Living The Worthy Life: Are We Full Banquet Catholics or Cafeteria Catholics?

Brothers and sisters, greetings, and here is some food for thought for your life.  Have you ever thought about why there are so many Bible references to a banquet?  In fact, Jesus´ first miracle began at a wedding banquet.  Jesus´ ministry began at the same wedding banquet and many different quotes about heaven being like a banquet.  Now after you read these three verses I would like to pose a question. 

John 7:37-38

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”

Revelation 7:16-17

They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Matthew 22:1-14  The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

1. Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. 13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

My question is: if Jesus talked about heaven being a banquet why are we trying to eat a la carte as Cafeteria Catholics? 

Jesus came to earth to establish the Church not to establish many Churches.  Jesus is the head of the Church.  The Holy Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is one- they speak as one and they are the head of one Church.  When you break away from the original Church you in effect put yourself above or equal to God- this is wrong. Some people would like you to believe that evangelization calls us, first of all, to a personal relationship with Jesus.  This is true.  We all should evangelize.  This is true.  The Almighty God, the creator of all, took on human flesh and became one of us in the person of Jesus.  This is true.

However watch this, the next thing many will say is that Jesus´teachings were simple: God loves you. What does God expect in return? Love God and love others. It seems so simple.  Well, it is much more than knowing who God is- remember, in effect, Satan, himself, knows who Jesus is and who Jesus was. 

Do not be fooled by this philosophy they will say that there is one God, but there are many of us. And each of us is different, with different desires and needs. We have different tastes and styles. We think differently. We look different and speak different languages. We even speak the same languages differently.  They conclude: many people should have many Churches.  Just go to a Church that teaches what you want to hear.  If you do not like one- go down the street and find another.  If you still can find one, no worry, start one yourself.  Is it not the most important teaching that we love God, so, therefore, we should go to a Church that says they love God. Why squabble over liturgies, worship language, and prayer forms?  They are not important- love is the only thing we need,  We do not have to believe in what Jesus said, or live like how he told us to do, all we have to do is believe in him.  We believe in the same basic commandments but disagree with how they have been interpreted over the years.  Moral teachings and Church teachings are no longer important- it is your feeling which is important.

This is how the Cafeteria Catholic thinks.  They are like the foolish quests preparing for the banquet that they may never attend.  Wake up America, follow the teachings and principles of the Church, do not follow your own precepts or principles.  We are not God, yet when we take into our hands these things, what are we doing?  Are we helping or hurting our religion?  Can you truly be a Catholic yet not believe in its principles?  Brothers and sisters, I am not here to judge you, I am here to inform you.  If you want to come to the wedding banquet you can not eat a le carte- now or forever.  Amen