It must be carefully explained who the unworthy guests of this Supper are. They are those who go to this Sacrament without true repentance and sorrow for their sins, without true faith and the good intention of amending their lives. By their unworthy oral eating of Christ's body, they load themselves with damnation (i.e., with temporal and eternal punishments) and become guilty of profaning Christ's body and blood.
Some Christians have a weak faith and are shy, troubled, and heartily terrified because of the great number of their sins. They think that in their great impurity they are not worthy of this precious treasure and Christ's benefits. They feel their weakness of faith and lament it, and from their hearts desire that they may serve God with stronger, more joyful faith and pure obedience. These are the true worthy guests for whom this highly venerable Sacrament has been especially instituted and appointed. For Christ says:
Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (Matthew 9:12)
[God's] power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him; ... for God has welcomed him. (Romans 14:1-3)
Whoever believes in [the Son of God, be it with a strong or with a weak faith] may have eternal life. (John 3:15)
Worthiness does not depend on the greatness or smallness, the weakness or strength of faith. Instead it depends on Christ's merit, which the distressed father of little faith enjoyed as well as Abraham, Paul, and others who have a joyful and strong faith.
~BOC, FSD, VII, 68-71
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