Catholics Must Have Their Garment of Grace to Attend the Eucharistic Banquet

David Martin | The Daily Knight

In the 22nd chapter of St. Matthew, Christ gave us the parable of the marriage feast, which contains weighty lessons for our time. He told the people:

“The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king, who made a marriage for his son. And he sent his servants, to call them that were invited to the marriage; and they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying: Tell them that were invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my calves and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come ye to the marriage. But they neglected, and went their own ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise.

“And the rest laid hands on his servants, and having treated them contumeliously, put them to death. But when the king had heard of it, he was angry, and sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and burnt their city. Then he saith to his servants: The marriage indeed is ready; but they that were invited were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways; and as many as you shall find, call to the marriage. And his servants going forth into the ways, gathered together all that they found, both bad and good: and the marriage was filled with guests.

“And the king went in to see the guests: and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment. And he saith to him: Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? But he was silent. Then the king said to the waiters: Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Mt. 22: 2-14)

This parable represents the marriage between Christ and the faithful to be who are called to convert that they might partake in the Eucharistic Banquet as espoused members of his Church. These members collectively are the Spouse of Christ.

The invitation was initially extended to the Jews, who having hardened their hearts with ingratitude went their worldly ways, “one to his farm, and another to his merchandise,” while the rest laid hands on God’s messengers and put them to death.

This angered the King [God] who punished the invitees and who then extended this royal invitation to everyone out on the highways, representing the Gentiles and all people regardless of race, color, or creed, that they may come and attend the marriage as God's chosen people.

However, they cannot come as they are but must convert and be baptized and must follow their baptismal calling so they can be cloaked with their “wedding garment,” their garment of grace, which is their license to attend and partake in the Eucharistic Banquet. The espoused guests must be in a state of grace to attend.   

When the King saw that a man had come in not having his garment of grace, he had the waiters bind his hands and feet and cast him into the exterior darkness, which represents how God will expel from his Kingdom those who do not remain in a state of grace.

Garment of Grace Required to Participate in the Mass

This is a lesson on how people cannot attend Mass as they are. They must leave the world outside and enter God's House in a spirit of amendment. They must come in the fear of God, bending a knee to God, and must never attempt to change the Church out of dissatisfaction.

Simple common sense should dictate. If an insolent man entered the home of a just man and in the presence of his family began mocking the household by saying things like, “Your wife is ugly and your son dresses funny and your house smells,” and he began rearranging family pictures to his liking, that man would render himself a great enemy of that household.

Now if the just man extended to the community an invitation to attend a formal banquet and the insolent man showed up, he immediately would be thrown out because of what he had done. And it isn’t just that he’d be forbidden from having dinner, but he wouldn’t even be allowed to enter the door because he had insulted that household. 

How is it that homosexuals or divorced people living in adultery have the dare to attend Mass? It isn’t just that they are forbidden from receiving Communion but their presence in Church is forbidden because they have insulted the King of the Household with their polluted ways. It is not their right to enter the door of the Church, let alone receive Communion, unless their intention is to amend their ways and go to confession.

But instead, they come as they are with no intention of renouncing their sin. They don’t have their “wedding garment,” so that they too will be expelled from the Kingdom and cast into “the exterior darkness” if they don’t make amends.  

The Church is about Conversion

How is it that Pope Francis continually insists that the Church is all about “inclusion” and accepting everyone as they are? Who ever told him these things? When in the 2000-year history of the Church (before Vatican II) did any pope or prelate teach this?

The Church is all about conversion in keeping with Christ’s command to “teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19,20) The Church’s mission is to reach out and bring the knowledge of God to all peoples that they might leave their ideologies and convert to the Catholic Faith.

But Francis says, ‘No, do not convert others, do not convert Jews, Muslims, or Protestants, but respect their ways. Herein is committed the great sin of human respect, i.e., respecting man over God for human acceptance and acclaim. Let Francis consider the Lord’s warning to all who do this:

“He that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.” (Mt. 10: 33)