Jesus Christ, where our souls will be united for all eternity with Our Lord and Saviour Jesus, True God – True Man.

Not long ago I was asked to be a ‘wedding planner’. I thought ‘ok I can do this as I have project managed large events before’ but I had completely underestimated the amount of emotion and excitement that would accompany every detail! Can you see the perspiration on the wedding planner’s brow?

Consider the Divine Banquet where we receive the Holy Eucharist.

What do you do to prepare for it? How much emotion and excitement goes into your preparation?

The tragedy is that sometimes there is no preparation at all!

I won’t be a hypocrite and lie to you. For many years I did not go to Mass at all!

Why?

Because I had no idea what I was missing!  I lost sight of the importance of being fed by the Body and Blood of Jesus.

THE WEDDING GARMENT

In my brief experience as a wedding planner I will tell you that the choice of a wedding gown was amongst the most important of details. The Bride accompanied by her entourage of bridesmaids tried on many gowns. The gown, you see, had to be PERFECT!

We who participate in the Divine Banquet of the Lord’s Supper are offered a PERFECT WEDDING GARMENT. THE WEDDING GARMENT IS PURCHASED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS.

This Wedding Garment is a GARMENT OF DIVINE MERCY THAT REMOVES THE STAIN AND THE SHAME OF OUR SINS.

The Wedding Garment for the Divine Banquet must be acquired BEFORE THE BIG DAY!

The most important preparation for this Holy Communion with Jesus is a deep look at our life, considering all of the sins that have offended Jesus.

The Bride is not reconciled to the Bridegroom at the Altar!

The Bride of Christ is reconciled to her Bridegroom Jesus in private, through the Sacrament of Confession before the Mass.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18

The Wedding Garment is symbolic of the forgiveness and purification we receive from the Blood of Jesus. This is the only ‘garment’ your soul requires to be made ready for Jesus and it is purchased at a price that is infinite!

Recall Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7

As we prepare for the Divine Banquet, the Royal Banquet with the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ we must also consider the need to be merciful to one another.

Jesus said, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25

THE BIG DAY – LET US GIVE THANKS AND REJOICE!

Having confessed our sins and clothed in our Wedding Garment, the Gown of God’s Divine Mercy and Forgiveness, let us approach the Divine Banquet with great joy and gratitude!

We unite to remember the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We unite as One Family of God redeemed by the Sacrifice of Our Lord.

THE MEMORY OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST

Jesus “took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

It is possible to go to Mass and not remember the price Jesus paid to reconcile us to the Father.

Reflect on the words of St. Francis of Assisi who was asked “Francis, why are you crying?”

St. Francis of Assisi replied:

“I am weeping over the pains and insults of my Divine Master, but what grieves me most is that men for whom He suffered so much never think of the torments He endured.” Source: The Twelve Steps to Holiness and Salvation, St. Alphonsus Liguori

Let us remember the Passion of Christ at every Mass. Jesus was crucified to give us the gift of salvation! If we lose sight of the price of the wedding garment that purifies our souls, we lose sight of the greatness of the gift of the Holy Eucharist.  Remember the Wedding Garment that covers the shame and stain of our sins is purchased by the Blood of Christ that redeems and purifies the soul that confesses his/her sins and confesses faith in Jesus Christ.

THE GIFT OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF JESUS – The Holy Eucharist

In the ancient Biblical prophecies we learn of God’s promise to give us ‘a new heart and a new spirit.’

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel 36:26-27

This divine promise is fulfilled in Holy Baptism and at every Holy Mass.

At the Last Supper Jesus spoke of a New Covenant in His Blood.

“After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people–an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.” Luke 22:20

This “New Covenant” is a divine contract between God and His People that gives us not only the promise of forgiveness through the Blood of Jesus but also the promise to triumph over the power of sin in our life. Learn more about the New Covenant here: https://passionofchrist.ca/why-the-new-covenant-is-a-big-deal/

Jesus spoke to St. Faustina of His pain of not being recognized in the Holy Eucharist. He said, “When I come to a human heart in Holy Communion, My hands are full of all kinds of graces which I want to give to the soul. But souls do not even pay attention to Me; they leave Me to Myself and busy themselves with other things. … They treat Me as a dead object” (Diary of St. Faustina, 1385)

St. Paul warned the first followers of Jesus about the importance of receiving the Body and Blood of Our Lord with reverence and faith: “For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.” 1 Corinthians 11:29

Jesus said, “For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.” John 6:55-57

So rejoice Bride of Christ and receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist with great joy and thanksgiving always, always REMEMBERING THE PASSION OF CHRIST that purchases for us THE WEDDING GARMENT – A GARMENT OF DIVINE MERCY that removes the stain and the shame of our sins and reconciles us to God the Father.

THE NEW LIFE IN CHRIST – ONE BODY, ONE MIND, ONE HEART!

Nourished by the Body and Blood of Jesus we are prepared to live a new life in Christ, fulfilling His Holy Will and the divine plans He has for each of us. Let us strive to live a good life that gives glory to God in each and every moment. Let us keep studying God’s Holy Word spoken in the Bible for a good soldier is always attentive to the instructions of his commanding officer. Our leader is Jesus Christ and He is leading us to heaven, one day-at-a-time.

THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB

Our spiritual journey will culminate at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, sacrificed to save us and bring us home to His Holy Father and our Father in His eternal Kingdom called Paradise.

The following Scripture is from the final book in the Bible called Revelation.

“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Revelation 19:6-9

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE WEDDING OF THE LAMB – TREASURE THIS DIVINE INVITATION AND COME TO THE DIVINE BANQUET, THE MASS, EVERY WEEK WEARING YOUR WEDDING GARMENT!