Every now and then, in the Liturgy of the Word, we hear words that have directly influenced our prayers in the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Today is such an occasion. Just before we receive Holy Communion, I will elevate the host and the chalice and say: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” These words are directly influenced by the last line of the first reading this morning. Here John the Revelator is told to write down specific words:
Blessed are those who have been called
to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
And we all long to be on that invitation list, don’t we? If not, we certainly should. Here we will be brought in and given everything we need: at this banquet no one goes hungry, no one is left out, no one is unimportant. At this banquet, Christ, the Lamb of God, is united most perfectly to his bride, the Church. Here, all who have been called to the wedding feast are drawn up into the very life of God and are united with God in all perfection.
This is the goal of all our lives, and we get there by following the example of the saints, and by giving our life over to our Lord, the Lamb of God, who came that we might have eternal life in all its perfection and abundance. In these last days of the Church year, Holy Mother Church reminds us where we’re going so that, should we have strayed from the path, we might make amends and correct our course.
Because not showing up at the wedding feast of the Lamb has eternal consequences. And forfeiting eternal happiness with all the blessed ones is absolutely unthinkable.