MARY, OUR MOTHER

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #431

But Jesus said to him: "A certain man made a great supper and invited many. And he sent his servant at the hour of supper to say to them that were invited, that they should come: for now all things are ready. And they began all at once to make excuse. The first said to him: 'I have bought a farm and I must needs go out and see it. I pray thee, hold me excused.' And another said: 'I have bought five yoke of oxen and I go to try them. I pray thee, hold me excused.' And another said: 'I have married a wife; and therefore I cannot come.' And the servant returning, told these things to his lord. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant: 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city; and bring in hither the poor and the feeble and the blind and the lame.' And the servant said: 'Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded; and yet there is room.' And the Lord said to the servant: 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.' But I say unto you that none of those men that were invited shall taste of my supper." (Luke 14:16-24)

HOLY COMMUNION is a Feast in which the Divine Savior entertains Himself with the individual soul. The Church, by her ministers, invites us to this Feast, commanding us to receive Holy Communion once a year at Easter, and urging us to more frequent Communion. He who does not partake of this Feast on earth, will find himself shut out from the marriage-feast in heaven. But only he who has on a wedding garment, only he who is in a state of grace, may receive the Bread of Angels; for he who presumes to receive Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin, will be cast , if he does not repent, into hell, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)