Daily Retreat 09/11/08
2008 Sep 11 Thu: Ordinary Weekday
1 Cor 8: 1b-7. 11-13/ Ps 138(139): 1b-3. 13-14ab. 23-24/ Lk 6: 27-38
From today’s readings: “Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.... Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.... For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.... ”
Avoiding Scandal
More than any other religion, Christianity challenges one to consider the consequences of his actions. This means that even when one is certain a particular decision would not be intrinsically sinful, it could still be the wrong choice if the effects compromise a commitment to charity.
For example, in New Testament times, many markets would sell meat and other items that had been offered to idols. Some of the Christian Corinthians figured that since pagan gods are not real, no one should have any qualms about eating meat sacrificed to idols, whether when dining with pagan neighbors, or cooking such food for one’s own family. However, other Christians, with admittedly a more simple-minded approach, considered that eating such food was an implicit tribute to such idols, and therefore they would not partake of such meat, and were scandalized when other Christians would.
Paul acknowledges that the line of reasoning is correct: since idols do not exist, eating food sacrificed to them is not intrinsically sinful. However, because the nuance was lost to many recent converts who were struggling to completely put paganism and superstition out of their lives, Paul insists that Christian charity makes it imperative to consider the consequences of causing scandal.
This principle is not to be taken overboard, so that one is reduced to a paralysis of actions out of fear that some other person might misinterpret the actions and be scandalized. But Paul is firm in maintaining that charity and common sense consideration of others are always part of the moral equation.
1 Cor 8: 1b-7. 11-13/ Ps 138(139): 1b-3. 13-14ab. 23-24/ Lk 6: 27-38
From today’s readings: “Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.... Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.... For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.... ”
Avoiding Scandal
More than any other religion, Christianity challenges one to consider the consequences of his actions. This means that even when one is certain a particular decision would not be intrinsically sinful, it could still be the wrong choice if the effects compromise a commitment to charity.
For example, in New Testament times, many markets would sell meat and other items that had been offered to idols. Some of the Christian Corinthians figured that since pagan gods are not real, no one should have any qualms about eating meat sacrificed to idols, whether when dining with pagan neighbors, or cooking such food for one’s own family. However, other Christians, with admittedly a more simple-minded approach, considered that eating such food was an implicit tribute to such idols, and therefore they would not partake of such meat, and were scandalized when other Christians would.
Paul acknowledges that the line of reasoning is correct: since idols do not exist, eating food sacrificed to them is not intrinsically sinful. However, because the nuance was lost to many recent converts who were struggling to completely put paganism and superstition out of their lives, Paul insists that Christian charity makes it imperative to consider the consequences of causing scandal.
This principle is not to be taken overboard, so that one is reduced to a paralysis of actions out of fear that some other person might misinterpret the actions and be scandalized. But Paul is firm in maintaining that charity and common sense consideration of others are always part of the moral equation.
posted by FrPitstick | 9/10/2008
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