Remember how the Lord was invited to the Pharisee’s home and he does not make Him welcome.  Whereas remember the other case of the Centurion, wear he says, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive You under my roof.”  That is used at every Mass as the model we use to prepare ourselves for Communion.  Many saints have commented on this need to prepare ourselves well.  St. Claude de Colombiere cites the purity of Mary, who was so pure, she was worthy to receive the Lord into her womb. “In Holy Communion we receive the same Jesus Christ that Mary bore for nine months in her womb.  What is our purity?  What caredo we take to prepare our soul?  O my God,” he promises, “I will so try to prepare my heart that You may take pleasure and delight in it and so that I may not place any obstacle to the immense graces I shall receive if I purify myself and realize what great good I shall lose if I do not do so.”  Those simple desires are, no doubt, what made him the saint that he is.

Here St. John of the Cross gives us another reason to prepare ourselves, “How joyful would a man become if he were to be told, ‘the king is coming to your house and shows you his favor.’  I believe that you would not be able to sleep or eat at all.  You would be constantly thinking about preparations for the royal visit.  Brothers and sisters, I say to you on behalf of the Lord God, that He wants to come into your soul and establish His kingdom of peace.”  So our preparation should be joyful and full of expectation.

You see it’s a favorite theme, here from the Imitation of Christ.  These words he puts into our Lord’s mouth, “I am the lover of purity and the giver of all holiness.  I seek a pure heart and there is the place of my rest.  Make ready for Me a large upper room, furnished, and I will eat the Pasch with thee, together with my disciples.  Thou would have Me come to thee and remain with thee, purge out the old leaven and make clean the habitation of My Heart.  Shut out the whole world and all kinds of vices, sit like a sparrow solitary on the housetopand think of thy excesses in the bitterness of thy soul.  For every lover prepares the best and fairest room for his dearly beloved and hereby is known the affection of him that entertains his beloved.”

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