28th Sunday A 11 October 2026 Come to the banquet
Why must we come to the banquet the Master has prepared for us? It is because we cannot live without this special food. Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, you have no life in you (Jn 6, 53).
Normal food affects the body. This heavenly food affects the soul. It works at a level we cannot see or measure, but we do see the effects.
The signs of a healthy soul are found in the various ways we have of describing goodness: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self‑control.(Gal 5,22-23)
To benefit from this special bread we need to be expectant that it will have good effects.
Expectancy can vary across a wide range. We have saints like St Therese yearning for her First Communion. At the other extreme it is possible to receive the Sacrament mechanically and without any particular expectation of anything resulting.
St Therese wrote of her First Communion that she felt a profound spiritual union, describing it as a fusion with Christ, where she ‘vanished as a drop of water is lost in the immensity of the ocean’ leaving Jesus as the Master and King in her heart.
It will be argued that one does not need this special food, it being possible simply to have good intentions. So I can stay home from Mass and just have good thoughts, and that will be enough!
We will do much better if we follow the way the Church has established. It is always tempting to water down the commitment required, but never as good as actually doing what the Church asks.
Although it is spiritual food, we are physical beings and physical interaction is essential for some things. This is why we have all the sacraments, which help us to receive spiritual benefits through our bodily identity.
The communal element we have at a banquet is also experienced in the Mass and other sacraments. This should increase our unity with each other.
The more we expect from the Eucharist, the more good results there are going to be.
We can increase our desire, and so receive more. Not more in quantity but in depth of interaction. There is no limit on how far we can go with this; it is up to us to come ready for action.
Even if the reception is not perfect in terms of the individual’s attitude, there can be many good effects as the receiving soul is transformed at least partially in the process.
It comes down to how healthy the soul is, how much the person is willing to change or be changed as we encounter this greater force for good.
We can resist change for the better, so we need other sources of grace to transcend whatever limitations there are, and gradually we build up expectation. Christ gives Himself to each person as much as He is welcomed.
Those who receive unworthily (symbolised by the missing wedding garment) will be making it worse, because they are accepting the invitation on their own terms when complete submission is required.
In humility we need to confess any mortal sins first, and then receive the sanctifying bread.
God will not abandon us. If received wrongly before that can also be forgiven.
He still has the same burning desire to reach sinners as He had on the Cross. He can forgive today’s sins as well as those of past times.
He will be hoping to get through to each person as soon as possible, to induce a true repentance, and a hope-filled receiving of this very special food.
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