Word to the Wise
Thursday, September 9, 2010 - St. Peter Claver, S.J.
[1 Corinthians 8:1b-7, 11-13 and ]There are some who have so used to idolatry up until now that, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols, their conscience which is weak, is defiled. Thus, through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction, the brother for whom Christ died. When you sin in this way against your brothers and wound their consciences, weak as they are, you are sinning against Christ. [1 Cor]
How much should a person be guided by the weakness or vulnerability of other folks' consciences? That is the basic question being addressed by St. Paul today. The setting is still that notorious port city of Corinth. One could find just about any kind of "religion" known there. Often there were social events connected with religious observances and the food served at these events may have been part of the religious worship of a particular deity! What happens if a "strong" Christian, who has long since realized that "idols" have no reality outside of the stuff they were made of, attends one of these events with a recent "convert" who still has some affection for his or her former way of life? The "strong" Christian ignores the religious aspect because he or she gives no reality to the "so-called" deities to whom the food might have been offered. The "weak" Christian could be scandalized by this behavior or else be vulnerable to returning in some fashion to their former idolatrous way of living since he or she sees the "strong" Christian eating anything on the table! St. Paul basically responds by saying that the "superior" knowledge of the "strong" Christian does not excuse him or her from being sensitive to the "weak" conscience of the recent convert. I think we can all probably find a set of circumstances where good example ("appearances?") may have to take precedence over the choices we make, even though we "know" there is nothing harmful or immoral about a particular practice, simply because to proceed would cause unnecessary scandal or disedification. This isn't a matter of pretense. It could be a "teachable moment" in which our sensitivity to another's feelings or beliefs can lead someone to the "better" knowledge or belief that we enjoy. Yes, there is a limit to how far this can go, but often one hears the initial response, "That's THEIR problem!" St. Paul challenges us to the initial response of sensitivity in matters of faith and morals. The first response should be a caring one. AMEN
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