God feeds us. He is not a negligent Father, one who fails to provide for His children. His table is always set well, and always furnished with all that we need. Of course, like naughty children, we sometimes do not eat what is set before us. Some children do not come to the Table at all. They have backslidden, and are off in their bedroom with the sulks.
But there is another kind of naughtiness, one that masquerades as lowliness of heart. These children make a great show of humility and come to the Table, but do not really eat. They are not worthy to be God’s children, they say, and are not deserving of the food He supplies. Instead of eating what they were told to eat, they reply that they have been disobedient that day, and do not deserve such wonderful food. They are right about the disobedience, certainly; God has commanded them to eat, and they refuse.
But of course the answer to disobedience is repentance and obedience, and not to continue the disobedience by adding some form of penance to it. Of course we are not worthy to be here. That is the whole point. Of course we do not earn our right to be seated with our Lord Jesus. How quickly we forget the point of the gospel! If you were worthy to come, you wouldn’t need to. If you are not worthy, you need to come. And precisely because you are not worthy to eat and drink, you are also not worthy to set the terms for eating and drinking. The one who is worthy, He is the one who has commanded this observance. Take, and eat, He says. Take, and drink, He says.
And if we were truly convinced of our unworthiness, we wouldn’t talk back to Him so much.